Gnostic John the Baptizer — The Story of the Breach with Judaism · 6 of 10 · tr. G.R.S. Mead
Section 6
"Go, go," says she unto them, "ye fools, ye abortions, 4 ye who were not of the world. 5 I am no woman who is
stripped for wantoning; and it is not that I have fallen in love with a man.
Stripped am I not for returning to you and for again seeing you, doming of
blasphemy. Go, go hence from me, ye who have witnessed falsehood and lying
against me. Against me ye witnessed p. 70 wantonness and thieving, and
held me up as ye are yourselves. Blessed be the Man who freed me from my
fetters and planted my feet here. No wantonness have I committed with him and
attempted no theft in the world. Instead of the witness ye have witnessed
against me, there come to me prayer and praise-giving."
As the priests stand there and speak with Miryai at the mouth of
Euphrates, there came a pure eagle-bird, whose wings are the fulness of
worlds. 1 He flew down on the Jews, dashed at them with his wings, bound them and sank
them down unto the water's bottom, deeper [down] than the foul-smelling mud.
He sank them deeper down than the blazing [water], that is inside the dark
water. He sank their ships down to the blazing water's bottom. He destroyed
the temple and laid fire to Jerusalem. 2
He brought down all upon them and in Jerusalem slew the disciples.
He descended unto her (Miryai), folded before her his wings, settled
down by her, narrated and proclaimed to her; and they held out the loved hand
of Truth to each other. He embraced her in potent embracing, forced her down
and set her on the throne.
"Miryai," he speaks to her, "with favour look upon me, remember me in
the Life's presence. I am thy Good Messenger, the Man, who gives ear to thy
discourse. I beseech thee for the high Truth, the Truth which the Jordans
have chosen."
"O Good Treasure," she makes answer unto him, "Treasure whom Life has
sent! Thy glory and thy light has risen upon us, and thy honour is approved
in Light's region. Everyone who gives ear to thy voice, will be in the pure
region included. In Life's Treasury will he be included and thy rays will
rise [over him] twofold. For everyone who gives not ear to thy voice, waking
and sleep will be wiped out. Let him belong to the Jews, to the slaves and
all of the priests, the sons of the Harlot. I and thou will circle aloft and
victorious mount to Light's region."
May Life be our pledge, and Life is victorious.
Themes
◆Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
The divine messenger is described as a 'pure eagle-bird' who 'flew down,' 'dashed at them,' and 'folded before her his wings.'
Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.
The eagle-bird brings down all upon them and slays disciples in Jerusalem as a final verdict on the Jews.