Question

How did Gnosticism, Platonism and Christianity influence each other in Late Antiquity (mostly before the conversion of Constantine)?

Answer 1

It was a total mess. By the time Constantine got involved Primitive Christianity was gone. Shortly after the apostles died it died. Only remnants where remained with generations working to find the missing pieces and get it back, all the way up until the present day..

Christianity was polluted with Greek philosophy, and the Gnostics were hanging on to every thing the could, some claiming to be the keepers of the lost secrets of Christianity. The Apostolic texts had been filtered out and were being cleansed of what no longer find with mainstream ideas. Some of what was extracted was clearly fabrication and heretical, other teaches appear to have been valid but did not fit with the views of the day. It was a total mess.

It began as early as the apostolic age. You can see it in the writings of Paul. he is constantly guiding congregations and church leaders back to the doctrine of Christianity. New teachings and practice from various sources are pouring in from all sides. The saints of the day struggle to be part of a faith they believe in strongly yet still but subject to they previous ways of life. Social disorder was just as strong then as it is today.