Source: “Custodians of Truth : The Continuance of Rex Deus”, by Tim Wallace-Murphy and Marilyn Hopkins, Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC, 2005.
The Origins of Egyptian Gnosis and Judaism.wav
This podcast explores the potential Egyptian origins of core aspects of Judaism, arguing that its roots lie in a hereditary priesthood with a sustained system of initiation in ancient Egypt. The discovery and translation of the Pyramid Texts were crucial, revealing a sophisticated level of religious and astronomical knowledge that appears suddenly in the historical record. Evidence like shared symbols, the practice of circumcision, and parallels between Egyptian religious texts and the Ten Commandments suggest a direct connection, further supported by theories identifying figures like Joseph and Moses with prominent Egyptians, including possibly the monotheistic pharaoh Akhenaten.
Topic 1 The discovery and accurate translation of the Pyramid Texts marked a significant shift in the understanding of ancient Egyptian history and religious thought. These texts were found on the walls inside pyramids, beginning with the pyramid of Unas at Saqqara in 1879, reportedly after an Arab workman followed a desert fox into a crevice. Similar inscriptions were later found in other pyramids, collectively comprising over 4,000 lines of hymns and formulae. The initial interpretation by Gaston Maspero was marred by confusion and controversy, and later hindered by James Henry Breasted's mistaken description of the texts as expressions of a solar cult. Maspero correctly argued that the texts were much older than the events of the Book of Exodus or the New Testament, dating back to Egypt's prehistoric past. Professor I. E. S. Edwards also confirmed their extreme antiquity, noting they contained allusions to conditions that no longer prevailed at the time of Unas. The first definitive translation was published in 1969 by Raymond Faulkner, who concluded that the Pyramid Texts are the oldest extant corpus of Egyptian religious and funerary literature. This translation revealed their sophisticated esoteric content and established them as the earliest collection of sacred knowledge or "esoteric wisdom" yet discovered.
Topic 2 Ancient Egyptian culture, particularly its religious and funerary practices, was deeply rooted in a system of initiation and the preservation of sacred knowledge, or gnosis, often maintained by a hereditary priesthood. This tradition of passing down teachings from master to pupil through generations is seen as the earliest demonstrable source of a sustained system that later influenced the world's three major religions. The esoteric content of the Pyramid Texts became clear through translation, revealing a highly complex stellar cult where the deceased pharaoh ascended to heaven to be reunited with the stars. Beyond religious beliefs, this sacred knowledge encompassed a wide range of disciplines, including astronomy, agriculture, architecture, building, medicine, mathematics, navigation, and metallurgy. This vast body of esoteric knowledge was recorded in texts like the Pyramid Texts, the Edfu Texts, and the Books of the Dead, as well as encoded on temple walls. This knowledge was not intended solely for personal gain but was used for the benefit of the entire community. Egyptian civilization's stability and complexity, which have never been exceeded, are attributed, in part, to being sustained by this divinely inspired gnosis.
Topic 3 A significant theme within the Pyramid Texts is the repeated reference to Tep Zepi, meaning the "First Time." This is described as a legendary era when Egypt was believed to have been ruled directly by the gods in human form. According to this legend, these gods bestowed upon the Egyptians the wondrous gift of sacred knowledge. The texts also reveal a complex, profound, and surprisingly accurate knowledge of astronomy, which, along with other aspects of Egyptian knowledge, appears to be complete at the very beginning of their recorded history, showing virtually no signs of development. The question of how this highly sophisticated level of knowledge arose in prehistoric Egypt without an apparent developmental period is a central mystery. The concept of the "First Time" suggests a divine origin for this knowledge, presenting a challenge to conventional understanding of civilizational development.
Topic 4 The sudden appearance of a highly sophisticated civilization in Egypt, with seemingly complete knowledge in various fields from its earliest dynasties, leads to the question of its origins, as there is little evidence of a developmental period. One perspective suggests this knowledge was not a development but a legacy. Several theories attempt to explain whose legacy it might have been. Possibilities include that the knowledge originated with survivors of a lost civilization like Atlantis, or from an earlier, as-yet-undiscovered Egyptian civilization flourishing within Egypt itself. However, the theory that has received significant scholarly and speculative attention is that the knowledge resulted from an invasion by a vastly superior culture, referred to as the "dynastic race theory," first proposed by William Matthew Flinders Petrie. Although the idea of a dominant race might be perceived negatively from a modern politically correct standpoint, the text notes that historically, races often dominated others.
Topic 5 Evidence suggesting foreign influence, particularly from Mesopotamia, on pre-dynastic Egypt is presented through archaeological findings. Excavations by Flinders Petrie and James Quibell at Nakada in 1893-94 uncovered over 2,000 pre-dynastic graves (Nakada I and Nakada II). The Nakada II graves contained pottery fragments described as distinctly Mesopotamian in character, in contrast to earlier Nile Valley sites where foreign artifacts are virtually nonexistent. Lapis lazuli, an exotic stone highly prized in Mesopotamia before the Nakada II period, was also found in these tombs, reappearing only over 600 years later in the Old Kingdom era. Other signs of Mesopotamian culture appearing suddenly at this time include depictions of the pear-shaped mace, the cylinder seal, remarkable brick architecture, and hieroglyphic writing. These elements are claimed as evidence for the Mesopotamian origins of the so-called dynastic race responsible for the sudden cultural transformation. Scholars like Douglas Derry and Henry Frankfort viewed the appearance of features like the cylinder seal as strong evidence of contact or a significant leap forward brought by a more intelligent, dominant race from elsewhere.
Topic 6 The Pyramid Texts contain the earliest surviving references to the Shemsa-Hor, described as the followers of Horus. These individuals are believed to have been the immediate ancestors of the first pharaohs. They are presented as a succession of priestly initiates who transmitted an extraordinary body of knowledge from master to pupil across generations. The origin of this knowledge is traced back to the mysterious "time of the Neteru" or the "First Time," when gods supposedly ruled Egypt just before the earliest pharaohs. These initiates were not necessarily kings but were immensely powerful and enlightened individuals. They were carefully selected by an elite academy that is believed to have established itself at the sacred site of Heliopolis-Giza during the era of Egyptian prehistory. Giza is thought to have been chosen by priest-astronomers based on religious and scientific factors.
Topic 7 Ancient Egyptian priests, particularly those at Heliopolis and Memphis, possessed advanced levels of sacred knowledge and wisdom, especially in astronomy. Classical scholars who had firsthand experience of this knowledge were reportedly awestruck. Aristotle noted that the Egyptians were astronomers with advanced knowledge, whose long-kept observations were a source of evidence about specific stars. Proclus Diodachus mentioned that the Egyptians had taught Plato about the movement of the fixed stars. Modern authors and scholars agree that the Heliopolitan priests were highly initiated into the mysteries of the heavens, with their dominant occupation being the observation and recording of the motions of celestial bodies. Beyond astronomy, Egyptian science, medicine, mathematics, and architecture are described as being of an exponentially higher order of refinement and sophistication than often acknowledged by modern scholars, with the entire civilization viewed by some as being based upon a complete and precise understanding of universal laws.
Topic 8 Egyptian culture made extensive use of symbolism and hieroglyphs as a means of communication that went beyond the capacity of normal analytical language. Symbols were used to evoke complex responses and transmit esoteric or hermetic messages, particularly discoveries about the laws of energy, matter, and the mind that were made in altered states of consciousness and thus difficult to convey directly in words. This approach to symbolism and understanding reality is described as a unique and effective way of viewing the universe, distinct from modern analytical methods. Schwaller de Lubicz proposed that there were always two ways of interpreting Egyptian religious texts: the exoteric (standard interpretation) and the esoteric (symbolique interpretation), with the exoteric serving as a vehicle for the hidden symbolic meaning. Symbols were not limited to religious or knowledge transmission but also reinforced the divine origin, power, and lineal descent of the pharaohs. Examples include the symbols on the pharaoh's crown (falcon for Horus, cobra for wisdom/divine ancestry), and the transformation of obelisk symbolism into freestanding pillars in temples, representing strength and wisdom, and becoming associated with ancestral descent from the royal house.
Topic 9 A central and controversial claim presented is that Judaism derived from Egyptian religious traditions. This theory is supported by leading scholars who have noted the overwhelming significance of Egyptian thought for early Judaism. Similarities include the use of the term "Most High God" for the deity, which was common in Egypt, and the adoption of circumcision, a practice mandatory among Egyptian royalty, priesthood, and nobility since 4000 B.C.E., which Abraham adopted for himself and his descendants. The narrative of the infant Moses being found in the bulrushes mirrors Egyptian mythology (birth of Horus) and other ancient stories (Sargon), with the theory that Moses' humble origins were fabricated to hide his true status as an Egyptian royal family member, a claim made by various ancient and modern writers. Sigmund Freud argued that Moses, being Egyptian, transmitted Atenism, his own religion, virtually unchanged to the Jews. The Jewish prayer "Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is One God" is claimed to be almost an exact copy of an Atenist prayer, with linguistic analysis suggesting a direct translation. The creation of the hereditary priesthood based on the tribe of Levi is also linked to the hereditary nature of Egyptian priests, who acted as guardians of sacred knowledge, suggesting the Levitic clan continued the transmission of sacred wisdom.
Topic 10 The source proposes a reinterpretation of the Exodus narrative, linking it directly to the religious reforms and subsequent downfall of the pharaoh Akhenaten and the Atenist religion. Akhenaten abolished the traditional Egyptian pantheon and replaced it with the monotheistic worship of the Aten, causing significant religious and economic chaos and civil unrest. This led to his deposing and disappearance from history. Several scholars suggest the Exodus occurred during Akhenaten's era, with some proposing Moses was Akhenaten himself or an official in his entourage. Similarities between Atenism and early Jewish beliefs are highlighted as evidence, including the concept of a single, abstract, invisible, transcendent, omnipotent, and all-knowing god, and strictures against graven images, which replicate those in the Atenist code and the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments themselves are compared to passages in the Egyptian Book of the Dead's assessment of souls, showing distinct parallels in moral principles. The Exodus is viewed as the departure of Akhenaten's followers—including the Atenist priests, nobility, scribes, artisans, workers, and a "mixed multitude" of other dissatisfied Egyptians and foreign residents—from Egypt after Akhenaten became a "nonperson" in official records. They left Amarna, the Holy City of Aten, taking material wealth (possibly Akhenaten's treasure or compensation) and their culture, spirituality, and traditions with them, settling in Canaan, which was under Egyptian protection. This perspective suggests the Exodus group was ethnically and spiritually Egyptian in origin and explains the lack of Egyptian records of a large-scale departure of slaves, as it was the expulsion/emigration of a political and religious elite and their followers.