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Gnostic John the Baptizer — Portents at John's Birth · 1 of 32 · tr. G.R.S. Mead

Section 1

p. 35 PORTENTS AT JOHN'S BIRTH (§ 18). 1 In the Name of Great Life may hallowed Light be glorifed. A CHILD was planted out of the height, a mystery revealed in Jerusalem. 2 The priests saw dreams; chill seized on their children, chill seized on Jerusalem. Early in the morning he 3 went to the temple. He opened his mouth in blasphemy and his lips of lying. He opened his mouth in blasphemy and spake to all of the priests: "In my vision of the night I beheld, [I beheld] in my vision. When I lay there, I slept not and rested not, and sleep came not to me by night. I slept not and rested not, [and I beheld] that a star appeared and stood over Enishbai. 4 Fire burned in Old Father (Abā Sābā) Zakhriā; 5 three heaven-lights appeared. 6 The p. 36 sun sank and the lights rose. Fire lit up the house of the people (synagogue), smoke rose over the temple. A quaking quaked in the Throne-chariot, 1 so that Earth removed from her seat. A star flew down into Judća, a star flew down into Jerusalem. The sun appeared by night, and the moon rose by day." When the priests heard this, they cast dust on their head. Yaqif the priest weeps and Beni-Amin's tears flow. 2 Shilai and Shalbai 3 cast dust on their heads. Elizar 4 [the chief priest] opened his mouth and spake unto all of the priests: "Yaqif interprets dreams, but as yet he has no understanding of these. Beni-Amin interprets dreams; is he not a man who discloses your p. 37 secrets? Ṭāb-Yōmīn 1 gives us no revelation, though you deem he can give information on all that is and [that] is not. Earth groans out of season and is sent a-whirl through the heaven-spheres. Earth 2 opens her mouth and speaks to Elizar: "Go to Lilyukh, 3 that he may interpret the dreams you have seen," Thereon Elizar opened his mouth and spake unto all of the priests: "Who goes to Lilyukh, that he may interpret the dreams you have seen?" Then wrote they a letter and put it in the hand of Ṭāb-Yōmīn. Ṭāb-Yōmīn took the letter and betook himself to Lilyukh, Lilyukh lay on his bed; sleep had not yet flown from him. A quaking came into his heart, shivered his heart and brought it down from its stay, Ṭāb-Yōmīn drew near to Lilyukh, Ṭāb-Yōmīn stepped up to Lilyukh, shook him out of his sleep and spake to him: "The priests saw dreams, . . . [the above paragraph is repeated verbally down to] . . . and the moon rose by day."
Themes
◆Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

Divine beings are described with human characteristics such as opening mouths, weeping, casting dust on heads, and having children.

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◆Cosmic Sympathycosmology

The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.

The text describes a quaking that moves through the Throne-chariot and causes Earth to remove from her seat.

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◆Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

The passage is titled 'Portents at John's Birth' and centrally features celestial lights, stars, sun, and moon appearing or rising in the vision.

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◆Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

The passage begins with a liturgical invocation of 'hallowed Light' and includes the phrase 'may hallowed Light be glorifed'.

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◆Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

The invocation begins with 'In the Name of Great Life', suggesting the use of divine names for consecration.

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Related passages · 4 parallels
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Both passages describe supernatural events and portents that disrupt the natural order, involving divine visions and cosmic disturbances. They share themes of divine revelation and the reaction of religious authorities to these events.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXXII (part 1)
“THE BOOK OF THE COURSES OF THE HEAVENLY LUMINARIES (LXXII-LXXXII.) LXXII. The Sun . CHAPTER LXXII. 1. The book of the courses of the luminaries of the heaven, the relations of each, according to their classes, their dominion and their s…”
Both passages describe celestial phenomena and their significance, with a focus on the movements of celestial bodies and their impact on earthly events. They share a mystical and symbolic interpretation of these phenomena, though they come from different religious traditions.