Själens uttåg ur Egypten

In English The article examines the reception of Old Testament motifs in the so called "Hymn of the Pearl" (preserved in Syriac and Greek as part of the apocryphal Acts of Thomas). Ideas taken up for study include the use of "Egypt" as a symbol of spiritual bondage, the legacy of the West Semitic Chaoskampf motif, the link to Ezekiel 32:2, etc. The main thrust of the article is the transformation of ancient Semitic mythological material into a gnosticizing allegory for the salvation of the forgetful soul.