Barbelo and The Father of the Light and the Living Water

“The father is the One who beholds himself in the light surrounding him, which is the spring of living water, and provides all the realms. He reflects on his image everywhere, sees it in the spring of the spirit, and becomes enamored of his luminous water, for his image is in the spring of pure luminous water surrounding him. The father’s thought became a reality, and she who appeared in the presence of the father in shining light came forth. She is the first power who preceded everything and came forth from the father’s mind as the forethought of all. Her light shines like the father’s light; she, the perfect power, is the image of the perfect and invisible virgin spirit. She, the first power, the glory of Barbelo, the perfect glory among the realms, the glory of revelation, she glorified and praised the virgin spirit, for because of the spirit she had come forth. She is the first thought, the image of the spirit. She became the universal womb, for she precedes everything, the mother-father, the first human, the holy spirit, the triple male, the triple power, the androgynous one with three names, the eternal realm among the invisible beings, the first to come forth. Barbelo asked the invisible virgin spirit to give her foreknowledge, and the spirit consented. When the spirit consented, foreknowledge appeared and stood by forethought. This is the one who came from the thought of the invisible virgin spirit. Foreknowledge glorified the spirit and the spirit’s perfect power, Barbelo, for because of her, foreknowledge had come into being. She asked again to be given incorruptibility, and the spirit consented. When the spirit consented, incorruptibility appeared and stood by thought and foreknowledge. Incorruptibility glorified the invisible one and Barbelo. Because of her they had come into being.

Barbelo asked to be given life eternal, and the invisible spirit consented. When the spirit consented, life eternal appeared, and they stood together and glorified the invisible spirit and Barbelo. Because of her they had come into being. She asked again to be given truth, and the invisible spirit consented. Truth appeared, and they stood together and glorified the good invisible spirit and its Barbelo. Because of her they had come into being. This is the father’s realm of five. It is: the first human, the image of the invisible spirit, that is, forethought, which is Barbelo, and thought, along with foreknowledge, incorruptibility, life eternal, truth. This is the androgynous realm of five, which is the realm of ten, which is the father.”

-The Secret Book of John

Beholds Himself in the Light

The Father who is the true God does behold Himself in the Light because he is Light, and He is the Spring of Living Water, which is an allegorical reference to God’s Grace and God’s Word which flows out from Him like water flowing in a river.

He Reflects on His Image

God doesn’t care about physical bodies or anything material, except as something defective that needs to be repaired. God cares only about spirits, so he reflects only on spirits, and since all spirits come from God and are made in His image, He is always reflecting on His own Image by observing spirits everywhere.

The Father’s Thought Became Reality

God doesn’t create by carving things, painting them, or molding them on a potter’s wheel. God creates simply by thinking of something. As soon as God thinks of a thing, it becomes real. Since our spirits are created in God’s image, we also have that ability to some degree, but few of us are able to use it because we lack belief in such abilities. That is probably fortunate since most people don’t have the wisdom to use the ability to create. There is also the problem of conflicting thoughts. While thousands may be wishing for warmer weather, thousands of others wish for cold. Such conflicting thoughts tend to result in no change happening, which is why manifesting rarely works.

God Creates Barbelo

I think the being called Barbelo in the quote probably represents the first Angel created, although it isn’t clear. The quote isn’t very clear on who it is, but does give her great power. I thought she might represent Sophia or Wisdom, but the quote has Barbelo asking “the invisible virgin spirit” for various gifts and powers, so that sounds more like Sophia. Or it could be that Barbelo is Sophia, and the Invisible Virgin Spirit is the female aspect of God.

The First Human

Things Get even more confusing when Barbelo asks for Truth, and Truth appears, but as a separate entity. It is not clear what being the quote refers to as the first human. What is important, though is to understand that the first human was a spirit. A pure spirit with no physical body. Physical bodies came later when the false god created the realm of matter.