Central Gnostic beliefs that differ from orthodox Christian teachings include : the creator as a lower being [ Demiurge ] and not a Supreme Deity; the belief that all matter is evil and the body is a prison to escape from ( versus the Nicene Creed teaching that there will be a incarnation ( Docetism ).
32.
This writing claims to describe the teachings of Simon Magus, including the ideas that God was not almighty, that the resurrection was false, that Christ was not truly bodily incarnated God ( i . e . Docetism ), that angels made the world ( see Demiurge ), and that the prophets were inaccurate.
33.
:: : As you can seen when put back into its context the " Jesus as a human being never existed at all and is a myth " idea is connected to docetism which goes all the way back to the earliest days of Christianity but the meaning Grant is actually driving for is at best confusing.
34.
The phrase formed one of the main arguments in the early debate on Christology, seemingly suggesting some form of intangibility a view shared in the modern era by Bultmann and hence appearing to advocate docetism ( a view where Jesus'body is not resurrected as a physical object " do not touch me because you can't " ).
35.
To Ehrman, " Proto-orthodox Christians argued that Jesus Christ was both divine and human, that he was one being instead of two, and that he had taught his disciples the truth . " This view that he is " a unity of both divine and human " ( the Hypostatic union ) is opposed to both Adoptionism ( that Jesus was only human ) and Docetism ( that Christ was only divine ).
36.
Gnostics frequently viewed Mary Magdalene as being greater than the other disciples, and much closer to Jesus on both a spiritual and personal level, and hence Jesus treating Mary with disdain would question the respect and emphasis that gnosticism placed on her, much in the same way that Thomas Didymus is presented as doubting Jesus is physically there until he actually confirms it, while Gnostics viewed Thomas as a great teacher who had many revelations, and advocated docetism.
37.
He tells us, that the world had turned to many false opinions : and he specially enumerates, the alleged Docetism of the Albigenses which denied that " Christ had truly suffered in the flesh ", and the unsound tenet unauthoritatively advanced by other sectaries that " three nails only were used in the crucifixion " and that " the left side " ( not the right side ) " of our Lord was pierced by the spear ".
38.
The official Islamic position on the subject of crucifixion, however-which is a form of Docetism-is highlighted in verse of the Qur'an : " and for their unbelief, and their uttering against Mary a mighty calumny, and for their saying,'We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of God'--yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them " . ( AJ Arberry)
39.
Mead claimed Marcionism makes certain points of contact with Gnosticism in its view that the creator of the material world is not the true deity, rejection of materialism and affirmation of a transcendent, purely good spiritual realm in opposition to the evil physical realm, the belief Jesus was sent by the " True " God to save humanity, the central role of Jesus in revealing the requirements of salvation, the belief Paul had a special place in the transmission of this " wisdom ", and its docetism.
40.
Furthermore the Docetism connection was kicked around in Talk : Jesus _ myth _ theory / Archive _ 39 # Docetism and since then I found a 1990 reference that states " Some skeptics argue that Jesus was a myth . "'Ancient scholars named this theory " docetism, " apparently because, to them, Jesus never actually came into the world as a flesh-and-blood man but only seemed to be here . "'. " Last time I checked 1990 was considered modern.
