ASUTA
The Journal for the Study and Research into the
Mandaean Culture, Religion, and Language.

        Volume 4                                     Special Issue                                           Online edition

The Pre-Christian Nasoraeans
The Mandaeans

       RESEARCH DONE BY AJAE                                                              COPYRIGHT 2000

Naassenes

Hippolytus, a second century writer, described a heretical sect known as the Naassenes:

“The priests, then, and champions of the system, have been first those who have been called Naasseni, …alleging that they alone have sounded the depths of knowledge.”(60)

Hippolytus wrote that the Naassenes were an early group of priests who followed the teaching of James.  Eisenman wrote:

"Curiously enough, Hippolytus considers these ‘Naassenes’ to have been the first heresy before event the Ebonites or the Elchasaites…”(61)

It is believed that James handed down his teaching to “Mariamne” who then passed it along to the Naassenes.

"These are the heads of very numerous discourses which (the Naassene) asserts James the brother of the Lord handed down to Mariamne”(62)

In the Second Apocalypse of James, we again see the same story but Mariamne has been changed to Mareim, which by the way is the same name as Mary. Except that in this story Mariamne is elevated to the status of priest or of the priests.

"This is [the] discourse that James [the] Just spoke in Jerusalem, [which] Mareim, one of the priests, wrote.”(63)

Origen also writes of a sect that centers around the figure “Mariamne” but does not write any information on them or give them a name. Epiphanius uses the name “Sabuaeans” in describing Naassenes.  It is obvious that this is just another variation on the name Sabaean.  If the Naassenes belong to this Sabaeans (Sabian- Mandaean) group then we should find some common points. Lets look at the common points of name, Miriam figure, Euphrates, “good”, and finally theology.

Point #1- name.  Hippolytus explains this word as being derived from the Hebrew word Nass, which means snake and supports his view by claiming the Naassenes worship snakes

"The priests, then, and champions of the system, have been first those who have been called Naasseni, being so denominated from the Hebrew language, for the serpent is called naas (in Hebrew)."(64)

The actual word in Hebrew is nachash. (65) Eisenman takes a more logical viewpoint in that the word is simply a combination of the words Essene and Nasoraean.  The idea that the name Naassenes derived from the Nasoraeans can be supported in the story of Mareim and that she is one of the priests and the fact that Hippolytus himself states that the Naassenes were an early group of priests.  The Mandaeans still refer to the members of the priest hood Nasurai as ones who are skilled in the knowledge.  The Naassenes were considered to be skilled in knowledge.

Point #2- Mareim.  The figures of Mareim, Mariamne, and Mariam are one in the same person.  All three words are simply variations of the name Mary. In the First Apocalypse of James, James is instructed to pass on his knowledge first to Addai and then to Salome, Mariam, Martha and Arsinoe.:

"But you are to reveal them to Addai…When you speak these words of this  [perception] encourage these [four]: Salome and Mariam  [and Martha and Arsinoe…] …”(66)

Mareim is described as being one of the Priests.  Does that mean that she was a Naassene since they are describe as a class of priests by Hippolytus?  Or could Mareim had been a priest?  Hippolytus also describes Mariam as “the sought for one”.

“…which is begotten above, where, he says, is Mariam the sought-for one…”(67)

We can conclude that Mareim was one of the ‘priests’ who is entrusted with the ‘knowledge’ from James. Since James is instructed to give the ‘knowledge’ to Mareim must have been a priest herself since usually only priests are involved in secret religious teaching. In the Mandaean literature we also have a story with Miryai as the main figure.  Miryai is the Mandaic form of Mary.  In the Mandaean story Miryai is a Jew who has left Judaism for Mandaeism.  Miryai disobeys her parent’s orders not to leave the house for fear that she would fall under the influence of the ‘suns of my Lord’ i.e. the Mandaeans.

“My father went out and said to me, and my mother went out and charged me: " Miryai, close thy inner doors and bolt the bar. See that thou goest not forth into the main streets and that the suns of my Lord' fall not upon thee."

"But I, Mirayi, listened not to what my mother did tell me, and hardened not with the ear to what my father did charge me. I opened the inner doors and the outer let I stand open. Out went I into the main streets and the suns of my Lord fell upon me.”
(68)

Further in the saga Miryai evolves into the “vine” in which all the “birds” are shelter and feed.

"Miryai am I, a vine, a tree, who stands at the mouth of Euphrates (Frash). … A flock on it down-settled, and they would build their nest there. They flutter about in it and settle not down in it firmly. Of its foliage they eat …from its inner part they drink wine. They eat what is not to be cast away, and drink what was not wine."(69)

The “birds” were all safe in the foliage until a great storm appeared and blew away some of the “birds”.  Soon a white eagle comes to converse with Miryai.  The eagle appears to be Anush or Hiibl –Ziwa.  The “birds”, who are the Mandaeans, all ask what has happened to all their brethren.  The eagle tells them it is better not to know what has befallen those “birds” for they have been torn to pieces.

“While the birds sat on the vine, winds and tempests broke loose… Many a bird there was who flew not away, but held on fast with claws and with wings, till the winds and the tempests were over. Many again held not on fast and were hurried away… The winds and the tempests passed and rest came over the world…A white eagle came…we ask thee..What have the winds and the tempests done with those birds, our brothers? …"You had better not to have known, my brothers, what has become of those birds... The harrier and hawk wheeled round them, tore pieces out of their flesh and fed on those who were fat”(70)

Then the eagle instructs the “birds” to hold fat to Miryai.   The eagle heals Miryai with the water he brings.  At the end of the story Miryai has now evolved into Simiat Hiia- the Treasure of Life- an uthra.  The eagle leave reminding the bird” (Mandaeans) to hold fat to Miryai and to endure persecution.

"Well for you, ye birds, who hold fast to this vine (here): you become a, companionship of Miryai the vine, who stands at the mouth of Euphrates… I have come to heal Miryai (come) to bring water to the good, beloved plants, to the vines, who stand at the mouth of Euphrates…for him who has drunk of my water…The vines who drank water, brought forth good fruit…Life's Treasure-House: Miryai, the dear Truth..The eagle speaks to them: "Give ear to me, my brothers! Stay fast and endure persecution. Be a companionship to Miryai”(71)

The saga continues in which Miryai has become a Mandaean priest:

"They went and found that a throne was set up for Miryai on the bank of Euphrates. A white standard was for her unfurled and a book stood upright on her lap. She reads in the Books of Truth and rouses all worlds from their sleep”(72)

The white eagle appears again and sets Miryai upon the throne, calls her the “good messenger” and finally he ask her for kusta.  A priest can only give Kusta, the ritual handclasp.

"As the priests stand there and speak with Miryai at the mouth of Euphrates, there came a pure eagle-bird, whose wings are the fullness of worlds...they held out the loved hand of Truth to each other. He..forced her down and set her on the throne."(73)

Miryai is a female priest, a Nasurai, who is instructed in knowledge and is seal of approval by the uthras.  She herself is elevated to the status of an uthra.  This story was the basis for the Mareim (Mariamne) (Mariam) receiving ‘knowledge’ from James as he was instructed to do so.  The Mandaean Miryai also accounts for Mareim (Mariamne) (Mariam) being of the priests. And finally the Mandaeans could be those whom Origen wrote about centers around the figure “Mariamne” but fails to provide us with any other information. 

Point #3- Euphrates.  In the above story on Mirayi the Mandaean text mentions the Euphrates.  It is assume by most scholars that the Mandaeans replace the term Jordan for Euphrates for the Baptism River.  I propose that the Mandaeans had this term already in their theology before they left the Palestine area.  Hippolytus writes that the Naassenes:

""But the fourth river is Euphrates." This, they assert, is the mouth, through which are the passage outwards of prayer, and the passage inwards of nourishment. (The mouth) makes glad, and nurtures and fashions the Spiritual Perfect Man. This, he says, is "the water that is above the firmament“ “(74)

(The Naassenes) “are spiritual, who, from the life-giving water of Euphrates, which flows through the midst of Babylon…”  (75)

“…Zeesar, that is, Jordan that flows upwards..” (76)

In this passage not only is the Euphrates connected to prayers but also is referred to as the water above.  The Mandaeans believe that there is a celestial Jordan also called the Frat-Ziwa, the Light Euphrates.

"“I arise and open up the Light Euphrates” (77)

“Behold the Euphrates and the celestial Euphrates are the basis of thine
existence.”
(78)

The Naassenes expand on this belief of a celestial Jordan by:

"If ye hasten to fly out of Egypt, and repair beyond the Red Sea into the wilderness, that is, from earthly intercourse to the Jerusalem above, which is the mother of the living; If, moreover, again you return into Egypt, that is, into earthly intercourse, ye shall die as men….This, according to them, is the spiritual generation. This, he says, is the great Jordan which, flowing on (here) below, and preventing the children of Israel from departing out of Egypt-I mean from terrestrial intercourse, for Egypt is with them the body,-Jesus drove back and made it flow upwards.” (79)

It would appear that the Naassenes had a concept of what is spiritual remains spiritual and what is flesh is flesh; the two cannot exist one in the other.  Egypt appears to be a code name for earth while Jerusalem also exists as a heavenly counterpart.  Jesus is the one who drives back the Jordan and creates the celestial Jordan. Thus allowing the children of Israel to mount upward to the celestial Jerusalem.   


Point #4- “the good” The Hippolytus writes that the Naassenes appear to have an entity call “the good”.

“He says that this (one) alone is good, and that what is spoken by the Saviouris declared concerning this (one): "Why do you say that am good? One is good, my Father which is in the heavens, who causeth His sun to rise upon the just and unjust, and sendeth rain upon saints and sinners… and that this is denominated the good (entity) by all” (80)

Once again in Mandaeism we have a parallel:

“Ye are set up and raised up into the Place of the Good.” (81)

“The good behold and are refreshed:” (82)

“The robes of the good were resplendent in their place.” 
(83)

”And the good will set you up in their midst.” (84)

”Praised are ye four beings, sons of Perfection, who go to meet the good;” (85)

“Good is the Good (one ?) for the good, and He set His nature upon those who
love His name.”
(86)

”Go forth to meet the good and clothe the good with robes.” (87)

Point #5- Theology

In discussing the “Perfect Man” or “Primal Adam” doctrine of the Naassenes, Hippolytus mentions the Spiritual one that “is born again” also called the “Gate” to the “Perfect Man”.  This doctrine Hippolytus ascribes to the Naassenes before any other sect had acquired this theology.  This theology is still to be found in the Mandaean theology today.

“One can still find such teaching among the groups called in Arabic the ‘Subba’ or ‘the Sabaeans of the Marshes’ – the ‘Mandaeans’ of Southern Iraq.  Apparently ‘Mandaean’ is the name for the rank and file of such groups, the priestly elite being known as the Nazoraeans! ‘Subba’ , of course, means to be baptized or immersed.” (88)

Eisenman traces the theology of the Naassenes to the Elchasaites “Standing One“ theology on into the Ebonites.

“In Epiphanius some two centuries after Hippolytus, these Naassenes are  called the ‘Nazoraeans’ or ’Nazenes’ – the ‘Nazoraeans’ who go into the elite Priest Class of Mandaeans” (89)

Next
Conclusion

Outline
Introduction
The Nasurai of the Mandaeans
Kaftir Inscription
Mani
Nasoraeans
Sabians- Elchasaites
Naassenes
Conclusion
References