Mesopotamian Origin of the Devil’s Image in Gnostic and Zurvanite Cults

Belief in evil is one of the long-standing and widespread themes in human religious thoughts. A Belief, which is rooted in the idea of imbalance and corruption in existence. In the history of religion, the most distinct image of the concept of evil is the visualization of the devil’s nature. It is noteworthy that the image and description of evil in human minds has been heterogeneous and diverse throughout history and this diversity has shown the multiplicity of the roots of the belief in this idea. Some researchers believe that the visual and conceptual motifs are closely related in human thoughts; that is every image contains a specific conceptual motif as each word has its signifier and signified. Therefore, the image of the devil, doubtlessly, encompasses a hidden idea in a religious narrative of the concept of evil. For example, the image of the devil in the gnostic texts bears a Mesopotamian mark on the concept of evil, which in turn confirms that not only the image of the devil but the conceptual motif of evil and its presence in existence must be rooted in Mesopotamian mythology. Accordingly, the present study seeks to rediscover the roots of imagination and the image of the devil in Gnostic religions, based on the analytical and descriptive approach of Manichaean, Gnostic, and Mesopotamian primary sources. The results of this research show that the motifs, concepts, and image of the devil in these religions have a Mesopotamian root, which has been depicted as the myth of the devil in Gnostic beliefs.