Bible Dictionaries
Hermetic Literature

Holman Bible Dictionary

A body of writings composed in Greek in Egypt between 100,300 A.D. associated with the name “Hermes Trimegistos” (Thrice-great Hermes). The Hermetic literature is a diverse collection. Some of the texts are primarily astrological, magical, or alchemical. Others are primarily religious and philosophical texts. Some of the texts are monistic (viewing all reality as a unity) and pantheistic (seeing God present in everything that is). Others are dualistic (seeing God and the creation as separate).

The best-known Hermetic writing is the tractate titled Poimandres (perhaps from the Coptic for “knowledge of the sungod”). Poimhyandres offers to reveal to Hermes the secret nature of creation and God. According to the myth, God created the nous (mind, intelligence) which in turn created (physical) nature. God then created the anthropos , the original man. In the fall, this man united with nature to produce the seven androgynous persons who were the source of the human race. Thus each person consists of a body (from nature) which imprisons the soul (from God). Salvation from the body and deliverance from the oppressive fate of the stars was achieved by receiving knowledge of the nature of things. Reception of such knowledge is described as rebirth. By repressing the bodily senses, the faithful Hermetic hoped to ascend past the seven astral spheres and to reunite with God.

The Hermetic doctrine has similarities with Gnostic teaching. The Hermetic writings unlike gnosticism did not regard nature as itself evil nor the direct agent of creation (demiurge ) as the enemy of God. Some scholars have seen the influence of Hermetic doctrine in the Gospel of John (creation by the logos , rebirth). More likely, both John and the later Hermetics developed earlier Jewish and Greek ideas independently. See Gnosticism; John .