Yahyā proclaims in the nights, Yōhānā on the Night's evenings. YAHYĀ proclaims in the nights.—Glory rises over the worlds. Who told Yeshu (Eshu)? Who told Yeshu Messiah, son of Miryam, who told Yeshu, so that he went to the shore of the Jordan and said [unto Yahyā]: "Yahyā, baptize me with thy baptizing and utter o'er me also the Name thy wont is to utter. If I show myself as thy pupil, I will remember thee then in my writing; I attest not myself as thy pupil, then wipe out my name from thy page," Thereon Yahyā answered Yeshu Messiah in Jerusalem: "Thou hast lied to the Jews and deceived the priests. Thou hast cut off their seed from the men and from the women bearing and being pregnant. The sabbath, which Moses made binding, hast thou relaxed in Jerusalem. Thou hast lied unto them with horns and spread abroad disgrace with the shofar." Thereon Yeshu Messiah answered Yahyā in Jerusalem: "If I have lied to the Jews, may the blazing fire consume me. If I have deceived the priests, a double death will I die. If I have cut off their seed from the men, may I not cross o'er the End-Sea. If I have cut off from the women birth and being pregnant, then is in sooth a judge raised up before me. If I have relaxed the sabbath, may the blazing fire consume me. If I have lied to the Jews, I will tread on thorns and thistles. If I have spread disgrace abroad with horn-blowing, may my eyes then not light on Abathur. So baptize me then with thy baptizing, and utter o'er me the Name thy wont is to utter. If I show myself as thy pupil, I will remember thee then in my writing; if I attest not myself as thy pupil, then wipe out my name from thy page."

In both the Mandaean and Islamic traditions John and Jesus, son of Miriam, had a long association. In these traditions each is recognized as a great prophet.

In the writings of both traditions Jesus is clearly a student of John. In Islam - unlike for the Mandaeans - Jesus is undoubtedly the student who surpasses his teacher. But in both traditions John challenges and corrects Jesus.

The gospel writers ignore or quickly gloss over the relationship of John and Jesus. But they tell us enough that the conversation reported above seems plausible, if surely far from precisely accurate.

If we accept the orthodoxy that before his resurrection Jesus was at once fully human and fully God, then the human would have needed teachers and friends, challenges and correction, affirmation and love.

And it would make sense that Jesus-as-God would be wise enough to seek out teachers and friends who would notice and question the tug of human pride and any folly.

Dear God, lead me to your wisdom.