For BrianH--Response to Challenge No. 7--Passwords to Heaven
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 4:18 pm
In another thread, BrianH challenged Mormons to show where Jesus ever taught seven distinctly LDS teachings.
The purpose of this thread is to respond to number seven on that list:
The purpose of this thread is to demonstrate one strand of ancient Judaism, as well as early Christianity, did in fact believe that passwords and/or "seals" were necessary to pass the angels that guard the gates of various heavens.
The following comes from an introduction to a translation of 3 Enoch made by P. Alexander, whom I have no reason to suspect as being a Mormon.
One of the elements of this secret teaching involved the "seals" that had to be given to guardian angels during the mystic's ascent to the throne of God:
This teaching is also found in an ancient Christian text, The Ascension of Isaiah, where "passwords" are used to get past the guardian angels of the lowest three heavens (there are seven total heavens in both texts).
P. Alexander sees a strong parallel here to Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6:1-11, as well as to 2 Corinthians 12:1-7.
I would be interested in finding out what you make of this, Brian H.
All the Best!
--Consiglieri
The purpose of this thread is to respond to number seven on that list:
7.) That men become Gods by, in part, learning secret handshakes and passwords and participating in 17th century revisions of ancient Babylonian initiation rites?
The purpose of this thread is to demonstrate one strand of ancient Judaism, as well as early Christianity, did in fact believe that passwords and/or "seals" were necessary to pass the angels that guard the gates of various heavens.
The following comes from an introduction to a translation of 3 Enoch made by P. Alexander, whom I have no reason to suspect as being a Mormon.
Classic rabbinic literature makes it clear that there was an esoteric doctrine in Talmudic Judaism. It was concerned with two subjects—the Account of Creation and the Account of the Chariot. All study and discussion of these topics in public was banned. . . . Those who ignored these injunctions did so at their peril. . . . Despite efforts to keep Merkabah teaching secret, we are not entirely in the dark as to its contents in the Talmudic period; some elements of it are disclosed. 3 (Hebrew Apocalypse of) Enoch, A New Translation and Introduction by P. Alexander, in James H. Charlesworth, ed., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, (Doubleday; New York, NY) 1983, pp. 229-30.
One of the elements of this secret teaching involved the "seals" that had to be given to guardian angels during the mystic's ascent to the throne of God:
The Merkabah texts stress the dangers of the ascent: To reach the throne of God the mystic had to pass through seven gates guarded by awesome archangels. He must have the right ‘seals’ to show them and he must know the names of the angels. p. 233.
This teaching is also found in an ancient Christian text, The Ascension of Isaiah, where "passwords" are used to get past the guardian angels of the lowest three heavens (there are seven total heavens in both texts).
Ascension of Isaiah 10:24-31 mentions angelic guardians of the gates of the various palaces, to whom passwords have to be given. This recalls the Merkabah notion of the gatekeepers of the seven heavenly palaces, to whom ‘seals’ have to be shown by the mystic on his way up to heaven. p. 248.
P. Alexander sees a strong parallel here to Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6:1-11, as well as to 2 Corinthians 12:1-7.
I would be interested in finding out what you make of this, Brian H.
All the Best!
--Consiglieri