Radical discontinuity between appearance and reality; between bodily, literal perception (both experiential and exegetical) and spiritual insight (the inner perception); between historical existence (frequently expressed as being under the sway of an alien secondary god, creator of the phenomenal world and/or God of the Old Testament) and spiritual existence (belonging to the eternal reality of fullness of the high God and/or God of the New Testament) these were the linchpins of various gnostic systems. These presuppositions were at once the explanation of how the rift between appearance and reality occurred and the prescription for return from appearance into reality. Reaction to gnostic concerns exerted a formative influence on the shape and content of Christian doctrine, views of tradition, New Testament canon, and ecclesiastical structure. The continuing contribution of Gnosticism in its psychological aspects can be seen in the writings of C. G. .Jung. .
As noted in the definition, this is where the complexity of influence began and continues to exist today. In my understanding of the gnosis and how it differed from the Orthodox teachings of Christianity deals with the resurrection of Christ. What was written about his resurrection opened the door to varied interpretation of what the disciples saw and felt. In the story of Mary's encounter with the resurrected Jesus. Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. Mary saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" Mary said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him. After saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.
