It is reported that John and Jesus were walking in the marketplace. A woman bumped into them and John said, "As God is my witness, I did not feel it." Jesus said, "God be praised! Your body is with me, but where is your heart?" John answered, "Cousin, if my heart were to feel secure about anything other than God for the twinkling of any eye, I would think I had not known God." (Mukashfat al-Qulub, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali)

When I was reading the Mandaean accounts of John, I did not reproduce here everything those scriptures have John saying. That was a difficult choice to make.

But in many cases I perceived John was simply serving as a mouthpiece for Gnostic mumbo-jumbo. I am sympathetic to many Gnostic notions, but I have concluded they too often lapse into advocacy of self-reliance and self-glorification.

There is a mystical reality. There is great value when body and mind are wholly with God. But when walking with Jesus - or any other - in the marketplace, I perceive there is also great value in being fully present in that place with that person.