Source: Margaret Barker, Temple Mysticism: An Introduction (London: SPCK, 2011), 63–96.
Temple Secrets - Celestial Hierarchy.pdf
The Many Emanations of God.wav
This text explores the ancient theological concept of the "Many" and the "One," specifically examining the unity and plurality of divine beings, angels, and God in early Jewish and Christian thought, especially as expressed through temple mysticism. It begins by discussing the controversial figure of Pseudo-Dionysius and suggests that his seemingly Neoplatonic hierarchy of angels may actually stem from older temple theology. The source then extensively analyzes the ambiguity of plural forms like ’elohim in Hebrew scripture, demonstrating how these terms naturally suggested a simultaneous plurality and unity of heavenly hosts, as seen in creation accounts and the story of Abraham's visitors. This theme is further explored through imagery of fire and light, which represents the unified yet manifold nature of the divine, a concept that influenced the Nicene Creed and early Christian art. Finally, the text details the concept of heavenly music as a metaphor for cosmic harmony and the restoration of creation, a central element of temple worship that was preserved and reinterpreted in early Christian liturgy, ultimately concluding that early Christianity’s angelology and worship were deeply rooted in this ancient, non-Deuteronomic temple tradition.
For many raised in Judeo-Christian traditions, the concept of God is straightforward: there is one God, a singular being, fundamentally distinct from other entities like angels or humans. This is the bedrock of monotheism as it is commonly understood today.
But ancient texts, including the Bible itself, paint a much more fluid, complex, and mystical picture. In the world of temple mysticism, the line between the "One" and the "Many" was beautifully blurred. The divine was understood not as a static, solitary number, but as a dynamic reality that could be both a perfect unity and an expressive plurality at the same time. This article recovers four foundational concepts from temple mysticism that reveal the original, dynamic vision of the divine as a harmonious unity-in-plurality.
The Word for "God" Was Often Plural
One of the most foundational puzzles in the Hebrew Bible is the word for God itself: 'elohim'. Linguistically, the word has a plural form. While translators typically render it as the singular "God," this choice often obscures a deeper theological concept. The common explanation is that it's a "plural of majesty," but the texts themselves suggest a more profound meaning.
A powerful example appears in Psalm 82:1: ‘God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgement.’ In the original Hebrew, the word 'elohim' is used for both "God" (singular) and "gods" (plural) within the same sentence. This isn't a contradiction but an expression of a complex reality: a singular divine being presiding over a council of divine beings. This was not an isolated quirk. The enigmatic figure of Wisdom, for instance, appears in Proverbs 1:20 in the plural form "Wisdoms," demonstrating a conceptual pattern where divine attributes could be expressed as both singular and plural.
This tension is also present in the creation story. Genesis 1:26-27 records the switch between singular and plural language: ‘Then God [*'elohim'*] said [singular], “Let us [plural] make mankind in our [plural] image, in our likeness…” So God [*'elohim'*] created [singular] mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.’ How can a singular God possess a plural image that is both "male and female"? This reveals a foundational concept in ancient thought where the divine was understood as a simultaneous and harmonious unity and plurality.