Astanphaeus Explained

Astanphaeus (or Astaphaeus) is an evil angel in Gnosticism. He was seen as an Angel of the Presence, the seventh and last of them. He was associated with the planet Mercury.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} Among the elements he is associated with water,^[5] among the human body parts with hair^[6]

In the Adversus Haereses book (180 CE), Irenaeus wrote, that Ophites (a Christian Gnostic sect) considered Hebrew Bible prophets as spokesmen for evil gods of the lower world. Specifically, Ezra and Zephaniah were believed to belong to Astanphaeus.^{[7] [8]}

In Sethian Gnosticism, Astanphaeus can be identified with the archon Astaphaios in Contra Celsum by Origen Adamantius.^[9] The archon, however, has a different planetary alignment than the angel: Venus, not Mercury.^[10]

See also

• Ialdabaoth
• Archons
• Angels of the Presence
• Ogdoad

Notes and References

1. MacCulloch . James Arnott . The Ascent of the Soul: A Comparative Study in Gnosticism . The Irish Church Quarterly . 1912 . 5 . 18 . 122–141 . 10.2307/30067221 . 2 March 2023 . 2009-1664.
2. Pettipiece . Timothy . Varieties of Christian Gnosis . A Companion to Religion in Late Antiquity . 4 May 2018 . 297–317 . 10.1002/9781118968130.ch14.
3. Schaefers . Katherine . Gnostic Imagery from the Beginning of our Era to Today . The Rose . 1 January 2011 . 2 March 2023.
4. Book: Cresswell . Julia . The Watkins dictionary of angels . 2006 . Watkins . London . 1-84293-198-9.
5. Garadja . Alexei . Irenaeus of Lyon. Against Heresies 1.29–30. A Russian translation with commentary by A. Garadja / Ириней Лионский. Против ересей 1.29–30. Пер. и комментарии А. Гараджи. (in Russian) . Platonic Investigations . 1 January 2020 . 3 March 2023.
6. Adamson . Grant . Astrological Medicine in Gnostic Traditions . Practicing Gnosis . 1 January 2013 . 348 . 10.1163/9789004248526_020 .
7. Web site: Fallon . Francis T. . The Prophets of the Ot and the Gnostics . Vigiliae Christianae . 2 March 2023 . 191–194 . en . 10.1163/157007278X00102 . 1 January 1978.
8. Young . Edward . Biblical Criticism to the End of the Second Christian Century . Dropsie College Theses . 14 May 1943 . 2 March 2023.
9. Book: Annus . Amar . The god Ninurta : in the mythology and royal ideology of ancient Mesopotamia . 2002 . Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project . [Helsinki, Finland] . 978-951-45-9057-3 . 198 . 3 March 2023.
10. Book: Bousset . Wilhelm . Hauptprobleme der Gnosis . 1973 . Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht . Göttingen . 9783525535516 . 10 . Neudr. d. 1. Aufl. von 1907.