A CHILD was planted out of the height, a mystery revealed in Jerusalem. The priests saw dreams; chill seized on their children, chill seized on Jerusalem.Early in the morning he went to the temple. He opened his mouth in blasphemy and his lips of lying. He opened his mouth in blasphemy and spake to all of the priests:"In my vision of the night I beheld, [I beheld] in my vision. When I lay there, I slept not and rested not, and sleep came not to me by night. I slept not and rested not, [and I beheld] that a star appeared and stood over Enishbai. Fire burned in Old Father (Abā Sābā) Zakhriā; three heaven-lights appeared. The sun sank and the lights rose. Fire lit up the house of the people (synagogue), smoke rose over the temple. A quaking quaked in the Throne-chariot, so that Earth removed from her seat. A star flew down into Judæa, a star flew down into Jerusalem. The sun appeared by night, and the moon rose by day." When the priests heard this, they cast dust on their head. Yaqif the priest weeps and Beni-Amin's tears flow. Shilai and Shalbai cast dust on their heads. Elizar [the chief priest] opened his mouth and spake unto all of the priests: "Yaqif interprets dreams, but as yet he has no understanding of these. Beni-Amin interprets dreams; is he not a man who discloses your secrets? Ṭāb-Yōmīn gives us no revelation, though you deem he can give information on all that is and [that] is not. (Book of the Gnostic John the Baptizer, Chapter 18)

The Mandaeans are an ancient people of mysterious origin. Perhaps, they began as Jewish followers of John the Baptist. Perhaps they migrated to what is now Southern Iraq and Iran after the Romans destroyed the Jerusalem Temple.

Arab neighbors have called the Mandaeans, "al-Mughasilah" or “ones who wash themselves." Baptism is a principal ritual and John the Baptist is the most venerated religious figure of the Mandaean faith.

Mandaean scripture tells us much more of John than Christian scripture... perhaps too much for the purposes of this daily meditation. But for several days I will seek to engage this scripture and see what we can discern,"on all that is and is not."