An early Christian source is describing a group in India called Brahmins. They lived an ascetic, self-sufficient life, refrained from eating meat or cooked food, and viewed God not as physical light, but as "knowledge (gnosis)" through which the secret mysteries of nature are revealed! Specifically the 3rd-century Christian theologian Hippolytus of Rome, who noted that the traditions of Indian Brahmins were regarded as a source of heresy. He described their belief that God is an unuttered "discourse" or knowledge (gnosis) through which the secret mysteries of nature are perceived. While the parallels are fascinating, the evidence remains inconclusive since similar spiritual insights can develop independently across different cultures. Also because orthodox campaigns to erase "heretical blasphemy" were so successful, virtually all historical records of alternative early Christianities came solely from the writings of the orthodox figures attacking them. By the late 19th century, German historian Adolf von Harnack looked at Gnosticism through a new lens. While he still regarded it as a heresy, he famously argued that by interpreting Christian doctrine through the framework of Greek philosophy, the Gnostics became, in a sense, the "first Christian theologians." Gnostics interpreted Christ's post-resurrection appearances not as physical, flesh-and-blood events, but as visions received in dreams or ecstatic trances. The Gospel of Mary, is noting the New Testament traditions where Mary Magdalene is the first to see the risen Christ. In this Gnostic text, Mary asks Jesus how a visionary sees a vision—whether through the soul or the spirit. Jesus answers that the visionary perceives through the mind (the intellect). Peter, also in another texts describes a deep in a trance, where he sees Christ, who states, "I am the intellectual spirit, filled with radiant light." These encounters are described as evoking intense psychological responses: terror, awe, distress, and joy. The text also details a letter written by an anonymous Gnostic teacher to his student, Rheginos. The teacher argues that the physical world is the actual illusion (phantasia), and ordinary human existence is a state of "spiritual death."

The term "Gnostic" comes from the Greek word gnosis, which means "knowledge." Unlike scientific or rational knowledge, gnosis refers to experiential, reflective, and intuitive knowledge. To the Gnostics, knowing oneself at the deepest level is identical to knowing God. The teacher Theodotus defined a Gnostic as one who understands our ultimate origins, our current state, our release, birth, and rebirth. The teacher Monoimus advised seekers to abandon the external search for God and instead look within themselves as the starting point, discovering that God is found by carefully investigating the sources of one's own emotions, thoughts, and soul. In Gnostic texts, the "living Jesus" does not focus on sin and repentance to save humanity. Instead, he acts as a spiritual guide leading disciples to enlightenment. Once a disciple achieves this enlightenment, they become equal and identical to Jesus, who is no longer their master. Orthodox Christians view Jesus as uniquely divine and forever distinct from humanity. However, the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas suggests that Jesus and his followers share the exact same source of existence. In the gnostic texts enlightenment, illusion, and a spiritual guide rather sound closely aligned with Eastern philosophies like Buddhism or Hinduism. The scholar Edward Conze is cited, suggesting that historical trade routes allowed Buddhists to come into direct contact with Thomas Christians in South India.