Editing Ogdoad (Gnosticism) (section)

== 6 + 2 System ==
[[File:MS-Ogdoas-Aion-2.jpg|thumb|right|The ogdoad described by Gnostic [[Valentinus (Gnostic)|Valentinus]] in the 2nd century AD (with the first two named Propator and Ennoia)]]

In the system of Valentinus again the names Ogdoad and Hebdomad occur in the same signification. Above this lower world are the seven heavens, where dwells their maker the Demiurge himself also, on that account, called Hebdomas ([[s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume I/IRENAEUS/Against Heresies: Book I/Chapter V.|Iren. I. v. p. 24]]). Of these seven heavens [[Marcus (Marcosian)|Marcus]] taught in more detail ([[s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume I/IRENAEUS/Against Heresies: Book I/Chapter XIV.|Iren. I. xiv. 7, p.72]]). Above these heavens is the Ogdoad, also called ''he mesotes'', and Jerusalem above, the abode of [[Sophia (Gnosticism)|Achamoth]], who herself also is called Ogdoad ([[s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume I/IRENAEUS/Against Heresies: Book I/Chapter V.|Iren. I. v. 2, p. 24]]; [[s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume V/Hippolytus/The Refutation of All Heresies/Book VI|Hippol. vi. p. 191]]). Over the Ogdoad is the [[Pleroma]], the abode of the Aeons. Thus (Hippol. p.&nbsp;195), we have the threefold division, ''ta kata tous aionas, ta kata ten ogdoada, ta kata ten hebdomada''. This use of the words Hebdomad and Ogdoad also bears traces of derivation from a previous system, the word Ogdoad occurring in a different sense in the system of Valentinus himself, whose Ogdoad within the Pleroma was probably intended to answer to the Ogdoad outside. Irenaeus ([[s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume I/IRENAEUS/Against Heresies: Book II/Chapter XXX.|ii. 107]]) argues from what is told of Paul's ascent to the third heaven against the low place assigned to the heavens in the Valentinian scheme.

=== First Ogdoad ===
In the earliest stages of that evolution we have ([[Irenaeus|Iren]]. I. i.) eight primary Aeons constituting the first Ogdoad. The ultimate conception of God, named the Ineffable Father and who has existed since before the beginning, is described as Depth or Profundity ([[Bythos]]). All around him exists a female power that has been named Silence (Sige). These two deities, Depth and Silence, become the cause, through a process of [[Emanationism|emanation]], of the other [[archetype|archetypal]] beings or [[Aeon (Gnosticism)|Aeon]]s. The Aeons are always born in male-female pairs (as [[Aeon (Gnosticism)#Valentinus|syzygies]]), each of which is in itself a divine principle but at the same time represents one aspect of the Ineffable Father, who otherwise could not be described nor comprehended as he is beyond all names. The emanation takes place in the following manner: Depth-and-Silence gives birth to Mind-and-Truth ([[Nous]] and [[Aletheia]]), who gives birth to Word-and-Life ([[Logos]] and [[wikt:ζωή|Zoe]]), who gives birth to Man-and-Church ([[Adam Kadmon#Gnosticism|Anthropos]] and [[Christian Church|Ecclesia]]). These Aeonic pairs comprise the Fullness of Godhead ([[Pleroma]]), and the first eight Aeons that have been expounded here are the Valentinian Ogdoad.<ref>{{cite book |title= Jesus Christ, Sun of God: Ancient Cosmology and Early Christian Symbolism |last= David |first= Fideler |author-link= David Fideler |year= 1993 |publisher= Quest Books |isbn= 978-0-8356-0696-7 |page= 128}}</ref>

Though this Ogdoad is first in order of evolution, if the Valentinian theory be accepted as true, yet to us who trace the history of the development of that system the lower Ogdoad must clearly be pronounced the first, and the higher only as a subsequent extension of the previously accepted action of an Ogdoad. Possibly also the Egyptian doctrine of eight primary gods (see above) may have contributed to the formation of a theory of which Egypt was the birthplace. In any case an Ogdoad 7 + 1 would have been inconsistent with a theory an essential part of which was the coupling its characters in pairs, male and female. [[Hippolytus of Rome]] (''[[Philosophumena|Ref]]''. vi. 20, p.&nbsp;176) connects the system of Valentinus with that of [[Simonians|Simon]], in which the origin of things is traced to a central first principle, together with six "roots." If for the one first principle we substitute a male and female principle, the 6 + 1 of Simon becomes the 6 + 2 of Valentinus. This very question, however, whether the first principle were to be regarded as single or twofold was one on which the Valentinians themselves were not agreed; and their differences as to the manner of counting the numbers of the primary Ogdoad confirm what has been said as to the later origin of this doctrine.