Here is an interesting tidbit regarding John the Baptist speaking of wanting a wife (and obtaining one, then having children) and on his own death; from the Mandaean tradition. This comes from the G.R.S. Meade book “Gnostic John the Baptizer”, which takes from the Mandaean Book of John, and I have included it in full since the translation is in public domain. I have updated some of the text to make it flow a little easier for the modern reader and added notes where needed.
YAHYA (John) proclaims in the nights and speaks: “The heavenly wheels and chariots
quaked. Sun and Moon weep and the eyes of Ruha shed tears.”
He says: “Yahya, thou art like to a scorched mountain, which brings forth no grapes in
this world. Thou art like to a dried-up stream, on whose banks no plants are raised. Thou
has become a land without a lord, a house without worth. A false prophet has thou
become, who has left no one to remember thy name. Who will provide thee with
provision, who with victuals, and who will follow to the grave after thee?”
When Yahya heard this, a tear gathered in his eye; a tear in his eye gathered, and he
spoke: “It would be pleasant to take a wife, and delightful for me to have children. But
only if I take no woman,—and then comes sleep, desire for her seizes me and I neglect
my night-prayer. If only desire does not wake in me, and I forget my Lord out of my
mind. If only desire does not wake in me, and I neglect my prayer every time.”
When Yahya said this, there came a Letter from the House of Abathur: “Yahya, take a
wife and found a family, and see that thou does not let this world come to an end. On the
night of Monday and on the night of Tuesday go to thy first bedding. On the night of
Wednesday and on the night of Thursday devote thyself to thy hallowed praying. On the
night of Friday and on the night of Saturday go to, thy first bedding. On the night of
Sunday and (? yea) on the night of the Day devote thyself to thy hallowed praying. On
Sunday, take three and leave three, take three and leave three. See that thou does not let
the world come to an end.”
Thereon they fashioned for Yahya a wife out of thee, thou Region of the Faithful.
From the first conception were Handan and Sharrath born. From the middle conception
were Birham and R’himath-Haiye born. From the last conception were Nsab, Sam,
Anhar-Ziwa born. These three conceptions took place in thee, thou Ruins, Jerusalem.
Yahya opened his mouth and spoke to Anhar in Jerusalem: “Instruct thy daughter,
that she may not perish; and I will enlighten my sons and teach them, that they may not
be hindered.” Thereon Anhar opened her mouth and spoke to Yahya in Jerusalem. “I have
borne sons in this world,” said she to him, “yet have I not given birth to their heart in
the world. If they let themselves be instructed, then will they ascend to Light’s region; if
they let not themselves be instructed, then will the blazing fire consume them.”
Yahya (John) opened his mouth and spoke to Anhar (John’s wife) in Jerusalem: “If I leave the
world, tell me, what will thou do after me?”—”I will not eat and will not drink,” she answered
him, “until I see thee again.”—”A lie has thou spoken, Anhar, and thy word has come forth in
deception. If a day comes and goes, thou eatest and drinkest and forgettest me out of thy
mind. I asked thee rather, by Great Life and by the eve of the Day whose name is dear: If
I leave the world, tell me, what wilt thou do after me?”—” I will not wash and I will not
comb me,” says she to him, “until I see thee again.”—”Again has thou spoken a lie and
thy word has come forth in deception. If a month comes and a month goes, thou washest
and combest thee and forgettest me out of thy mind. Again did I ask thee, Anhar, by the
first bed in which we both lie: If I leave my body, tell me, what wilt thou do after me?”—
“I will put on no new garments,” she answers him, “until I see thee again.”—”Again has
thou spoken a lie, Anhar, and thy word has come forth in deception. If a year comes
and a year goes, thou puttest new garments on thee and forgettest me out of thy mind.”
“Why dost thou not tell me all, Yahya,” says she to him; “and how sorely thou bruisest
the whole of my body! If thou dost depart, when wilt thou return, that my eyes may fall
upon thine?”—”If a woman in labour descends into Sheol and a bell is hung up for her in
the graveyard. If they paint a picture in Sheol, and she then goes forth and they give a
feast in the graveyard. If a bride parades round in Sheol, and they celebrate marriage in
the graveyard. If the wedding-companions borrow in Sheol, and the paying-back takes
place in the graveyard.”
Then answered she him: “My lord, how shall it be that a woman in labour . . . “[and so
on, repeating the above].
“If thou knowest,” he makes answer unto her, “that this does never happen, why does
thou press me with asking: When does thou return? I go hence and return not. Happy the
day when thou dost still see me. If there were a going-away and returning, then would no
widow be found in this world. If there were a going-away and returning, then would no
fatherless be found in the world. If there were a going-away and returning, then no
Nazoræans would be found in the world.”
Thereon Anhar opened her mouth and spoke to Yahya in Jerusalem: “I will buy thee for
dear gold a brick grave and have a boxing of wood joinered together for thee in the
graveyard.” But Yahya opened his mouth and spoke to Anhar in Jerusalem: “Why wilt thou
buy a brick grave for dear gold and have a boxing of wood joinered for me in the
graveyard? Art sure that I am returning, that thou does say: No dust shall fall on him?
Instead of buying a brick grave for dear gold, go rather and share out for me bread.
Instead of getting a boxing joinered together, go rather and read for me masses for the
departed.”
Thereon Anhar opened her mouth and spake to Yahya in Jerusalem: “Thou does go
hence and forget me, and I shall be cut off in the Sinners’ Dwelling.”
[But Yahya answered her:] “If I forget thee, may the Light Dwelling forget me. If I
forget thee, may my eyes not fall on Abathur. If I ascend to Life’s House, thy wailing will
arise in the graveyard.”
Praisèd be Life, and Life is victorious.
Featured artwork was made using Midjourney AI.
bP
Culmination of Wisdom 