Those who study Christian history have heard of the Jewish historian, Flavius Jospheus and his mentions of John the Baptist, Jesus and James (brother of Jesus). I have read the Jesus and James mentions before, but I must admit, I never really read the John quotation. While reading through G. R. S. Mead’s Gnostic John the Baptizer: Selections from the Mandaean John Book, there was a section he presented of FJ’s mention of John. I am on a John the Baptist kick here lately (expect some posts in the future), so let’s start off with the selections that Mead provides in his book. There may be better translations out there now, as this writing is from the early 1900s, so keep that in mind.
I. JOHN'S PROCLAMATION AND HIS REBUKE OF THE AUTHORITIES.
(Follows on B. J. II. vii. 2.)
Now at that time a man went about among the Jews in strange garments; for he had put pelts on his body everywhere where it was not covered with his own hair; indeed to look at he was like a wild man.
He came to the Jews and summoned them to freedom, saying: "God hath sent me, that I may show you the way of the Law, wherein ye may free yourselves from many holders of power. And there will be no mortal ruling over you, only the Highest who hath sent me." And when the people had heard this, they were joyful. And there went after him all Judæa, that lies in the region round Jerusalem.
And he did nothing else to them save that he plunged them into the stream of the Jordan and dismissed them, instructing them that they should cease from evil works, and promising that there would then be given them a ruler who would set them free and subject to them all that is not in submission; but no one of whom we speak (?), would himself be subjected. Some reviled, but others got faith.
And when he had been brought to Archelaus and the doctors of the Law had assembled, they asked him who he is and where he has been until then. And to this he made answer and spake: "I am pure; for the Spirit of God hath led me on, and I live on cane and roots and tree-food.”
But when they threatened to put him to torture if he would not cease from those words and deeds, he nevertheless said: "It is meet for you rather to cease from your heinous works and cleave unto the Lord your God."
And there rose up in anger Simon, an Essæan by extraction, a scribe, and he spake: "We read every day the divine books. But thou, only now come from the forest like a wild animal,—thou darest in sooth to teach us and to mislead the people with thy
reprobate words."
And he rushed forward to do him bodily violence. But he, rebuking them, spake: "I will not disclose to you the mystery which dwelleth in you, for ye have not desired it. Thereby an untold calamity is come upon you, and because of yourselves."
And when he had thus spoken, he went forth to the other side of the Jordan; and while no one durst rebuke him, that one did what he had done also heretofore.
II. HIS INTERPRETATION OF PHILIP'S DREAM.
(Follows on B. J. II. ix. 1.)
While Philip was still in possession of his dominion, he saw a dream,—how an eagle tore out both his eyes. And he summoned all his wise men. But when each interpreted the dream differently, there came to him suddenly, without being summoned, that man of whom we have previously written, that he went about in skins of animals and cleansed the people in the waters of the Jordan. And he spake: "Give ear to the word of the Lord,—the dream which thou hast seen. The eagle—that is thy venality; because that bird is violent and rapacious. And that sin will take away thy eyes which are thy dominion and thy wife." And when he had thus spoken, Philip died before evening and his dominion was given to Agrippa.
III. HIS PERSISTENT REBUKING OF AGRIPPA AND HIS EXECUTION. (Follows immediately on the preceding.)
And Herod, his brother, took his wife Herodias. And because of her all the doctors of the Law abhorred him, but durst not accuse him before his face. But only that one whom they called a wild man, came to him in anger and spake: "Why hast thou taken the wife of thy brother? As thy brother hath died a death void of pity, thou too wilt be reaped off by the heavenly sickle. God's decree will not be silenced, but will destroy thee through evil affliction in foreign lands. For thou dost not raise up seed for thy brother, but gratifiest thy fleshly lust and committest adultery, seeing that four children of him are alive." Now when Herod heard this, he was filled with wrath and commanded that they should beat him and drive him away. But he accused Herod incessantly wherever he found him, and right up to the time when he (Herod) put him under arrest and gave orders to slay him. Now his disposition (or character) was extraordinary and his mode of life not that of a man; indeed just like a bodiless spirit, thus did this one too continue. His lips knew no bread; not even at Passover did be taste unleavened bread, saying that, in remembrance of God who had freed the people from slavery, it was given for eating in the flight, for the way was in haste. To wine and intoxicating drink he let himself no even draw near. And every animal he abhorred as food, and every wrong he rebuked, and tree-produce served him for use.
Featured artwork is iconography of John the Baptist, from the Hagia Sophia.
-bP
Culmination of Wisdom 