The Snake as Keeper of the Secrets

Throughout history there has been a universal tradition in the mythology of ancient cultures wherein the snake is recognized as the keeper of the hidden secrets. The Nasseene Fragment quoted above, found as a quotation in Hippolytus of Rome’s encyclopedic “Refutations of All Heresies,” most likely refers to Jesus pleading with God to allow him to descend into the material world to rescue Sophia, who has lost her way in the illusions of this world, and when rescued becomes the personification of divine wisdom (“Sophia” means wisdom).