And the Word Was God
The following is a transcripted series of scrolls, dated to be from around the early 100s C.E. and found in Asia Minor. These scrolls, originally written in Greek, contain a correspondence between two religious figures from the Roman Empire.
The elder to the beloved Caelius, whom I love in truth and by all who understand and live by the truth.
May the Lord God our Father and his Son grant you mercy and peace along your travels. The word for your leave has come to recently through the servant Marinus. Beloved, my joy for your seeking in new children to receive the truth is unnumbered. May those who will soon be walking with the truth someday receive salvation through the Word of God.
I have no doubt your authority, that your words may move the hearts of sinners and spur them to walk among us. Even I have felt a renewed peace, as I did first receiving the truth and thus abiding by the truth when hearing your preaching. May your poetic hymns crafted from your faithful tongue serve you well and bring forth believers of Christ, new and old. May they strengthen those who already walk in the truth to do what is good and from God, and hinder them from doing what is evil.
Beloved, the children of the church have been doing well since your departure. Nothing pertinent enough has occurred that you may worry over. We have continued preparing for salvation and keeping the commandments vigilantly.
I would rather not waste much more ink and papyrus here. I will send Marinus out in hopes of reaching you.
Beloved, I await patiently for the time when we may speak face to face once more. I pray for your well-being during this time. God be with you. The children of the church send you their greetings.
Caelius to the beloved elder, whom I love in truth.
Glory to God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ for granting safe passage to both I and your courier. I received your letter with high spirits and your words lift me higher. Beloved, blessed are you who says such good words, yet I am in no a master of my craft, as grand as what you speak. I am simply a mortal who does what I should to spread the good Word to the people. I worry about what I may preach within the coming days.
Beloved, let me write of what has happened, so you may understand. I reached my destination not long ago. It is only one day by boat, and thank the Lord that the weather was fair and harked no delay. The people of the city received me with great joy and love, remembering how not long ago the apostles walked among them and taught them the Word of God. Their faith is fervent and they are eager to hear more of God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ.
I wish to speak to them of ways that solidify the nature of the Son in their mind, heart, and soul. However, beloved, my thoughts have become clouded and thus I cannot think of how I may do such. I pray night and day that the answer may reveal itself to me, yet until then if it were not so much of a bother to you, beloved elder, that you may help me in how I may guide these people.
So far, I thought to speak of the Gospel according to the apostle John, but that is as far as my thoughts may take me. Beloved, you are wise beyond your years. What direction may I take so I may best guide these people?
I am thankful of the short trip between us, so that I may read your words with haste. I eagerly await the return of your servant.
Tell the children of our church that I, along with all the children here, greet them as well. May the glory of God remain with all of us.
The elder to the beloved Caelius, whom I love in truth.*
I cannot thank God enough for your well-being on your travels. Glory be to Him and His Son for granting you, your servants, and my servant protection. May you be well in body and mind.
I must say, beloved, I admire your humility. Glory to those who put themselves last, for they may receive the kingdom of heaven. Yet, you must accept some truth within my words, for it is through your words that I trust you to preach and empower the faith of these people. Just as your loving words of my wisdom, while overtly embellished, show your great dedication and prowess to the love of God.
Beloved, I commend your decision to preach from John. It is a beautifully written showcase of the nature of the Son and his glory, complex in its thought and discourse. Often, you may find the children of the Father misconstrue such passages and distort their meaning. You may find it wise to take the time to set the path straight, so that the children may walk alongside the Lord instead of the tempter.
I believe the first passage of the Gospel creates a solid foundation for discussing both the nature of the Lord and clarification of the Lord’s message. Its poeticism will easily capture the pious hearts of the audience. There you may guide them in the direction of God’s truth. You would do well to discuss the nature of the Word and how “the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Therefore, the people may understand God’s gift and everlasting love, and so they may go out and act in love as He wishes.
May peace continue to follow you on your spiritual journey. God be with you. The children of the church send you their greetings.
*Words and phrases in verbatim are not uncommon in ancient writings, such as letters.
Caelius to the beloved elder, whom I love in truth.
May the Lord the Father and His Son grant you peace and mercy for all years to come! May He bless you and keep you in good health, for I am thankful beyond words for your help. Beloved, were it not for you I would have found the answer I sought. You do not need to humble yourself with this great deed you have done for me.
Your suggestion is a wise one indeed for I, too, often find many questioning the nature of this introductory passage. Best would it be to deliver a message on such, so that the seed of truth may fall among good hearts and bear fruit.
For the Word is God and was given to us through the everlasting love of God. It is a gift from the heavens to our world, a gift “of grace and truth.” Through the Son, we have learned of the Word, and He brought the true light that no darkness can falter. He has awakened us to who we are and must be. Through the teachings of Christ, and only the teachings, may we attain salvation, by receiving the heavenly truth. Nothing else, such as the passion*, is needed to be saved. We must act with the compassion of the Father and the Son who decided most mercifully to grant this to us and assist those in finding the truth behind his teachings.
Once more, I say to you beloved, thank you. I pray for you, that the Lord may keep you in good health, so you may continue to grant wisdom to the servants of the Lord. Soon I shall go out and spread the good Word.
Greetings from the brothers and sisters of the city.
*”Passion” typically refers to Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection.
The elder to the beloved Caelius, whom I love in truth.
Peace be with you.
Beloved Caelius, hearing of your resolution brings me joy. May your kind words grant mercy. You write and speak most masterfully. Yet, my beloved, heed the words you present.
It is true, as you said, that the teachings of the Lord aid in our journey to salvation. These words are the foundation for spiritual readiness, so that when the Son returns to cast divine judgment upon the living and dead, that we may be pure. His word is a supplement to the Law that Moses brought forth and that we may fulfill. You say that these spiritual teachings and fulfillment are what bring salvation, yet do not forgo that these teachings are a part of the whole. For the truth of salvation comes from the Son’s sacrifice. The good Lord gave His only Son to us for this purpose, for with his condemnation we no longer bond by Temple practices. As He triumphed over death, He shall raise the pious and loving up to the kingdom of heaven.
You must not forget that the resurrection of Christ is essential to salvation. I know you did not ask me to say these things, but I hope you understand my view. I say this so that the children of the city may not misinterpret the word. Beloved, one may take your words in their present state as an invitation to acceptance of other gospels. I would lament if a soul became lost to the antichrist*. May we not lead anyone astray from the flock and into the wolf’s den.
God be with you.
*Back in the 100s C.E., “antichrist” did not mean the Devil incarnate. It meant someone who held a contrary religious belief or opinion.
Caelius to the beloved elder, whom I love in truth.
Glory be to the true God, the Father, and His Son. May he bring peace, love, and truth to all.
You have puzzled me. For it is not I who presented words that may be taken as another belief, but you.
The passion of the Lord and His resurrection is an important aspect. You speak truly of this. His resurrection reveals His divine nature and power over all. You however fail to recognize that the event is not of great relevance. It is not a sacrifice nor a reason for salvation. Salvation is solely through the truth, the Word.
As I said before, the Word was given to us by the Father, through the Son. The Son imparted His wisdom, the wisdom of the Father, unto the chosen souls whose minds and ears were opened. In his teachings was the Word, the truth of our unfortunate trappings in this material world. We did not know the nature of the world and were asleep, ignorant of our true dwelling in the heavens above. But in the Word was this knowledge of the world and our past divinity. To a select few it revealed itself to them and they awoke. Through our love and compassion may we help awaken others to their true nature and realm of belonging.
You would do well to heed your words to prevent others from seeking the incorrect gospel. For this is the truth, the Word given to us is truth. After you reflect on such, you will find great joy in my preaching of this message, which I had done prior to receiving your claims.
The brothers and sisters of the city send their greetings and hope that you may find the Word.
The elder to the beloved Caelius.
I lack the words to convey my shock. You have always been a pious servant of the Lord. What has brought you to believe such things? Such is not what the Father and the Son wish for us. It is a belief put within you by the evil one. You must cast out the thought. I will guide you away from the falsities and into the light of truth.
The Word was not given to us by the teachings of the Son. The Word is the Son. As the Gospel says “the Word was God,” the Word is the Father. Surely you must not have forgotten how it is said “And the Word became flesh?” For Jesus Christ came to us in the flesh, and He was the Word. He was divine and did many signs, yet above all, He was man like us. Thus, he is the Word, not a “giver of the Word” as you seem to imply.
Nor are we divinities trapped in mortal flesh, supposedly unaware and attempting to escape the world. Why would we do so? The world is created by the good Lord, thus it is good. We, too, are created in the image of the Lord, so we are good. We have no reason to reject God’s creation. You must also consider that our God and the angels above are the only divinity. We, as servants, are not equal to our master.
I may only pray that you turn from these temptations and accept the truth. And, may you not poison the mind of the children who know no better. I would much rather wish to send the servant Marinus out to teach the word of God than to lose them to heresy.
Caelius to the elder.
Cease your senseless accusations of me. I have not fallen for temptation nor been fooled by evil. Contrary to such, I have found the truth, the Word, while you continue to claim these falsehoods on the nature of the Word. I need no guidance nor prayers for I have found what is right. You only wish to lead me away from the righteous essence of my soul.
You try to argue in your favor but your claims bear no fruit. How the Word “became flesh” is merely an interpolation of the Gospel. It was added by foolish scribes who wished to change the text to fit the same belief as you. The Lord is not the Word but the fully divine deliverer of the Word.
Do you truly believe that the Lord, our Father, is the creator of this material world? You have read the Septuagint, have you not? The God in the old texts harshly punished those who sinned. He drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden because they sought knowledge. You must not have thought to compare this to our Lord Jesus Christ, who with unending compassion sought to save us by giving us knowledge, gnosis. They are not the same. Ialdabaoth is of the past, the one who ignorantly created this subpar material world, maliciously punished those who served him, and drove out those who sought the gnosis. Ialdabaoth is the one who you think is the Father, but you are wrong. He trapped our divine souls into prisons of flesh, and thus the one true God came to us and revealed to us what we lost. Yet here you are, siding with the arrogant creator of this prison!
You wish to replace me with Marinus, who lacks all degree of education? You’d put me below a fool! What matters not is who you entrust to preach, for my preaching has done a favor to the Lord. I am turning these people toward the Word. I am leading them to the gnosis while you attempt to drive us away from it. You who are so stuck in your incorrect beliefs must not be worthy of the truth. I see no other way. You lack the spark that guides you to the truth. Shame, for I had truly thought you were one of us.
The elder to Caelius.
Oh, woe! Woe to you, for the devil has gone too far and captured your heart. You have made yourself a slave to darkness. It is appalling, what lies you have been fed. I am filled with sorrow for those poor innocent children who heard this false gospel and accepted it.
It is true that scribes have gone and needlessly changed the holy texts. Yet, you have no proof that such a line was added later! More worryingly perhaps is your claim on the Lord being “fully divine.” When were such antichristal thoughts put into your mind! The scriptures state He was both man and God. His divinity showed through the many signs He did. Yet, He wept, felt pain, and died. Did the Gospel of John not say how the Lord appeared within a closed room without opening a window or door? Yet the disciples put their hands on His wounds and felt the holes in His flesh. How could such be if He was all divinity?
How dare you claim such heresy about the ancient scriptures? God in both texts new and old is our Lord, not some malicious figure. No matter how He may act, He is the one who both protected us and granted us a path to salvation, yet punished the sinners. You cannot claim to understand the nature of God. No man can fathom His ways, and to claim so is arrogant. So it is this: all instances of our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ stated in any scriptures are one being so that other beings are idols and to be avoided. That is what you believe, idolatry! You have defamed and judged the good Lord in your worship of this false Christ!
And how dare you speak such evil, wrathful words about my gracious servant! He has without complaint nor question done his duties I asked of him. You lack gratitude for his deliverance of these messages over great lengths.
I pray to you that you stop and realize the harm you’ve done. I pray that you cease prioritizing this false knowledge of the world and readjust your virtues. You foolishly think you are a hero but what you believe is not good, not the light, not Godly, and I pray that you come to see so.
Caelius to the elder.
Is it worth me arguing my points only for you to berate me with your infallible commitment to falsities? You have stuck yourself on a mistaken hope that I may turn around after reading evidence from scriptures that don’t hold any weight. Such is true for how you claim that the Lord was flesh. He only seemed to have flesh but was divine through and through. He fooled the disciple’s senses into feeling the wounds of crucifixion. He feigned death, made it only seem that He died. That is how it can be without a material body.
I do not wish to touch your claims about Ialdabaoth and the children of this city. They know of His trickery and how you have fallen victim to it. And what else, what gratitude may I have to give to your servant, when receiving messages like these? Must I receive attacks to my beliefs with joy? No! I liken them to a thorn pierced within my material flesh. Never will I have such pains again once I’ve released myself from the trappings of my body and rejoined the heavenly spirits. It will be a joyous day, with me and those who I’ve saved with my preachings returning to the heavens where we belong.
Once I make my return, you shall not witness my return to the church. For you lack the spark which dictates that your soul is a trapped divinity. You cannot receive the gnosis, for you lack the eyes and ears to see and hear the secrets within the Lord’s words. You are fooled by Ialdabaoth and thus do not understand the true nature of Christ. I pray that one day, I may be proved wrong and that the Lord may reveal the gnosis to you. Until then, farewell elder.
Caelius to the children of the church.
Take heed to my word, my children, for it concerns our pride and our livelihood. I wish to protect you from the evils that come to condemn us, from the brothers and sisters who have been tricked by Ialdabaoth and told to despise us, and from the people who appear innocent as sheep yet are secretly wolves. Now has come a time where those we trust may be revealed as untrustworthy, as I have painfully experienced.
We are not welcome in this church. The elder has made this clear to me in the way he wrote me words of condemnation about our gospel. He believes in a false gospel where the Father is the same as the ruthless divinity within old texts and where the Lord Jesus’s salvation comes not from his teachings. In his foolishness, he believed the death of Christ was the ultimate sacrifice and the path to salvation, yet the truth is that it equates to nothing. Focusing on the material flesh of our bodies is akin to worshipping the prison that holds us. The good Lord, as we know, had no flesh, only divinity. With His power, He made it seem as if He had flesh and could feel pain.
Salvation is not hidden within worldly death, for we know He had not truly died. It lies within the Word, and the Word is within the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to remind those of us who have the spark that we once belonged in heavens above and urged us to find gnosis, so we may return to our righteous place. I have found that the elder lacks such spark. He cannot see the Word. He cannot hear the Word. He believes there is no Word and adamantly rejects thinking the contrary. We cannot thrive under his authority. He will stunt our search for the gnosis and leave us stuck in the flesh.
Thus, I have decided that I must withdraw. This decision has taken me great deliberation and pain, for the elder had been my best companion in the Lord. But now I know that he acts without love. He insults my pursuit of gnosis. He sees the good seeds we have planted as weeds and plans to uproot us.
You would find it best to come along and join me. Together, we may create a church for our gospel, as ours is not welcome here. Little children, heed my call. May our pursuit of gnosis be met with peace. Amen.
To learn more about the historical context surrounding this story, click here.