Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present: 12 (Collected Works of Hugh Nibley) by Hugh Nibley

Author:Hugh Nibley [Nibley, Hugh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Gospel Teachings
Publisher: Deseret Book Co
Published: 1992-04-30T06:00:00+00:00

Figure 50. From a 1934 copy of an old Mandaean magic scroll, Adam, Šitil, and other perfected souls in priestly dress give the kušṭa, or ritual hand-grasp, to each other.

It describes how he went back: "First — he was taken to a place of detention, a shomai [a treasure place] — where he meets the one who holds the nails of glory and the signs in the hands, and the key of the kushta of both arms."132 That is the code for the signs that Adam had to receive — his instructions. The one who holds the nails of glory, and the signs in the hands, and the key to the initiation rites is the master of the Treasure House (fig. 50). "Hither a messenger from the house of light was sent to fetch Adam farther when he was ready."133 The reason it is so often the Adam of Light, the premortal Adam, who is sent to help suffering humanity (he's our great helper), is that he, as our first Father, was himself thus helped in the beginning. He couldn't have helped himself out of things had not a Savior been provided.

"When Adam awoke," we are told in the Ginza, "he faced the light and called for help. The Lord Himself approached him, in glory, and took him by the palm of the right hand and calmed him and instructed him. Then he comforted Eve. In this way, I have brought joy and aid to his descendants."134 "The Sent Ones came to bring hope to Adam, who was in the image of God."135

This "Adam incident" is repeated in the case of Abraham, who took a trip to heaven, to the stars, and when his spirit came back to his body, he awoke as if from sleep or a daze. After he had first spoken with the Lord, he fell to earth, for his spirit had left his body, which "became as a stone." "Then the angel who had been sent to me took me by the right hand and said, 'Abraham, awake and arise! I have been sent to you to strengthen you and bless you in the name of the Creator.'" Then the angel instructed him.136

In the vast majority of accounts, it is three Sent Ones who instruct Adam. There is no conflict, since the Sent Ones are many. They come whenever they are needed. Indeed, according to sources, Adam himself was one of the three great Sent Ones who created the world in the beginning. The Berlin Papyrus says, "The first man was the third of the Sent Ones — the Father, the Son, and Adam" — when they came down to create the world. According to the Apocryphon of Adam, Adam was awakened from a deep sleep by three men from on high, who said to him, "Adam arise and hear the teachings of the Savior."137 "It was through a team of three," according to the Sophia Christi, "that God created everything, employing them as his agents."138

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