The Rudolf Steiner Archive

The Logoi

[ 1 ] When humans see something, they ask about its origin, assuming that there is something from which it emerged. This only applies to things that exist in the world. We must assume something where we no longer ask what it came from. That is the Logos. Nor should the question be raised: when did the Logos come into being, for it would then be limited by the fact that it came into being sooner or later. It was and always will be. All concepts of time cease to have any meaning in relation to the Logos. What we say about the Logos now is as true as it was millions of years ago. It is not in time, but before all time.

[ 2 ] We will develop some concepts.

[ 3 ] If we describe the absolute, which has nothing that we know at all, as the super-being, we have nailed down a concept in abstract form, which we think of as the Logos: the Logos that is conceived, founded, resting, and absolute in itself. First Logos — Sat -Father.

[ 4 ] If this Logos is accepted alone, it is resting within itself, there and not there, above being, never perceptible because it is above all perception, above existence. Now it follows from this that this Logos is the absolutely hidden, occult, because it is above all revelation. If it is not to be occult, it must reveal itself. Then we are dealing with its mirror image, the revealed Logos. When we consider this, we immediately recognize two concepts in this term, so that we have a triad, for in the revealer there must be revealing activity:

[ 5 ] Dots ... indicate gaps marked in Marie Steiner's notes. Insertions in ordinary round brackets ( ) correspond to the notes. Insertions in square brackets [ ] originate from the editors.

1. Logos: Revealer
2. Logos: Revelation, activity
3. Logos: Revealed reflection
[Indian] Sat, Ananda, Chit
[Christian] Trinity:
1. Father
2. Son, Word
3. Holy Spirit

[ 6 ] These three are so sublime that we must refer to them as occult in relation to everything that is commonly referred to as apparent or perceptible. So, three occult entities. They must first become apparent. There are only three, so they can only reveal themselves to each other:

The Father reveals himself to the Word,
The Word reveals itself to the Holy Spirit,
The Holy Spirit reveals itself back to the Father.

[ 7 ] These are three types of revelation. We think of them as being transferred to three beings, so that the activity of these beings consists in taking on the task of transferring this. The three can enter into different relationships:

[ 8 ] It is possible that the Father hides himself in the Word and communicates in this hiddenness. He veils himself in the Word and reveals himself to the Spirit.

[ 9 ] Then it is possible that the Word veils itself in the Holy Spirit and reveals itself to the Father in this veiling.

[ 10 ] Then it is possible that the Holy Spirit veils itself in the Father and reveals itself to the Word.

[ 11 ] Now it is only possible that the Father veils itself in both, in Word and Spirit, and reveals itself.

[ 12 ] What we have—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7—we think of as essentially present: thus arises this essentiality, the [seven] relationships of the three Logoi, seven essential forms.

[ 13 ] 1st relationship—omnipotence: the Father reveals himself to the Word.

[ 14 ] 2nd relationship — Omniscience: The Word reveals itself to the Spirit.

[ 15 ] 3rd relationship — Omni-love: The Holy Spirit reveals itself to the Father.

[ 16 ] 4th relationship — Omni-justice: The Father veils itself in the Word and reveals itself to the Spirit.

[ 17 ] 5. Relationship — All-redemption: The Word veils itself in the Spirit and reveals itself to the Father.

[ 18 ] 6. Relationship — All-sanctification: The Holy Spirit veils itself in the Father and reveals itself to the Word.

[ 19 ] 7. Relationship — All-bliss: The Father veils himself in Word and Spirit and reveals himself.

[ 20 ] Thus, the entities arose from mutual fertilization. These are the seven rulers, the seven powers that stand before the throne [of God], and these are their characteristics. The characteristics arise from the relationships of the three Logoi. Only seven are possible.

[ 21 ] Omnipotence consists in the Father revealing himself to the Word. This is referred to as the first creation or chaos.

[ 22 ] After omnipotence has accomplished its task, Ali-Wisdom reigns, ordering everything according to measure and number.

[ 23 ] After All-Wisdom has accomplished its task, All-Love reigns, bringing the principle of sympathy and antipathy into all creation.

[ 24 ] After All-Love has done its work, All-Justice comes, reigns, and brings in karma, that is, birth and death.

[ 25 ] After All-Justice has accomplished its task, All-Salvation begins its work and brings salvation everywhere, that is, the Last Judgment.

[ 26 ] After the Last Judgment has taken effect, All-Sanctification begins its work and brings sanctification everywhere, and then All-Bliss begins.

[ 27 ] Let us imagine this distributed across seven planets. In truth, all seven are there, but one always has the power (the others are in subordinate positions).

[ 28 ] When we take out the fourth sphere, it is ours. So our watchword is: The Father veils himself in the Word and reveals himself to the Spirit. And with that, Christianity is given.

[ 29 ] With this cherub, we have the guiding principle and thus also the meaning of Christianity.

[ 30 ] Pentecost miracle ...

[ 31 ] Through the Word, which on one side contains the Father in involution, everything is made, hence John: [In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This was in the beginning with God. All things were made through it; and without it nothing was made that has been made.]

[ 32 ] Task of the next planet, Mercury, 5th universal solution: The Word veils itself in the Spirit and reveals itself to the Father. When that which is in our development, the Word, Christ, veils itself and reveals itself to the Father, the next ...

[ 33 ] The Son can never come to you except through me, Spirit. If he, Spirit, is to live on the next planet, spread out, evolve, the Word must veil itself in Spirit.

[ 34 ] What sets the tone on the next planet must already be prepared on this one. The Word must involute in preparation for the Holy Spirit, who will then be revealed. But here that is death. The mission can only be fulfilled if the Word veils itself unto death, and this is the meaning of death on the cross.

[ 35 ] This is how far we have come in understanding that he was crucified unto death...

[ 36 ] This is the meaning of the central Christian mystery. ... In the Bible, Jesus says: I do not resist the book of righteousness in the sense of Melchizedek. Melchizedek is the angel of the earthly cycle.

[ 37 ] In the next planetary development, the Son will therefore bring to the Father what he has now gathered through the Spirit.