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109-473: Tsunda Church, dedicated to St John the Baptist , dates back to the 12th-13th centuries. In this vicinity, there are natural hot water springs and terraced gardens. The church stands on the site of the ancient city Tsunda . The hall church was erected on the top of a high rock by Ichkit Gurgenisdze , as it is written above the western entrance. Its basement contains a crypta. The decorations are rather poor, except

218-469: A balance. Mandaeans also believe in an afterlife or heaven called Alma d-Nhura (World of Light). In Mandaeism, the World of Light is ruled by a Supreme God, known as Hayyi Rabbi ('The Great Life' or 'The Great Living God'). Other names used are Mare d'Rabuta ('Lord of Greatness'), Mana Rabba ('The Great Mind'), Melka d'Nhura ('King of Light') and Hayyi Qadmaiyi ('The First Life'). God

327-429: A belief that they managed to do so because "it seems that the body had been thrown over the prison walls, without burial, probably by order of Herodias." What became of the head of John the Baptist is difficult to determine. Ancient historians Josephus , Nicephorus and Symeon Metaphrastes assumed that Herodias had it buried in the fortress of Machaerus . An Eastern Orthodox tradition holds that, after buried,

436-616: A descendant of Aaron on both his father's and mother's side. On the basis of this account, the Catholic as well as the Anglican and Lutheran liturgical calendars placed the feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist on 24 June, six months before Christmas. Elizabeth is described as a "relative" of Mary the mother of Jesus, in Luke 1:36. There is no mention of a family relationship between John and Jesus in

545-420: A different passage, Josephus states that the end of Herod's marriage with Aretas's daughter (after which John was killed) was only the beginning of hostilities between Herod and Aretas, which later escalated into the battle. Biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan differentiates between Josephus's account of John and Jesus, saying, "John had a monopoly, but Jesus had a franchise." To get baptized, Crossan writes,

654-467: A distinct Southeastern Aramaic branch. This classification is based on clear isoglosses in phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicography that separate the Mandaic language. The roots of the Mandaic language extend back to the early Parthian period, with no compelling evidence of Western Aramaic linguistic influence. The Mandaeans are thought to descend from a Babylonian population, further reinforcing

763-491: A garment of hair and a leather belt. In Matthew, Jesus explicitly teaches that John is "Elijah who was to come" (Matthew 11:14 – see also Matthew 17:11–13); many Christian theologians have taken this to mean that John was Elijah's successor. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist explicitly denies being Elijah. In the annunciation narrative in Luke, an angel appears to Zechariah, John's father, and tells him that John "will turn many of

872-597: A line of Mandaeans who had originated from the Jordan Valley , as well as another group of Mandaeans (or Gnostics) who were indigenous to southern Mesopotamia. Thus, the historical merging of the two groups gave rise to the Mandaeans of today. There are several indications of the ultimate origin of the Mandaeans. Early religious concepts and terminologies recur in the Dead Sea Scrolls , and Yardena (Jordan) has been

981-495: A messenger being sent ahead, and a voice crying out in the wilderness. John is described as wearing clothes of camel's hair, and living on locusts and wild honey . John proclaims baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin, and says another will come after him who will not baptize with water, but with the Holy Spirit. Jesus comes to John, and is baptized by him in the river Jordan. The account describes how, as he emerges from

1090-495: A person went only to John; to stop the movement one only needed to stop John (therefore his movement ended with his death). Jesus invited all to come and see how he and his companions had already accepted the government of God, entered it and were living it. Such a communal praxis was not just for himself, but could survive without him, unlike John's movement. Matthew 14:12 records that "his disciples came and took away [John's] body and buried it." Theologian Joseph Benson refers to

1199-476: A pre-Islamic Mandaean presence in the southern Mesopotamia, scholars were obliged to hypothesize otherwise unknown persecutions by Jews or by Christians to explain the reason for Mandaeans' departure from Palestine. Lupieri believes Mandaeism is a post-Christian southern Mesopotamian Gnostic off-shoot and claims that Zazai d-Gawazta to be the founder of Mandaeism in the 2nd century. Jorunn J. Buckley refutes this by confirming scribes that predate Zazai who copied

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1308-662: A result of religious persecution over the decades. Unlike other religious minorities such as Christians , Jews and Zoroastrians , Mandaeans have no protection from persecution whatsoever, similar to Baháʼís in Iran. By 2007, the population of Mandaeans in Iraq had fallen to approximately 5,000. There are estimated to be 60,000–100,000 Mandaeans worldwide. About 10,000 Mandaeans live in Australia and between 10,000 and 20,000 in Sweden , making them

1417-495: A ritual act capable of bringing the soul closer to salvation. Therefore, Mandaeans are baptized repeatedly during their lives. John the Baptist is a key figure for the Mandaeans; they consider him to have been a Nasoraean Mandaean. John is referred to as their greatest and final teacher. According to Edmondo Lupieri , as stated in his article in Encyclopædia Iranica , The possible historical connection with John

1526-674: A term found in the Book of Enoch and Genesis Apocryphon II, 4. As Nasoraeans , Mandaeans believe that they constitute the true congregation of bnia nhura , meaning 'Sons of Light', a term used by the Essenes . The bit manda ( beth manda ) is described as biniana rba ḏ-šrara ("the Great building of Truth") and bit tušlima ("house of Perfection") in Mandaean texts such as the Qulasta , Ginza Rabba , and

1635-573: A thesis which has been criticized by James F. McGrath . Al-Zuhairy (1998) believes that the roots of Mandaeism lies in Mesopotamia, inherited from the Sumerians, and the present form of Mandaeism likely emerged in Mesopotamia in the 3rd century BCE. The Mandaean author Aziz Sbahi in his book, The Origins of Sabians and their Religious Beliefs , traced the Mandaeans to the Babylonian Era. Sbahi, who

1744-796: A voice called out, an earthquake rumbled, and thunder struck, and the altar of the temple opened, revealing Zechariah's body. Elizabeth then buried John's body under this altar. Two Catholic churches and one mosque claim to have the head of John the Baptist: the Umayyad Mosque , in Damascus ( Syria ); the church of San Silvestro in Capite , in Rome ; and Amiens Cathedral , in France (the French king would have had it brought from

1853-459: Is pacifistic and forbids its adherents from carrying weapons. During the 20th century in Iraq, most Mandaeans lived in large towns and cities, although a minority also lived in rural villages in the marshlands of southern Iraq. Many Iraqi Mandaeans have fled the country in the face of this violence, and the Mandaean community in Iraq faces extinction. Out of the over 60,000 Mandaeans in Iraq in

1962-583: Is a mandi in Detroit . The status of the Mandaeans has prompted a number of American intellectuals and civil rights activists to call upon the US government to extend refugee status to the community. In 2007, The New York Times ran an op-ed piece in which Swarthmore professor Nathaniel Deutsch called for the Bush administration to take immediate action to preserve the community. Iraqi Mandaeans were given refugee status by

2071-448: Is a monotheistic , Gnostic , and ethnic religion (Aramaic manda means "knowledge," and is conceptually related to the Greek term gnosis .) Its adherents revere Adam , Abel , Seth , Enosh , Noah , Shem , Aram , and especially John the Baptist . Mandaeans consider Adam, Seth, Noah, Shem and John the Baptist to be prophets with Adam the founder of the religion and John being

2180-451: Is a familial relative of Jesus whose birth was foretold by Gabriel. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist himself sees the spirit descend like a dove and he explicitly preaches that Jesus is the Son of God. The Gospels vary in their depiction of John's relationship to Elijah . Matthew and Mark describe John's attire in a way reminiscent of the description of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8 , who also wore

2289-511: Is capable of salvation because it originates from the lightworld. The soul, sometimes referred to as the 'inner Adam' or Adam kasia , is in dire need of being rescued from the dark, so it may ascend into the heavenly realm of the lightworld. Baptisms are a central theme in Mandaeism, believed to be necessary for the redemption of the soul. Mandaeans do not perform a single baptism, as in religions such as Christianity; rather, they view baptisms as

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2398-532: Is known more as a secretary of the Iraqi Communist Party, acknowledges that Mandaeism may have been affected by religions in Mesopotamia and the Dead Sea region. Sbahi believes that Mandaeism originated in surroundings that had Hellenic, Babylonian, Gnostic and Judaic influence. However, due to Sbahi's lack of knowledge of the Mandaic language, he read only secondary sources on the Mandaeans. Brikha Nasoraia ,

2507-578: Is mentioned in all four canonical Gospels and the non-canonical Gospel of the Nazarenes . The Synoptic Gospels ( Mark , Matthew and Luke ) describe John baptising Jesus; in the Gospel of John this is inferred by many to be referred to in John 1:32. The Gospel of Mark introduces John as a fulfillment of a prophecy from the Book of Isaiah (in fact, a conflation of texts from Isaiah, Malachi and Exodus ) about

2616-532: Is so great, vast, and incomprehensible that no words can fully depict how awesome God is. It is believed that an innumerable number of uthras (angels or guardians), manifested from the light, surround and perform acts of worship to praise and honor God. They inhabit worlds separate from the lightworld and some are commonly referred to as emanations and are subservient beings to 'The First Life'; their names include Second, Third, and Fourth Life (i.e. Yōšamin , Abathur , and Ptahil ). The Lord of Darkness ( Krun )

2725-550: Is the one "who baptizes with the Holy Spirit" and John even professes a "belief that he is the Son of God" and "the Lamb of God". The Gospel of John reports that Jesus' disciples were baptizing and that a debate broke out between some of the disciples of John and another Jew about purification. In this debate John argued that Jesus "must become greater," while he (John) "must become less." The Gospel of John then points out that Jesus' disciples were baptizing more people than John. Later,

2834-442: Is the ruler of the World of Darkness formed from dark waters representing chaos. A main defender of the darkworld is a giant monster, or dragon, with the name Ur , and an evil, female ruler also inhabits the darkworld, known as Ruha . The Mandaeans believe these malevolent rulers created demonic offspring who consider themselves the owners of the seven planets and twelve zodiac constellations . According to Mandaean beliefs,

2943-566: The Antiquities of the Jews (book 18, chapter 5, 2) by Flavius Josephus (37–100): Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's [Antipas's] army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that

3052-614: The Mandaean Book of John . The only known literary parallels are in Essene texts from Qumran such as the Community Rule , which has similar phrases such as the "house of Perfection and Truth in Israel" ( Community Rule 1QS VIII 9) and "house of Truth in Israel." The Mandaic language , a Southeastern Aramaic dialect, exhibits significant inherited features from Akkadian , particularly from

3161-526: The Abbasid Caliphate when they gained fame as intellectuals in the cultural and scientific fields. In modern Iraq, Mandaeans have gained prominence as academics, writers, artists, poets, physicians, engineers and jewelers. The number of Iranian Mandaeans is a matter of dispute. In 2009, there were an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Mandaeans in Iran, according to the Associated Press . Alarabiya has put

3270-593: The Black Sea island of Sveti Ivan (Saint John) and two years later, after DNA and radio carbon testing proved the bones belonged to a Middle Eastern man who lived in the 1st century AD, scientists said that the remains could conceivably have belonged to John the Baptist. The remains, found in a reliquarium, are presently kept in the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Sozopol . The Coptic Orthodox Church also have claimed to hold

3379-582: The Catholic Cathedral of Siena , in Italy , both claim to have John the Baptist's right arm and hand, with which he baptised Jesus. According to the Catholic account, in 1464 Pope Pius II donated what was identified as the right arm and hand of John the Baptist to the Siena Cathedral. The donation charter identifies the relic as "the arm of blessed John the Baptist. And this is the very arm that baptized

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3488-726: The Ginza Rabba . In addition to Edmondo Lupieri, Christa Müller-Kessler argues against the Palestinian origin theory of the Mandaeans claiming that the Mandaeans are Mesopotamian. Edwin Yamauchi believes Mandaeism's origin lies in the Transjordan where a group of 'non-Jews' migrated to Mesopotamia and combined their Gnostic beliefs with indigenous Mesopotamian beliefs at the end of the 2nd century CE. Kevin van Bladel claims that Mandaeism originated no earlier than 5th century Sassanid Mesopotamia,

3597-478: The Gospel of Luke , John and Jesus were relatives. Some scholars think that John belonged to the Essenes , a semi- ascetic Jewish sect who expected a messiah and practised ritual baptism . John used baptism as the central symbol or sacrament of his pre-messianic movement. Most biblical scholars agree that John baptized Jesus , and several New Testament accounts report that some of Jesus's early followers had previously been followers of John. According to

3706-692: The Nasoraeans . Mandaeans believe that their religion predates Judaism. According to Mandaean scripture, the Mandaeans descend directly from Shem , Noah 's son, in Mesopotamia and also from John the Baptist 's original Nasoraean Mandaean disciples in Jerusalem. According to the Mandaean Society in America, Mani (the founder of Manichaeism ) was influenced by the Mandaeans, and a pre-Manichaean presence of

3815-524: The New Testament , John anticipated a messianic figure greater than himself; in the Gospels , he is portrayed as the precursor or forerunner of Jesus . According to the Gospel of Matthew , Jesus himself identifies John as "Elijah who is to come", which is a direct reference to the Book of Malachi (Malachi 4:5), as confirmed by the angel who announced John's birth to his father, Zechariah . According to

3924-553: The Quran . That same year, Ayatollah Sajjadi of Al-Zahra University in Qom posed three questions regarding the Mandaeans' beliefs and seemed satisfied with the answers. These rulings, however, did not lead to Mandaeans regaining their more officially recognized status as People of the Book. In 2009, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a fatwā recognizing the Mandaeans as People of

4033-899: The US (c. 4,000–7,000), the UK (c. 2,500), New Zealand and Canada . There are also Mandaeans living in Germany , the Netherlands (in Nijmegen , The Hague , etc.), Denmark , Finland , France , and smaller communities in Norway and Italy . The Sydney metropolitan area in Australia has one of the largest Mandaean diaspora communities in the world. The community is centered in Greater Western Sydney suburbs such as Penrith and Liverpool . In Liverpool,

4142-802: The US State Department in 2007. Since then, more than 2500 have entered the US, many settling in Worcester , Massachusetts. The community in Worcester is believed to be the largest in the United States and the second largest community outside the Middle East. About 2,600 Mandaeans from Iran have been settled in Texas since the Iraq War . Mandaeans are a closed ethno-religious community, practicing Mandaeism , which

4251-424: The war that followed brought more troubles to the Mandaeans, as the security situation deteriorated. Many members of the Mandaean community, who were known as goldsmiths, were targeted by criminal gangs for ransoms. The rise of ISIS forced thousands to flee the country, after they were given the choice of conversion or death . It is estimated that around 90% of Iraqi Mandaeans were either killed or have fled after

4360-467: The "voice of one crying in the wilderness". Upon literary analysis, it is clear that John is the "testifier and confessor par excellence ", particularly when compared to figures like Nicodemus . Jesus's baptism is implied but not depicted. Unlike the other gospels, it is John himself who testifies to seeing "the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and rest on him". John explicitly announces that Jesus

4469-461: The 1780s. The dwindling community was threatened with complete annihilation, when a cholera epidemic broke out in Shushtar and half of its inhabitants died. The entire Mandaean priesthood perished and Mandaeism was restored due to the efforts of few learned men such as Yahya Bihram . Another danger threatened the community in 1870, when the local governor of Shushtar massacred the Mandaeans against

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4578-524: The 17th century, the Mandaeans originated in Judea and later migrated east to the Mesopotamian Marshes . This theory was gradually abandoned, but was revived in the early 20th century through the first translation of Mandaean texts, which Biblical scholars like Rudolf Bultmann believed capable of shedding new light on the development of early Christianity . However, most New Testament scholars rejected

4687-601: The 2nd century AD, and some proclaimed him to be the Messiah awaited by Jews . In modern times, the followers of John the Baptist are the Mandaeans , an ancient ethnoreligious group who believe that he is their greatest and final prophet. In the Roman martyrology , apart from Jesus and the Virgin Mary, John is the only saint whose birth and death are both commemorated. John the Baptist

4796-509: The 3rd to the 7th century. The Mandaeans re-emerged at the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia in c.  640 , when their leader, Anush bar Danqa , is said to have appeared before the Muslim authorities, showing them a copy of the Ginza Rabba , the Mandaean holy book, and proclaiming the chief Mandaean prophet to be John the Baptist , who is also mentioned in the Quran by

4905-477: The Arabic word Ṣābiʾ is disputed. According to one interpretation, it is the active participle of the Arabic root ṣ - b -[ʾ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) ('to turn to'), meaning 'converts'. Another widely cited hypothesis is that it is derived from an Aramaic root meaning 'to baptize'. According to a theory first proposed by Ignatius of Jesus in

5014-698: The Baptiser . John is mentioned by the Roman Jewish historian Josephus , and he is revered as a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam, the Baháʼí faith , the Druze faith , and Mandaeism ; in the last of these he is considered to be the final and most vital prophet. He is considered to be a prophet of God by all of the aforementioned faiths, and is honoured as a saint in many Christian denominations . According to

5123-430: The Baptist John the Baptist ( c.  1st century BC – c.  AD 30 ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early 1st century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy , John the Immerser in some Baptist Christian traditions, and Prophet Yahya in Islam. He is sometimes alternatively referred to as John

5232-463: The Baptist was the final and most important prophet . They may have been among the earliest religious groups to practice baptism , as well as among the earliest adherents of Gnosticism , a belief system of which they are the last surviving representatives today. The Mandaeans were originally native speakers of Mandaic , an Eastern Aramaic language , before they nearly all switched to Mesopotamian Arabic or Persian as their main language. After

5341-433: The Baptist , as seen in the newly translated Mandaean texts, convinced many (notably R. Bultmann ) that it was possible, through the Mandaean traditions, to shed some new light on the history of John and on the origins of Christianity . This brought around a revival of the otherwise almost fully abandoned idea of their Palestinian origins. As the archeological discovery of Mandaean incantation bowls and lead amulets proved

5450-427: The Baptist. Their ancestors fled from the Jordan Valley about 2000 years ago and ultimately settled along the lower reaches of the Tigris , Euphrates and Karun Rivers in what is now Iraq and Iran. Baptism is the principal ceremony of the Mandaean religion and may only take place in a freshwater river. A number of ancient Aramaic inscriptions dating back to the 2nd century CE were uncovered in Elymais . Although

5559-448: The Book . To avoid further investigation by the authorities, the Mandaeans paid a bribe of 50,000 dinars and were left alone. It appeared that the Mandaeans were even exempt from paying the Jizya , otherwise imposed upon non-Muslims. It has been suggested by some scholars that Harranian intellectuals who worked at the Abbasid court such as Thābit ibn Qurra may have been Mandaeans, though most scholars believe they were adherents of

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5668-416: The Book. Prior to the Iraq War , the Iraqi Mandaean community was centered in southern Iraq in cities such as Nasiriyah , Amarah , Qal'at Saleh , Wasit , and Basra , as well as in Baghdad (particularly the district of Dora ). Historically, Mandaean quarters had also existed in southern Iraqi towns such as Qurna and Suq al-Shuyukh . Many also live across the border in Southwestern Iran in

5777-409: The Gospel of Luke, John the Baptist explicitly teaches charity, baptizes tax-collectors, and advises soldiers. The text briefly mentions that John is imprisoned and later beheaded by Herod, but the Gospel of Luke lacks the story of a step-daughter dancing for Herod and requesting John's head. The Book of Acts portrays some disciples of John becoming followers of Jesus, a development not reported by

5886-421: The Gospel of Mark implies that the arrival of John the Baptist is the fulfilment of a prophecy from the Book of Isaiah , the words quoted ("I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way – a voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'") are actually a composite of texts from Isaiah , Malachi and the Book of Exodus . (Matthew and Luke drop

5995-399: The Gospel of Mark, John preaches of a coming leader, but shows no signs of recognizing that Jesus is this leader. In Matthew, however, John immediately recognizes Jesus and John questions his own worthiness to baptize Jesus. In both Matthew and Luke, John later dispatches disciples to question Jesus about his status, asking "Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?" In Luke, John

6104-424: The Gospel relates that Jesus regarded John as "a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light". All four Gospels start Jesus' ministry in association with the appearance of John the Baptist. Simon J. Joseph has argued that the Gospel demotes the historical John by depicting him only as a prophetic forerunner to Jesus whereas his ministry actually complemented Jesus'. Although

6213-483: The Holy Land after the Fourth Crusade ). A fourth claim is made by the Residenz Museum in Munich, Germany, which keeps a reliquary containing what the Wittelsbach rulers of Bavaria believed to be the head of Saint John. According to the Christian Arab Ibn Butlan , the church of Cassian in Antioch held the right arm of John the Baptist until it was smuggled to Chalcedon and later to Constantinople. An Orthodox Christian monastery in Cetinje , Montenegro , and

6322-400: The Late Babylonian phase. Phonetic, grammatical, and lexicographic elements traceable to Akkadian strongly suggest that the origins of Mandaic and its speakers, the Mandaeans, are deeply rooted in Mesopotamia . While Mandaic has historically been classified alongside Babylonian Talmudic Aramaic and Syriac as part of Eastern Aramaic , recent linguistic analysis has led to the recognition of

6431-452: The Lord." The relic is displayed on the high altar of the Siena Cathedral annually in June. Topkapi Palace , in Istanbul, claims to have John's right hand index finger. John the Baptist's right hand is allegedly preserved in the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. John at Chinsurah, West Bengal , in India, where each year on "Chinsurah Day" in January it blesses the Armenian Christians of Calcutta . The decapitation cloth of Saint John,

6540-592: The Mandaean diaspora has raised fears among Mandaeans for the religion's survival. Mandaeism does not allow conversion, and the religious status of Mandaeans who marry outside the faith and their children is disputed. On September 15, 2018, the Beth Manda Yardna was consecrated in Dalby , Scania, Sweden. In the United States, Mandaean communities are centered in San Antonio (c. 2,500), New York City , San Diego , Winnetka, California , Austin, Texas , Worcester, Massachusetts (c. 2,500), Warren, Michigan , Chicago , and other major metropolitan areas. There

6649-431: The Mandaean religion is more than likely. Gerard Russell quotes Rishama Sattar Jabbar Hilo , "Ours is the oldest religion in the world. It dates back to Adam." Russell adds, "He [Rishama Sattar Jabbar Hilo] traced its history back to Babylon, though he said it might have some connection to the Jews of Jerusalem." The Mandaean Synod of Australia led by Rishama Salah Choheili states: Mandaeans are followers of John

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6758-437: The New Testament, John was sentenced to death and subsequently beheaded by Herod Antipas around AD 30 after John rebuked him for divorcing his wife Phasaelis and then unlawfully wedding Herodias , the wife of his brother Herod Philip I . Josephus also mentions John in the Antiquities of the Jews and states that he was executed by order of Herod Antipas in the fortress at Machaerus . Followers of John existed well into

6867-447: The Palestinian origin thesis, which by World War II was again largely deserted by scholars. It was revived in the 1960s by Rudolf Macúch , it is now accepted by Mandaean scholars such as Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley and Şinasi Gündüz . According to Macúch, the eastward migration from the Roman province of Judea to southern Iraq took place in the first century CE, while other scholars such as Kurt Rudolph think it probably took place in

6976-507: The U.S. led invasion. The Mandaeans of Iran lived chiefly in Ahvaz , Iranian Khuzestan , but have moved as a result of the Iran–Iraq War to other cities such as Tehran , Karaj and Shiraz . The Mandaeans, who were traditionally considered as People of the Book (members of a protected religion under Islamic rule), lost this status after the Iranian Revolution . However, despite this, Iranian Mandaeans still maintain successful businesses and factories in areas such as Ahwaz. In April 1996,

7085-448: The account of the beheading of John, and adds two elements: that Herod Antipas wants John dead, and that the death is reported to Jesus by his disciples. Matthew's approach is to shift the focus away from Herod and onto John as a prototype of Jesus. Where Mark has Herod killing John reluctantly and at Herodias' insistence, Matthew describes him as wanting John dead. The Gospel of Luke adds an account of John's infancy, introducing him as

7194-422: The castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God's displeasure to him. According to this passage, the execution of John was blamed for the defeat Herod suffered. Some have claimed that this passage indicates that John died near the time of the destruction of Herod's army in AD 36. However, in

7303-429: The cause of the Mandaeans' religious status in the Islamic Republic was raised. The parliament came to the conclusion that Mandaeans were included in the protected status of People of the Book alongside Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians and specified that, from a legal viewpoint, there is no prohibition against Muslims associating with Mandaeans, whom the parliament identified as being the Sabians mentioned explicitly in

7412-556: The cities of Ahvaz and Khorramshahr . Mandaean emigration from Iraq began during Saddam Hussein 's rule, but accelerated greatly after the American-led invasion and subsequent occupation. Since the invasion Mandaeans, like other Iraqi ethno-religious minorities (such as Assyrians, Armenians, Yazidi , Roma and Shabaks), have been subjected to violence, including murders, kidnappings, rapes, evictions, and forced conversions. Mandaeans, like many other Iraqis, have also been targeted for kidnapping since many worked as goldsmiths. Mandaeism

7521-428: The cloth which covered his head after his execution, is said to be kept at the Aachen Cathedral , in Germany. According to Armenian tradition, the remains of John the Baptist would in some point have been transferred by Gregory the Illuminator to the Saint Karapet Armenian Monastery . In 2010, bones were discovered in the ruins of a Bulgarian church in the St. John the Forerunner Monastery (4th–17th centuries) on

7630-445: The connection between Mandaic and its Mesopotamian heritage. This distinction highlights the uniqueness of Mandaic within the broader Aramaic linguistic landscape. Although there appears to be strong religious connections between the Mandaeans with both ancient Babylonian beliefs and Gnostic Jewish sects, such as the Elcasaites , linguistically the Mandaeans speak what can be considered a pure form of Babylonian Aramaic. A priest holds

7739-470: The countries with the most Mandaeans. There are about 2,500 Mandaeans in Jordan , the largest Mandaean community in the Middle East outside of Iraq and Iran. The name "Mandaean" comes from the Mandaic word manda , meaning "to have knowledge". In Muslim countries, Mandaeans are sometimes also called Sabians ( Arabic : الصابئة al-Ṣābiʾa ), a Quranic epithet historically claimed by several religious groups (see also below ). The etymology of

7848-485: The crowds, it was heard audibly, John did say in his witness that he did see the spirit coming down "out of heaven" (John 12:28–30, John 1:32). In Matthew, the voice from heaven does not address Jesus personally, saying instead "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist himself sees the spirit descend as a dove, testifying about the experience as evidence of Jesus's status. John's knowledge of Jesus varies across gospels. In

7957-436: The dark, while the soul (sometimes referred to as the mind) is a product of the lightworld. Mandaeans believe that there is a constant battle or conflict between the forces of good and evil. The forces of good are represented by Nhura (Light) and Maia Hayyi (Living Water) and those of evil are represented by Hshuka (darkness) and Maia Tahmi (dead or rancid water). The two waters are mixed in all things in order to achieve

8066-440: The dead. It then explains that John had rebuked Herod for marrying Herodias , the ex-wife of his brother (named here as Philip). Herodias demands his execution, but Herod, who "liked to listen" to John, is reluctant to do so because he fears him, knowing he is a "righteous and holy man". The account then describes how Herodias's unnamed daughter dances before Herod, who is pleased and offers her anything she asks for in return. When

8175-492: The door and window frames. The portal with reliefs was added some time after the church construction. As common for such churches the vault is of barrel-chamber type, and the apse with conch is in the eastern part of the interior. Original frescoes are nearly destroyed. This article about a church building or other Christian place of worship in Georgia is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . John

8284-645: The early 1990s, fewer than 5,000 to 10,000 remain there as of 2007. In early 2007, more than 80% of Iraqi Mandaeans were refugees in Syria and Jordan as a result of the Iraq War . In 2019, an Al-Monitor study estimated the Iraqi Mandaean population to be 3,000, 400 of which lived in the Erbil Governorate , which is 5% or less than the pre-Iraq war Mandaean population. Mandaeans in the past were renowned silver and gold smiths, blacksmiths and boatbuilders, even before

8393-553: The early Islamic period, as attested by the voluminous expansion of Mandaic literature and canons. Tib near Wasit is particularly noted as an important scribal center. Yaqut al-Hamawi describes Tib as a town inhabited by ' Nabatean ' (i.e. Aramaic speaking) ' Sabians ' (see below ) who consider themselves to be descendants of Seth . The status of the Mandaeans was questioned by the Abbasid caliph al-Qahir Billah (899–950 CE), even though they had received recognition as People of

8502-512: The fall of the shah, its members faced increased religious discrimination, and many emigrated to Europe and the Americas. In Iran, the Gozinesh Law (passed in 1985) has the effect of prohibiting Mandaeans from fully participating in civil life. This law and other gozinesh provisions make access to employment, education, and a range of other areas conditional upon a rigorous ideological screening,

8611-452: The fate of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew account begins with the same modified quotation from Isaiah, moving the Malachi and Exodus material to later in the text, where it is quoted by Jesus. The description of John is possibly taken directly from Mark ("clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey"), along with the proclamation that one

8720-459: The first part of the reference.) The gospels differ on the details of the Baptism. In Mark and Luke, Jesus himself sees the heavens open and hears a voice address him personally, saying, "You are my dearly loved son; you bring me great joy". They do not clarify whether others saw and heard these things. Although other incidents where the "voice came out of heaven" are recorded in which, for the sake of

8829-420: The girl asks her mother what she should request, she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Reluctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and his head is delivered to her, at her request, on a plate. John's disciples take the body away and bury it in a tomb. The Gospel refers to Antipas as "King" and the ex-husband of Herodias is named as Philip, but he is known to have been called Herod . Although

8938-466: The gospels except for the early case of Andrew , Simon Peter's brother. The fourth gospel describes John the Baptist as "a man sent from God" who "was not the light", but "came as a witness, to bear witness to the light, so that through him everyone might believe". John confirms that he is not the Christ nor Elijah nor 'the prophet' when asked by Jewish priests and Pharisees; instead, he described himself as

9047-452: The great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion, (for they seemed ready to do any thing he should advise,) thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus ,

9156-447: The greatest and final prophet. The Mandaeans group existence into two main categories: light and darkness. They have a dualistic view of life, that encompasses both good and evil; all good is thought to have come from the World of Light (i.e. lightworld) and all evil from the World of Darkness . In relation to the body–mind dualism coined by Descartes, Mandaeans consider the body, and all material, worldly things, to have come from

9265-732: The head was discovered by John's followers and was taken to the Mount of Olives , where it was twice buried and discovered, the latter events giving rise to the Orthodox feast of the First and Second Finding of the Head of St. John the Baptist . Other writers say that it was interred in Herod's palace at Jerusalem; there it was found during the reign of Constantine , and thence secretly taken to Emesa (modern Homs, in Syria) , where it

9374-418: The influence of the zealous Zoroastrian high priest Kartir persecuted all non-Zoroastrian religions. It is thought that this persecution encouraged the consolidation of Mandaean religious literature. The persecutions instigated by Kartir seems to temporarily erase Mandaeans from recorded history. Their presence, however can still be found in Mandaean magical bowls and lead strips which were produced from

9483-795: The invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies in 2003, the Mandaean community of Iraq , which before the war numbered 60,000–70,000 persons, collapsed due to the rise of Islamic extremism and the absence of protection against it, with most of the community relocating to Iran , Syria and Jordan , or forming diaspora communities beyond the Middle East . Mandaeans have been forcibly converted to Islam, making them apostates from Islam if they revert to their religion, thereby risking being murdered. Such Mandaeans have voiced feeling unsafe in any Muslim country for this reason. The remaining community of Iranian Mandaeans has also been dwindling as

9592-405: The letters appear quite similar to the Mandaean ones, it is impossible to know whether the inhabitants of Elymais were Mandaeans. Rudolf Macúch believes Mandaean letters predate Elymaic ones. Under Parthian and early Sasanian rule, foreign religions were tolerated and Mandaeans appear to have enjoyed royal protection. The situation changed by the ascension of Bahram I in 273, who under

9701-634: The main mandi (Beth Manda) is Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi . The Sabian Mandaean Association of Australia has purchased land by the banks of the Nepean River at Wallacia, New South Wales in order to build a new mandi. Sweden became a popular destination because a Mandaean community existed there before the war and the Swedish government has a liberal asylum policy toward Iraqis. There are between 10,000 and 20,000 Mandaeans in Sweden (2019). The scattered nature of

9810-610: The material world is a mixture of light and dark created by Ptahil , who fills the role of the demiurge , with help from dark powers, such as Ruha , the Seven, and the Twelve. Adam's body (believed to be the first human created by God in Abrahamic tradition) was fashioned by these dark beings, however his soul (or mind) was a direct creation from the Light. Therefore, many Mandaeans believe the human soul

9919-446: The miraculous son of Zechariah , an old priest, and his wife Elizabeth , who was past menopause and therefore unable to have children. According to this account, the birth of John was foretold by the angel Gabriel to Zechariah while he was performing his functions as a priest in the temple of Jerusalem. Since he is described as a priest of the course of Abijah and Elizabeth as one of the daughters of Aaron , this would make John

10028-496: The name Yahya ibn Zakariya . Consequently, the Muslim caliph provided them acknowledgement as People of the Book ( ahl al-kitāb , adherents of religions recognized as guided by previous revelations). However, this account is likely apocryphal: since it mentions that Anush bar Danqa traveled to Baghdad , it must have occurred after the founding of Baghdad in 762, if it took place at all. Mandaeans appeared to have flourished during

10137-493: The name of every baptismal water in Mandaeism. Mara ḏ-Rabuta ( Mandaic : "Lord of Greatness", one of the names for Hayyi Rabbi ) is found in the Genesis Apocryphon (1Q20) II, 4. They formally refer to themselves as Naṣuraiia ( ࡍࡀࡑࡅࡓࡀࡉࡉࡀ ‎), meaning guardians or possessors of secret rites and knowledge. Another early self-appellation is bhiria zidqa , meaning 'elect of righteousness' or 'the chosen righteous',

10246-912: The number of Iranian Mandaeans as high as 60,000 in 2011. Until the Iranian Revolution , Mandaeans were mainly concentrated in the Khuzestan Province , where the community used to coexist with the local Arab population. Other than the main cities of Ahvaz and Khorramshahr , Mandaean communities also existed in towns such as Chogha Zanbil in Shush County , Shushtar , and Abadan , as well as Mahshahr , Shadegan , Behbahan , and Susangerd (Khafajiyeh). Mandaean communities had also formerly existed in Dezful , Hamidiyeh , Hoveyzeh , Karun , and Abadan . They were mainly employed as goldsmiths , passing their skills from generation to generation. After

10355-473: The origins of the story. Since it shows signs of having been composed in Aramaic, which Mark apparently did not speak, he is likely to have got it from a Palestinian source. There are a variety of opinions about how much actual historical material it contains, especially given the alleged factual errors. Many scholars have seen the story of John arrested, executed, and buried in a tomb as a conscious foreshadowing of

10464-463: The other Gospels, and Raymond E. Brown has described it as "of dubious historicity ". Géza Vermes has called it "artificial and undoubtedly Luke's creation". The many similarities between the Gospel of Luke story of the birth of John and the Old Testament account of the birth of Samuel suggest that Luke's account of the annunciation and birth of Jesus are modeled on that of Samuel. Unique to

10573-598: The other hand, the Mandaean community in Iran has increased over the last decade because of the exodus from Iraq of the main Mandaean community, which used to be 50,000–70,000 strong. Following the Iraq War, the Mandaean community dispersed mostly throughout Jordan , Syria , and Iran . Mandaeans in Jordan number about 2,500 (2018) and in Syria there are about 1,000 remaining (2015). There are Mandaean diaspora populations in Sweden (c. 10,000–20,000), Australia (c. 10,000),

10682-504: The pagan astral religion of Harran. Early contact with Europeans came about in the mid-16th century, when Portuguese missionaries encountered Mandaeans in Southern Iraq and controversially designated them "Christians of St. John". In the next centuries Europeans became more acquainted with the Mandaeans and their religion. The Mandaeans suffered persecution under the Qajar rule in

10791-445: The principal prerequisite for which is devotion to the tenets of Islam. These laws are regularly applied to discriminate against religious and ethnic groups that are not officially recognized, such as the Mandaeans, Yarsanis and Baháʼís . In 2002, the US State Department granted Iranian Mandaeans protective refugee status. Since then, roughly 1,000 have emigrated to the US, now residing in cities such as San Antonio, Texas . On

10900-750: The relics of Saint John the Baptist. A crypt and relics said to be John's and mentioned in 11th- and 16th-century manuscripts, were discovered in 1969 during restoration of the Church of St. Macarius at the Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great in Scetes , Egypt . Mandaeans Mandaeans ( Mandaic : ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ) ( Arabic : المندائيون al-Mandāʾiyyūn ), also known as Mandaean Sabians ( الصابئة المندائيون al-Ṣābiʾa al-Mandāʾiyyūn ) or simply as Sabians ( الصابئة al-Ṣābiʾa ), are an ethnoreligious group who are followers of Mandaeism . They believe that John

11009-600: The sons of Israel to the Lord their God," and that he will go forth "in the spirit and power of Elijah." The following comparison table is primarily based on the New International Version (NIV) English translation of the New Testament. The account of Flavius Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews was translated by William Whiston. John 10:40–42 An account of John the Baptist is found in all extant manuscripts of

11118-540: The third century. There are also other theories. Kevin van Bladel has argued that the Mandaeans originated in Sasanian-ruled Mesopotamia in the fifth century . According to Carlos Gelbert , Mandaeans formed a vibrant community in Edessa in late antiquity . Brikha Nasoraia , a Mandaean priest and scholar, accepts a two-origin theory in which he considers the contemporary Mandaeans to have descended from both

11227-627: The title of Rabbi and a place of worship is called a Mashkhanna . According to Mandaean sources such as the Haran Gawaita , the Nasuraiia inhabited the areas around Jerusalem and the River Jordan in the 1st century CE. There is archaeological evidence that attests to the Mandaean presence in pre-Islamic Iraq. Scholars, including Kurt Rudolph , connect the early Mandaeans with the Jewish sect of

11336-410: The washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. Now when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were very greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest

11445-515: The water, Jesus sees the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends on him "like a dove", and he hears a voice from heaven that says, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased". Later in the gospel there is an account of John's death. It is introduced by an incident where the Tetrarch Herod Antipas , hearing stories about Jesus, imagines that this is John the Baptist raised from

11554-661: The will of the Shah. Following the First World War , the Mandaeans were still largely living in rural areas in the lower parts of British protected Iraq and Iran . Owing to the rise of Arab nationalism , Iraqi Mandaeans were Arabised at an accelerated rate, especially during the 1950s and '60s. The Mandaeans were also forced to abandon their stances on the cutting of hair and forced military service, which are strictly prohibited in Mandaeaism. The 2003 American invasion of Iraq and

11663-453: The wording clearly implies the girl was the daughter of Herodias, many texts describe her as "Herod's daughter, Herodias". Since these texts are early and significant and the reading is ' difficult ', many scholars see this as the original version, altered in later versions and in Matthew and Luke. Josephus says that Herodias had a daughter by the name of Salome. Scholars have speculated about

11772-408: Was coming who would baptize with the Holy Spirit "and fire". The book of Matthew next has Jesus coming to John to be baptized, but John objects because he is not worthy because Jesus is the one that brings the baptism in the Spirit. Unlike Mark, Matthew describes John as critical of Pharisees and Sadducees and as preaching "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and a "coming judgment". Matthew shortens

11881-521: Was concealed, the place remaining unknown for years, until it was manifested by revelation in 452, an event celebrated in the Orthodox Church as the Third Finding . An apocryphal tradition claims that after John's death, his mother Elizabeth was told by an angel to bury him where his father lay. She was then led by the angel to the temple in which John's father was killed by Herod I, at which point

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