OK, Monk, here’s a way of going deeper which might work for you.
Elaine Pagels, Professor of Religion at Princeton, has written a book called Gnostic Paul where she examines the Valentinians’ case for Paul being Gnostic.
The Valentinians (followers of the 2nd century Gnostic Valentinus) had a school in Rome until it was forcibly closed down in the 5th century. Valentinus said that he was initiated into the secret mysteries by Theudas, and that Theudas had been initiated by Paul.
There’s just one more thing you have to understand before reading this. We’ve talked about the duality of the teachings – one story for the masses and another for the initiates.
The Gnostics titled those not yet ready for the second initiation, but have been baptised with water (1st intiation) ‘psychics’. But those who have been or about to undertake the second initiation are titled ‘pneumatics’. I think this is common across most Gnostic groups.
So here’s a small extract from the Valentinians’ interpretation of Paul via Elaine Pagels.
Yet Paul, like the saviour himself, chooses not to disclose this theme openly. Instead, he follows Christ’s example and hides his meaning in parables. In writing his letter to the Romans for example, he uses a simple, every day situation — the relationship between Jews and Gentiles — as a parable between the relationship of the called and the elect.
Valentinian exegetes attempt systematically to disclose to the initiate the hidden Logos of Paul’s teachings, separating it from the metaphors that hide it from the uninitiated. For as Paul says in Roms 2:28 those called “Jews inwardly”, “Jews in secret”, the “true Israel” are, Theodotus says, the pneumatic elect. They alone worship the One God (Rom 3:29) The Unengendered Father. But because their affinity with the father is hidden, a secret from those who are “Jews outwardly”, (the psychics) and from the demiurge god (“the god of the Jews” Rom 3:29) Paul more often calls the elect in his parables “the uncircumcised”, the Gentiles or “the Greeks”.
The initiated reader could recognise Paul’s meaning when he proclaims himself “apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom 1:5). The Valentinians note how Paul contrasts his own mission to the pneumatic Gentiles with Peter’s mission to the psychic Jews. (Gal. 2:7)
Paul says that he, as apostle to the Gentiles, longs to share with them his pneumatic charisma (Rom 1:11) but acknowledges his obligation “both to the Greeks and to the barbarians”, that is, as he says, both to the wise (pneumatics) and the foolish (psychics). (Rom 1:14.)
So I will repeat that quote again, and another one, to make the point, in the hope that now you've read that explanation, it might make more sense to you:
“For I long to see you, that I may impart some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established ....
“[But] I am a debtor, both the the Greeks [pneumatics], and to the barbarians [psychics]: both to the Wise [pneumatics] and the unwise [psychics].”
And again he says in 1 Cor. 2: 6-7.
“How be it that we speak wisdom among those that are perfect [pneumatics]; yet none of the wisdom of this world, nor the princes of this world, that comes to nought.
“But we speak of the wisdom of God [Sophia] in a mystery, ever the hidden wisdom, which ordained before the world unto our glory.”
