One of my main intentions when I decided to commence this blog was to share some of the great materials I have come in contact with as I have studied at Marquette University. I have had many great professors in the year I have been at MU.  One of the professors that I find I have most in common with, to the point that I chose him as my academic advisor, is Dr. Andrei A. Orlov.  I spoke of him previously and posted links to some of his groundbreaking research on 2 Enoch here.

Although well known for his work on Enoch, Dr. Orlov has published well over 30 articles (see www.andreiorlov.com) , many of which are on topics other than the Enoch tradition. Today I wanted to look at a few ideas from an article that he wrote on the Jacob tradition, entitled “The Face as the Heavenly Counterpart of the Visionary,” published most recently as part of his book From Apocalypticism to Merkabah Mysticism: Studies in the Slavonic Pseudepigrapha (Supplements to the Journal for the Study of Judaism, 114; Leiden: Brill, 2007), pp. xii+481. $207.00. ISBN 90-04-15439-6.

The Ladder of Jacob

In this article, Dr. Orlov discusses the significance of themes found in a Slavonic pseudepigraphal text known as the Ladder of Jacob. Although its origins are obscure, this text was possibly written in the second century AD by Christians, and was based on Jewish traditions. It has many similarities to the Apocalypse of Abraham, the Odes of Solomon, the Gospel of Thomas, and other similar texts.

In Ladder of Jacob, we see a continuation/expansion of Jacob’s dream in Gen 28, where he sees a ladder connecting earth and heaven and sees angels ascending and descending on it and at the top of the ladder is the Lord.  In this text, Jacob seeks further explanation of this dream from the Lord by approaching him in prayer. An angel named Sariel is sent to give Jacob further details about his vision.

The Face as God’s Kavod

Although I won’t spend much time on this topic in this post, Orlov goes into great detail about how the Ladder of Jacob dwells significantly on the subject of the Face of God.  As Jacob ascends and reaches the top of the celestial ladder, he beholds a human face “carved out of fire” that was “exceedingly terrifying” (see p. 402, or p. 4 here).  This face is accompanied by shoulders and arms, a unit which Orlov calls “the fiery anthropomorphic extent, which serves as the embodiment of the deity…” (p. 402).  This Face, explains Orlov, should be understood to be
“related to the glorious celestial entity known in theophanic traditions as God’s Kavod” (p. 403). For a biblical example of this connection, see Exod 33:18-23, where Moses asks to see God’s Glory (kavod) and God responds by saying that Moses would not see his Face. Orlov reasons that when the visionary describes “the Face,” he is describing a vision of the Face of God, an anthropomorphic entity “seated on the fiery Throne of Glory” (pp. 404-405).

Jacob’s Heavenly Counterpart

In Genesis 32, we have the account of Jacob wrestling with a “man” until he is blessed and given a new name, Israel. In Ladder of Jacob, the “man” is the angel, Sariel, Jacob’s angelic guide. Orlov explains that there is likely a link between the angel Sariel and the angel Uriel/Phanuel of other traditions (such as 2 Enoch), who serves as angelus interpres.  The name Phanuel is quite possibly related to the Peniel/Penuel mentioned in Gen 32:30-31. He cites Targum Neofiti to Gen. 32:25–31, which reads:

And Jacob was left alone; and the angel Sariel wrestled with him in the appearance of a man and he embraced him until the time the dawn arose. When he saw that he could not prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh became benumbed in his wrestling with him. And he said: “Let me go because the rise of the dawn has arrived, and because the time of the angels on high to praise has arrived, and I am a chief of those who praise”. And he said: “I will not let you go unless you bless me”. And he said to him: “What is your name?” And he said: “Jacob”. And he said: “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob but Israel, because you have claimed superiority with angels from before the Lord and with men and you have prevailed against them. And Jacob asked and said: “Tell me your name I pray”; and he said: “Why, now, do you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel because: “I have seen angels from before the Lord face to face and my life has been spared”.

In Ladder of Jacob, Sariel/Phanuel does not wrestle with Jacob, but rather instructs him regarding the sacred secrets of Heaven. At the conclusion of this instruction, instead of simply being given the new name Israel, Jacob is introduced to his heavenly counterpart, the angel Israel.  Jacob, through the guidance of Sariel, is given the knowledge that he has a heavenly identity–that his celestial “self’ is truly a great luminous being who serves before the Face of God.

The imagery here is very similar to that of the Enoch tradition (1 Enoch 71 and 2 Enoch 22), where Enoch is taken up to Heaven by the angel Uriel, where he is transformed before the Throne of God into the powerful angel Metatron, with the titles (among others) Son of Man and Prince of the World. When Enoch returns to Earth, he tells his children that although they see him as the earthly, human Enoch, there is likewise an angelic Enoch that has stood in the Lord’s Presence (see p. 409).  The idea that a human can have a heavenly double appears to be an ancient Jewish belief that turns up in a number of documents.

As a note for LDS readers, it is very interesting to compare this idea to Joseph Smith’s teaching that the ancient patriarchs had a pre/post-mortal angelic identity–Adam=Michael, Noah=Gabriel, etc. In fact, every person on earth has a heavenly or spiritual identity. Doctrine and Covenants 107:54–55 is just one expression of this principle.

54 And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel.
55 And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them forever.

Engraved in the Throne of Glory

As if this weren’t enough, Orlov’s discoveries get even more spicy! Not only does Jacob find that he is a celestial reality in Heaven, but that his “image” is fixed or engraved on the Throne of Glory. Dr. Orlov cites a comparable tradition from the Targums (see p. 407). In Targum Pseudo-Jonathan to Gen 28:12 the following description can be found:

He [Jacob] had a dream, and behold, a ladder was fixed in the earth with its top reaching toward the heavens … and on that day they (angels) ascended to the heavens on high, and said, Come and see Jacob the pious, whose image is fixed (engraved) in the Throne of Glory, and whom you have desired to see.

This, in itself, is an amazing idea to ponder. However, Orlov explains that there are further implications possible in this imagery.

Besides the tradition of “engraving” on the Throne, some Jewish materials point to an even more radical identification of Jacob’s image with Kavod. Jarl Fossum’s research demonstrates that in some traditions about Jacob’s image, his “image” or “likeness” is depicted not simply as engraved on the heavenly throne, but as seated upon the throne of glory. J. Fossum argues that this second tradition is original. Christopher Rowland proposed that Jacob’s image is “identical with the form of God on the throne of glory (Ezek. 1.26f.)” (p. 408).

In other words, when Jacob enters the Presence of God and looks at the Throne of Glory, instead of seeing the Lord, he sees himself sitting on the Throne! What an incredible tradition! I certainly don’t think that this was meant to be blasphemous in any way–to the contrary, I think it was meant to show God’s gift to man, his divine potential. This is the end result of deification/theosis. The pious individual has become one with the Glory of God.  As Dr. Orlov notes, Jacob seems to have become a servant of the Divine Face, and identified with it (see pp. 415-419).

I think this idea goes along well with what I presented in my last post, in the section about “throne-sharing.” The washing, anointing, naming, and crowning of the king (or high priest) resulted in his being identified with (or representing) Yahweh. We have the idea (seen in Rev. and elsewhere) of God-and-the-Lamb sitting upon the Throne of Glory. Looking at the grammar, it appears that this was one Figure sitting on the throne. Was it God or was it Christ? It doesn’t really matter, for the enthroned Christ is totally united with the Father and represents Him.  I quote again Margaret Barker’s insight into this principle:

In each case they are one, because in each case it is a human figure who has become divine…The Lamb is, therefore, a human being taken up to the throne and, as he is enthroned, he becomes divine, united with “him who sits upon the throne”. The Lamb is worshipped after he has stood in the midst of the throne (Rev 5:6). When Solomon was made king, there was an exactly similar sequence; it must have been the ancient temple ritual. Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king (1 Chron 29:23) (Barker, Temple Themes in Christian Worship, p. 91).

Although texts like Ladder of Jacob are obscure and somewhat ambiguous, I believe we can gain much from them that can give us background understanding for our modern beliefs, like faded pieces of the Gospel puzzle. There are some great principles that resemble the Plan of Salvation, our Divine Potential, and the teachings of the modern LDS Temple. I feel greatly indebted to Dr. Andrei Orlov for his excellent research on these ancient texts, of which I would hardly have any knowledge of through any other source.

The Ascension of Isaiah is an early Christian document that is thought to have been written some time in the second century A.D., and is considered a Christian re-working of an older Jewish tradition. It resembles, in some ways, Isaiah 6, but details a much more elaborate vision, in which Isaiah is taken, in spirit, through the various levels of Heaven until he reaches the highest Heaven, where he is privileged to behold a vision of the Father, Beloved Son, and Holy Spirit.

It is on this last point that I wish to concentrate, although there are many great insights to be gained from studying this amazing text. To see further background info on Ascension of Isaiah, and to read the text (translated from the Greek version), please see http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/ascension.html.

Starting in Chapter 6 of the text, Isaiah recounts the vision that saw in which a glorious angel comes to him, takes him by the hand, and leads him upwards into the heavens. The angel declares the purpose of this celestial journey:

When I have raised thee on high through the various degrees…You will see one who is greater than I…and his Father also who is greater you will see (vv. 7:4, 7-8).

The interpreting angel then takes Isaiah one degree at a time through the first six heavens. Each heaven has its own angels and guardian who sits on a throne. At each level, Isaiah notices that the angels and guardian are much more bright and glorious than the previous heaven. They soon become so glorious that Isaiah is tempted to bow down and worship them. His angel prohibits this, however, telling him:

Worship neither angel nor throne which belongs to the six heavens–for this reason was I sent to conduct you–till I tell you in the seventh heaven.  For above all the heavens and their angels is your throne set, and your garments and your crown which you shall see (7:21-22).

Isaiah learned that he was destined for a far higher glory than all that he had seen in the lower heavens. He soon began to notice that he, himself, was becoming more glorious as he ascended. He comments, “[F]or the glory of my countenance was being transformed as I ascended from heaven to heaven” (7:25).

In the sixth heaven Isaiah beholds an immense number of angels who “all had one appearance” praising “the primal Father and his Beloved, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.” As the angel leads him up to the seventh and highest Heaven, the guardian of the sixth tries to impede him in a manner that frightens Isaiah, but another voice overrules and permits his entry into God’s presence, reasoning that “his garment is here.” Isaiah questions the angel about what has just happened, and the angel responds:

He who forbade you is he who is placed over the praise of the sixth heaven, and he who gave permission is your Lord, God, the Lord Christ, who will be called Jesus on earth, but his name you cannot hear till you have ascended out of your body (9:4-5).

Upon entering the seventh Heaven, Isaiah sees a great light an innumerable angels. He sees “all the righteous from Adam” including Abel, Enoch, and all those who were with him. They were stripped of their garments of flesh and Isaiah “saw them in their garments of the upper world, and they were like angels, standing there in great glory.” He notices that they have their glorious garments, but not their thrones and crowns. He asks his guide why this is, and is told:

“Crowns and thrones of glory they do not receive, till the Beloved will descent in the form in which you will see Him descent [will descent, I say] into the world in the last days the Lord, who will be called Christ. Nevertheless they see and know whose will be thrones, and whose the crowns when He has descended and been made in your form, and they will think that He is flesh and is a man (9:12-13).

Isaiah is then told of the earthly mission of Christ and how all who believe in him will also inherit thrones and crowns in the highest Heaven. He then sees a glorious One whom Adam, Abel, Enoch and all the righteous begin to worship. Isaiah also begins to worship Him and is transformed into a glorious angelic being like the others. His angelic guide tells him that this is Christ, “the Lord of all the praise-givings which thou hast seen.”

Interestingly, Isaiah then sees another “Glorious One who was like Him,” standing to the left of Christ. The text says:

And I asked: “Who is this?” and he said unto me: “Worship Him, for He is the angel of the Holy Spirit, who speaketh in thee and the rest of the righteous” (9:36).

Then the spiritual eyes of Isaiah are opened and his is able to see “the Great Glory,” God the Father, who he had not previously been able to see due to the greatness of His glory.

And my Lord drew nigh to me and the angel of the Spirit and He said: “See how it is given to thee to see God, and on thy account power is given to the angel who is with thee.” And I saw how my Lord and the angel of the Spirit worshipped, and they both together praised God.  And thereupon all the righteous drew near and worshipped. And the angels drew near and worshipped and all the angels praised (9:39-42).

Isaiah is privileged to behold many other things, including witnessing the Father call Christ to descend to Earth to perform his sacred mission. 

This document is simply amazing. It is an authentic early Christian writing that details a Heavenly Ascent in which the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are seen as three separate and distinct individuals. Even the Holy Spirit, who is often relegated to being some type of Power or Influence or Love of God is seen as a distinct angelic figure, “the angel of the Holy Spirit.” Isaiah witnesses both the Son and the Spirit worshipping the Father–being obviously subordinate to Him. This document is a gem and very exciting for LDS readers. I will be sure to discuss more on the Ascension of Isaiah in future posts.

Enoch’s Anointing and Investiture During Ascension in 2 Enoch

In this post, Bryce gives us one of the greatest examples of the Heavenly Ascent in all known religious literature (hence the especial appropriateness of my making mention of it here). Enoch, the antideluvian patriarch, is taken up through the various heavens to the Highest Heaven and there beholds the face of God.  The result of this experience is the transfiguration of Enoch’s mortal body into a celestial body and the bestowal of glory and a throne next to God’s. Quoting from his post:

This Enoch, whose flesh was turned to flame, his veins to fire, his eye-lashes to flashes of lightning, his eye-balls to flaming torches, and whom God placed on a throne next to the throne of glory, received after this heavenly transformation the name Metatron.¹

Bryce does an excellent job of pointing out the similarities between these themes in Enoch and our modern LDS Temple practices.  

In the celestial realm, Enoch is anointed, clothed, and given a new name. Bryce comments:

The symbolism of the temple is quite clear. This text covers the themes of ascension, deification (theosis), exaltation, anointing, investiture, the garment of priesthood, and being made like one of His glorious ones.

 I believe that these types of ascension stories preserve ancient Temple belief and ritual. As Latter-day Saints, there is much that we can learn and enjoy by studying such texts.

If you haven’t already, please take the time to take a good look at Bryce’s great post over at www.TempleStudy.com.

God Dwelleth Not in Temples Made With Hands? –Part I

  This is Bryce’s newest post. The general purpose of the post was to respond to an evangelical reader who had a question involving the legitimacy of a physical post-Messianic temple. In his question to Bryce, he cites Acts 17:24–25 which states that God does not “dwell in houses built by hands.”

In the first of a multi-part post, Bryce answers the question respectfully and convincingly. He analyzes the scriptures in question, showing how they are often misunderstood. He proposes:

But do Paul’s words suggest that God’s presence cannot be had within earthly temples which mirror the heavenly temple? I don’t believe so, because I don’t believe they are earthly. Dr. John Tvedtnes has explained that the words “‘without hands’ suggest something not made by mortals, but by God” (cf. Col. 2:11)³. In every case of God’s dealing with man on earth He has commanded his servants to build sacred sanctuaries (temples) wherein He may reveal Himself and His will to His people. In such cases God has been the director of the building of these structures, not man.

He continues on to give good evidence that Christians did continue to worship in the Temple after Christ’s ascension and that the Temple was considered by Christians to be the place of God’s presence.

I believe that Margaret Barker tackles and answers this question well in her book Temple Themes in Christian Worship, which I am commenting on here on my blog. In Part II of my commentary, I review the evidences she provides for Christians employing Temple traditions in their worship and their hope that they would have a physical temple of their own one day.

Another great post from www.TempleStudy.com. I look forward to seeing the rest of Bryce’s response.

The topic of deification has come up frequently in my classes this week. In Dr. Orlov’s class, one of my classmates presented a paper he had written comparing traditions about Moses to the story of the birth of Christ in Matthew. In one part, he compares the divinity of Jesus to traditions about Moses also being divine. He cited Exodus 4:16 and 7:1, in which Jehovah says Moses is to be like God to Aaron, and then to Pharoah. He notes that the Rabbis rendered Deut. 33:1 as “Moses, man and God,” although the text as we have it does not say that. He also noted that some early Christians suggested that Jesus should be called “God” in the same way that Moses is in Ex. 7:1.

It is interesting to note that Dr. Andrei Orlov, our professor, has written essays on the idea that Moses was made divine as a result of his vision of God on Mt. Sinai, and that was the reason that his face was shining when he came down from the mount-he had been transfigured into an angelic or divine being as a result of, and/or in preparation to behold the Divine Presence. This is a recurring theme, and comparisons can be made to Jesus on the Mt. of Transfiguration, Paul who was taken up to the Third Heaven (whether in the body or out he couldn’t tell) and as my dear Marluce reminded me, the Three Nephites who were taken up into heaven and transfigured. Many other examples can be noted, especially in the extra-biblical apocalyptic and mystical texts. A great scripture on this topic is Moses 1:2,11-where Moses is only able to see God after he is transfigured and then able to see with spiritual eyes.

The next day, my Christian History class (with Dr. Mickey Mattox) discussed a Christian theologian named Gregory of Palamas, who lived in the early 14th century. Gregory of Palamas was a monk who promoted a very mystical type of Christianity, in which he and his fellow monks believed that through meditation, contemplation and prayer, they could eventually reach a point in which they could ascend to Heaven, in a sense, and witness the Divine Presence. Now this was supposed to be a sort of out-of-body experience in which the soul left the body and was united with the Divine Light that it beheld. It supersedes the natural senses and perceives things in a spiritual sense. Gregory says that the “soul becomes deiform,” and “through this grace the mind comes to enjoy the divine effulgence, and acquires an angelic and godlike form.” Gregory refers to this process as “deification.” So the vision of God, and the unity of the soul with God is what it is, for Gregory Palamas, to become a god.

Although Joseph Smith gives us a much more detailed understanding of what it is to be a god, and what the process is to get there, it is amazing to note that this truly is a recurring theme in ancient Christianity and in religion from the beginning. And all this talk of deification at a Catholic university! Actually, we have talked about deification many times in both classes, but since I have just now started keeping track, I don’t have the time or space to expound on that now-suffice it to say that it is a major thrust of many, many Jewish and Early Christian writings.