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CONTENTS.


PAGE
   FOREWORDv
 
I.JOHN THE BAPTIZER AND CHRISTIAN ORIGINS1-28
 
   A Recent Study on John's Symbolism1
   The John-passage in 'The Antiquities' of Josephus2
   The N.T. Account: The Dress and Food of Repentance4
   Popular Messianic Expectations7
   The Sanctification of the Jordan-water9
   The Probable Symbolic Signification of John's Baptism10
   The Baptism of the Proselytes11
   One of John's Discourses and its Symbolism13
   The Fish and Fishers Symbolism14
   Ḫani-Ōannēs-Iōannēs16
   John-Jonah18
   Rabbinic Fish Symbolism20
   The Samaritan Ta'eb: A Reborn Joshua or Noah21
   John's Eschatological Symbolism22
   John and Jesus generally24
   John and the Messiahship of Jesus26
 
II.FROM THE JOHN-BOOK OF THE MANDÆANS29-96
 
   Introductory29
 
i.   THE GNOSTIC JOHN THE BAPTIZER35-61
 
      Portents at John's Birth35
      John's Proclamation concerning himself40
      His Assumption of the Prophet's Mantle41
      John's Light-ship42
      John the Ascetic44
      Of Judgment-Day45
      The Letter of Truth46
      John's Invulnerability48
      John and the Baptism of Jesus48
      John's Marriage52
      John on his own Passing54
      John's Birth, Upbringing and First Appearance56
      John's Answer to Jesus Concerning the Angel of Death59

p. iv

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ii.   THE STORY OF THE BREACH WITH JUDAISM62-70
 
      Miryai is expelled from Jewry62
      A Variant of the Same64
      The Exiled Community settle on the Euphrates65
      The Jews persecute the Mandæans67
      They beg them to Return67
 
iii.   SOME TYPICAL EXTRACTS71-96
 
      The 'Fisher of Souls' Saga71
      The Light-ship of the Fisher75
      The Good Fisher overwhelms the Evil Fishers76
      The Final Submission of the Evil Fishers79
      The Good Shepherd81
      The Loving Shepherds of the Good Shepherd83
      The Treasury of Life86
      In the Beginning89
      Exhortations91
      The Song of the Poor's Exaltation93
 
III.THE SLAVONIC JOSEPHUS' ACCOUNT OF THE BAPTIST AND JESUS97-119
 
INTRODUCTORY97
 
TRANSLATION OF THE INTERPOLATIONS103-110
 
i.   John's Proclamation and his Rebuke of the Authorities103
ii.   His Interpretation of Philip's Dream105
iii.   His Persistent Rebuking of Agrippa and his Execution105
iv.   The Ministry, Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus106
v.   The Treatment of the First Christians107
vi.   The Trilingual Inscription concerning Jesus108
vii.   Portents at the Death of Jesus and Rumours of his Resurrection109
viii.   A Prophecy concerning Jesus110
 
GENERAL REMARKS110
 
IV.THE FOURTH GOSPEL PROEM120-127
 
A NEW VERSION VENTURE120-127
 
Connection120
Translation123
 
AFTERWORD128

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