Saturninus, a Gnostic scholar, said: "God sent His Word, who is the Messiah, to eliminate it (evil) completely. Therefore, these spirits incited the Jewish priests against him to kill him. When the Messiah knew that, he ascended to God without them seeing him. As for the one who was crucified, he was another person whom the Jewish priests thought was the Messiah."1
Cardo, a Gnostic scholar, said: "Long ago, a conflict arose between the God of the Jews and the God of the pagans, because each of them wanted to dominate the world. The God of Good sent His Word, who is the Messiah, to eliminate them both and extend His authority over the whole earth. These two gods incited their followers to eliminate him. When the Messiah learned of this plot, he flew to the sky without anyone seeing him. Therefore, the one who was crucified was someone else, and it was imagined by the people that he was the Messiah." 2
The Master Christ, may his glory be exalted, said to John, peace be upon him: "You hear the saying that I suffered, but the reality is that I did not suffer. I did not suffer, but the reality is that I did suffer. I was pierced, but the reality is that I was not struck. I was hanged, but the reality is that I was not hanged. Blood flowed from me, but the reality is that it did not flow from me. In short, what people say about me, I did not endure, and what they do not say—that I did not suffer—is the intended meaning."3
The Messiah suffered without suffering, was crucified without being crucified, was pierced with the spear without blood and water flowing from him, was hanged on a wooden cross and a cross of light at the same time, and was on the cross among the assembled crowds and at the same time with John on the mountain.4