The Gnostic Story of Seth and the Sethians

The Gnostic Story of Seth and the Sethians

In Gnostic tradition, Seth is revered as the enlightened son of Adam and Eve, born in the divine image after the corruption of Cain and Abel. Seen as a radiant being embodying the spirit of truth, Seth symbolizes the restoration of humanity’s original divine likeness lost through ignorance and material entrapment.​

The Sethians, a Gnostic sect active between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE, considered themselves the spiritual descendants of Seth—the “seed of light” within humanity. They believed that the world was ruled by ignorant cosmic powers called archons, created by the false god Yaldabaoth. These archons enslaved human souls in matter, but through hidden knowledge (gnosis), Seth’s followers could awaken the divine spark within and return to the realm of pure light.​

Sethian texts such as The Apocryphon of John and The Three Steles of Seth describe a complex cosmic drama where divine wisdom (Sophia) and her emanations work to liberate the spiritual “race” of Seth from material bondage. For the Sethians, spiritual awakening meant remembering one’s celestial origin and transcending the rule of the false creator through enlightened self-knowledge.

Cain & Abel according to the Gnostics
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