Naassenes
Christian Gnostic sect / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Naassenes (Greek Naasseni, possibly from Hebrew נָחָשׁ naḥaš, snake)[1] were a Christian Gnostic sect known only through the accounts in the books known as the Philosophumena or the Refutation of all Heresies (which have been attributed to Hippolytus of Rome but may in fact not be by him).
Therein, the Naassenes are said to have been taught their doctrines by Mariamne, a disciple of James the Just.[2] The retention of the Hebrew form shows that their beliefs may represent the earliest stages of Gnosticism. The Philosophumena's author regards them as among the first to be called simply "Gnostics", alleging that they alone have sounded the depths of knowledge.[3]