Section 21

p. 41 1 A technical term—the things that 'fall short' as compared with the 'fulness' of perfection; cp. the plērōma and hysterēma of numerous Greek Gnostic documents. 2 Brandt (Art. E.R.E. ) apologetically conjectures that this observance of Sun-day ( hab šabbā ) was taken over from Syro-Christian usage. But reverence for Sun-day is fundamental with the MM., and it is one of their celestial personifications. The MM. loathed idolatry and sun-worship; they worshipped Life and Light, but may have venerated the light as the symbol of that Light. The same puzzle occurs with the prayer-custom of the Essenes, who turned to the rising sun in their morning orisons. The problem we have here to face is the existence of a pre-Christian Sun-day as rigidly observed as the Jews and others kept the Sabbath, and not a 'Pagan' holy-day. 3 The twin Jordan-Watchers. 4 Sc . Life. 5 The powers of the Cosmic Animal-life Circle or Zodiac, which were held by the MM. to be equally inimical with the Seven. Both orders were sons of the World-mother Namrūs, generally called Rūhā, i.e. Spirit, the World-spirit, spirit here being used in the wide-spread sense of the lower, animal spirit. 6 Sc . the Celestial Man or Adam of Light. 7 Rām the Great, coupled also with Bīhrām (presumably the Pahlavi or Later Persian form, also Bahrām = Avestan Verethragna). p. 42 1 Not identified.