{"id":1228,"date":"2013-09-21T17:38:20","date_gmt":"2013-09-21T21:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/?page_id=1228"},"modified":"2013-09-21T17:38:20","modified_gmt":"2013-09-21T21:38:20","slug":"theodore-bar-konai-on-mani-and-manichaeism","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/publications\/unpublished-lectures-and-fragmenta\/theodore-bar-konai-on-mani-and-manichaeism\/","title":{"rendered":"Theodore bar Konai on Mani and Manichaeism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Translated from the Syriac text published in Theodore bar Konai, Liber Scholiorum<\/em> (CSCO 55, 69; 2 vols.; ed. A[ddai] Scher; Paris: Carolus Poussielgue, 1910-12), 2:311.12-318.4.\u00a0 For textual notes,\u00a0extended annotations, and discussion, see\u00a0John C. Reeves, Jewish Lore in Manichaean Cosmogony: Studies in the Book of Giants Traditions<\/em> (Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1992), 185-206; idem, Heralds of That Good Realm: Syro-Mesopotamian Gnosis and Jewish Traditions<\/em> (NHMS 41; Leiden: Brill, 1996), 67-109; idem, Prolegomena to a History of Islamicate Manichaeism<\/em> (Sheffield and Oakville: Equinox, 2011), 29-30; 51-52; 146-52.<\/h4>\n

Many stories are related about this wicked one (i.e., Mani).\u00a0 Some have said that he was (originally) named Q\u016brqaby\u014ds, and that he first learned the heresy of the \u2018Pure Ones\u2019 because they purchased him (as a slave).\u00a0 His hometown was named \u2019Abr\u016bmya and his father was Pa\u1e6d\u012bq.\u00a0 But since the \u2018Pure Ones\u2019\u2014those (also) called \u2018the (wearers of) White Garment(s)\u2019\u2014were unable to endure him, they expelled him from among them, terming him a \u2018vessel of evil\u2019 (m\u0101n\u0101 de-b\u012b\u0161t\u0101<\/em>), and it is from this (expression) that he is named \u2018M\u0101n\u012b.\u2019<\/p>\n

There are others who say that he was manumitted (from the aforementioned sect) by the wife of (a certain) Bud\u014ds.\u00a0 Now this Bud\u014ds was the pupil of a man whose name was Sq\u016bnty\u014ds (Scythianus).\u00a0 He was one who accepted the teachings of the Egyptian philosophers, for he had gone thither (i.e., Egypt) in order to study with the sages who were in Egypt at that time.\u00a0 He became learned in Egyptian and Greek lore, and in the works of Pythagoras and <Empedocles>.\u00a0 He ventured to introduce the teachings of paganism into Christianity, and he furthermore taught that there are two principles, one Good and the other Evil, as also did <Empedocles> who gave to Evil the designation \u2018conquest\u2019 and to Good the designations \u2018desire\u2019 and \u2018love.\u2019<\/p>\n

Scythianus had a student, Bud\u014ds, whom we mentioned above.\u00a0 This one (Bud\u014ds) was originally named \u1e6cer\u014dbint\u014ds (Terebinthus).\u00a0 Using the doctrines which he received from Scythianus, he authored four books: the first he called [Book of] Mysteries, the next Gospel, the third [Book of] Treasures, and the fourth [Book of] Kephalaia.\u00a0 After he composed these books, he went down to Babylon and led many astray.\u00a0 While celebrating certain secret magical rites, he was severely beaten by a spirit and (so) died.\u00a0 And that woman who lived with him <buried him>, for it was she that inherited everything that Bud\u014ds left.\u00a0 She acquired (from the aforementioned sect) a servant-boy who was about seven years old whose name was Q\u016brqaby\u014ds, and after she freed him, she taught him letters, and he became learned in the books of Bud\u014ds.\u00a0 After his mistress died and he had come of age, he departed those places where Bud\u014ds had taught, changed his name, and called himself M\u0101n\u012b.<\/p>\n

He declared that the four books of Bud\u014ds were his own (compositions), and claimed the teaching(s) (of Bud\u014ds) for himself.\u00a0 He was familiar with the art of healing, as well as that of magic, and although he reasoned about everything from a pagan point of view, he also sought to use the name of Christ (in his system), with the result that he was able to lead many astray.\u00a0 He taught that one should worship evil spirits as gods and adore the sun, moon, and stars, for he also cast destinies and horoscopes.\u00a0 He denied the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the God who was the giver of the Law.\u00a0 With regard to our Savior he said that it was only opinion that he (Jesus) was born and suffered, for in truth he was not a human being as he appeared to be.\u00a0 He said that human bodies derive from (the) Evil (principle), and he denied the resurrection.\u00a0 He taught about the world that part of it was from God and another part was from Matter, and he forbade the eating of that which was animate.\u00a0 All of the members of his group are wicked: they sacrifice human beings and impudently fornicate during (their) demonic mysteries.\u00a0 They are devoid of compassion and completely hopeless.<\/p>\n

Shab\u016br the King flayed M\u0101n\u012b, stuffed his skin with straw, and fastened him before the gate of B\u0113th Lapa\u1e6d, a city of the Elamites.<\/p>\n

Regarding his abominable teaching:<\/em><\/p>\n

It is however proper that we record in this book a little of the absurd blasphemy of the wicked M\u0101n\u012b in order to confound the Manichaeans.\u00a0 He (Mani) says that before heaven and earth and all that they contain came into being, there existed two entities: one Good and the other Evil.\u00a0 The Good entity dwelt in the Region of Light, and he terms him the Father of Greatness, and he says that there were dwelling (there) in addition to him (the Father) his five \u2018shekinahs\u2019: mind, knowledge, intellect, thought, (and) reflection.\u00a0 The Evil entity he terms the <King> of Darkness, and he says that he dwelt in the Land of Darkness with his five \u2018aeons\u2019: the aeon of smoke, the aeon of fire, the aeon of wind, the aeon of water, and the aeon of darkness.\u00a0 He says that when the <King> of Darkness contemplated ascending to the Region of Light, those five shekinahs (there) became agitated, and he says that at that time the Father of Greatness took thought and said: \u2018I will not send from my worlds any of these five shekinahs to do battle because they were created by me for tranquility and peace.\u00a0 Instead, I myself will go and do battle.\u2019<\/p>\n

He says that the Father of Greatness evoked the Mother of Life, and the Mother of Life evoked the Primal Man, and Primal Man evoked his five sons, like a man who puts on armor for battle.\u00a0 He says that an angel whose name was N\u1e25\u0161b\u1e6d <\/em>went out in front of him, holding in his hand a crown of victory, and he says that he spread (or shed) light before Primal Man.\u00a0 When the <King> of Darkness saw him, he (the King) took thought and said, \u2018The thing that I desired which was distant, I have discovered nearby!\u2019\u00a0 Then Primal Man gave himself and his five sons as food to the five sons of Darkness, just as a man who has an enemy mixes deadly poison in a cake (and) gives (it) to him.<\/p>\n

And he says that when they had eaten them, the reasoning power of the five luminous deities was removed, and they became like a man bitten by a rabid dog or a serpent due to the venom of the sons of Darkness.\u00a0 He says that Primal Man regained his rationality and prayed seven times to the Father of Greatness, and he (the Father) evoked the Second Evocation, the Beloved of the Lights.\u00a0 The Beloved of the Lights evoked the Great Ban<\/em>, and the Great Ban<\/em> evoked the Living Spirit.\u00a0 The Living Spirit evoked his five sons: the Ornament of Splendor from his mind, the Great King of Honor from his knowledge, the Adamos of Light from his intellect, the King of Glory from his thought, and the Porter from his reflection.\u00a0 They came to the Land of Darkness and found Primal Man and his five sons engulfed by Darkness.\u00a0 Then the Living Spirit cried out with his voice, and the voice of the Living Spirit was like a sharp sword, and it uncovered the form of Primal Man, and he said to him: \u2018Greetings to you, O Excellent One among evil entities, O Luminous One in the midst of Darkness, O Divine One dwelling among wrathful beasts who have no knowledge of <his> glory!\u2019\u00a0 Then Primal Man answered him and said: \u2018Come in peace, O bringer of the merchandise of tranquility and peace!\u2019\u00a0 And he said: \u2018How do our Fathers, the sons of Light, fare in their city?\u2019\u00a0 The Caller answered him: \u2018They are faring well!\u2019\u00a0 The Caller and the Respondent joined together and ascended to the Mother of Life and the Living Spirit.\u00a0 The Living Spirit clothed himself with the Caller, and the Mother of Life clothed herself with the Respondent, her beloved son, and they descended to the Land of Darkness where Primal Man and his sons were.<\/p>\n

Then the Living Spirit commanded three of his sons, that each should kill and should skin the archons, the sons of Darkness, and bring (them) to the Mother of Life.\u00a0 The Mother of Life stretched out the heavens from their skins, and she made eleven heavens (sic<\/em>!).\u00a0 They threw down their bodies to the Land of Darkness, and they made eight earths.\u00a0 And the five sons of the Living Spirit each completed their task\u2014the Ornament of Splendor is the one who holds the five luminous deities by their loins, and below their loins the heavens were spread out, and the Porter is the one who bends upon one of his knees and supports the earths.\u00a0 After the heavens and earths were made, the Great King of Honor took a seat in the midst of the heavens and kept watch over the whole.<\/p>\n

Then the Living Spirit revealed his forms (sic<\/em>) to the sons of Darkness, and he strained out (some) light from the light that these had consumed from those five luminous deities, and made (from it) the sun and the moon, and from the light which remained (after making these) vessel(s) he made \u2018wheels\u2019 of wind, water, and fire.\u00a0 He descended (and) forged them near the Porter.\u00a0 The King of Glory evoked and raised over them a covering so that they (the sun and moon?) can ascend over those archons who are subjugated in the earths, so that they may serve the five luminous deities and not be harmed by the venom of the archons.<\/p>\n

He says then the Mother of Life and Primal Man and the Living Spirit rose in prayer and beseeched the Father of Greatness.\u00a0 The Father of Greatness hearkened to them and evoked the Third Evocation, the Messenger.\u00a0 The Messenger evoked twelve virgins with their garments, crowns, and attributes\u2014the first is majesty, the second wisdom, the third victory, the fourth persuasion, the fifth chastity, the sixth truth, the seventh faith, the eighth patience, the ninth uprightness, the tenth grace, the eleventh justice, and the twelfth light.\u00a0 When the Messenger came to those vessels (i.e., sun and moon), he appointed three servants to make the vessels move.\u00a0 He commanded the Great Ban<\/em> to construct a new earth and three wheels for their (the vessels\u2019) ascending.\u00a0 When the vessels moved and reached the midst of heaven, the Messenger then revealed his male and female forms and became visible to all the archons, the sons of Darkness, both male and female.\u00a0 At the appearance of the Messenger, who was attractive in his forms, all of the archons became excited with desire, the males for the female image and the females for the male image.\u00a0 Due to their lust, they began to eject the light which they had consumed from the five luminous deities.\u00a0 Then the sin that was in them devised a plan.\u00a0 It mixed itself with <the light> that came forth from the archons like a portion (of yeast) in bread-dough, and sought to enter within (the emitted light).\u00a0 Then the Messenger concealed his forms, and separated the light of the five luminous deities from the sin that was with them, and it (the sin) fell back upon the archons from whom it had issued, but they did not receive it back, just like a man who feels loathing for his own vomit.\u00a0 It (the sin) thereupon fell upon the earth, half of it upon moist ground and half of it upon dry.\u00a0 (The half which fell upon moist ground) became an odious beast in the likeness of the King of Darkness, and the Adamos of Light was sent against her (sic<\/em>!) and he did battle with her and defeated her, and turned her over upon her back, and struck her <with a spear> in her heart, and thrust his shield over her mouth, and set one of his feet upon her thighs and the other upon her breast.\u00a0 That (half) which fell upon dry ground sprouted up into five trees.<\/p>\n

He says that these daughters of Darkness were previously pregnant of their own nature, and when they beheld the attractive forms of the Messenger, their embryos aborted and fell to the earth.\u00a0 These ate the buds of the trees.\u00a0 Then the abortions took counsel together and recalled the form(s) of the Messenger that they had seen and said: \u2018Where is the form(s) that we saw?\u2019\u00a0 And A\u0161aql\u016bn, son of the King of Darkness, said to the abortions: \u2018Give me your sons and daughters, and I will make for you a form like the one you saw.\u2019\u00a0 They brought (them) and gave (them) to him.\u00a0 He ate the males, and the females he gave to <Namr\u0101\u0113l> his wife.\u00a0 Namr\u0101\u0113l and A\u0161aql\u016bn then united together, and she became pregnant from him and gave birth to a son, naming him Adam.\u00a0 She (again) became pregnant and bore a daughter, naming her Eve.<\/p>\n

He (then) says that Jesus the Splendor approached the unsuspecting Adam and roused him from the sleep of death so that he might be delivered from the \u2018Great Spirit.\u2019\u00a0 As (when) one who is righteous comes across a man possessed by a strong demon and calms him by his skill, so likewise it was with Adam when the Beloved One found him prostrate in deep sleep.\u00a0 He roused him, shook him, and woke him up.\u00a0 He chased the deceptive demon away from him, and bound the great (female) archon apart from him.\u00a0 Then Adam examined himself and recognized who he was, and (Jesus) showed him the Fathers on high, and (revealed to him) regarding his own self (i.e., Jesus\u2019s) all that into which he (i.e., Jesus) had been cast\u2014into the teeth of leopard(s) and the teeth of elephant(s), swallowed by voracious ones and absorbed by gulping ones, consumed by dogs, mixed and imprisoned in all that exists, and bound in the stench of Darkness.\u00a0 He (Mani) says that he (Jesus) raised him (Adam) up and made him taste of the Tree of Life.\u00a0 Then Adam saw and wept, and raised his voice loudly like a lion that roars and tears (prey).\u00a0 He cast (himself down), beat (his breast), and said: \u2018Woe, woe to the one who formed my body, and to the one who bound my soul, and to the rebels who have enslaved me.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Translated from the Syriac text published in Theodore bar Konai, Liber Scholiorum (CSCO 55, 69; 2 vols.; ed. A[ddai] Scher; Paris: Carolus Poussielgue, 1910-12), 2:311.12-318.4.\u00a0 For textual notes,\u00a0extended annotations, and discussion, see\u00a0John C. Reeves, Jewish Lore in Manichaean Cosmogony: Studies in the Book of Giants Traditions (Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1992), 185-206; idem, Heralds […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":454,"featured_media":0,"parent":106,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1228","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P3kl1F-jO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/454"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1228"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1228\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1229,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1228\/revisions\/1229"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}