One of the greatest and earliest challenges to what would become orthodox Christianity was Gnosticism. But where did Gnosticism come from and how does it relate to the New Testament.
Pheme Perkins, author of Gnosticism and the New Testament, is a New Testament scholar. She argues that there was a pre-Christian form of Gnosticism that existed within Judaism. With the rise of Christianity, this spirituality latched onto certain New Testament concepts.
The development of Gnosticism can be seen in relation to interactions with teachings found within the New Testament. That is not say that Gnosticism finds its origin in the New Testament or that it is something taught by the New Testament writers.
This is a scholarly treatment of Gnosticism from a New Testament perspective and is worth reading if you are interested this topic. Perkins is a respected scholar who presents cogent arguments for her thesis.
