The Proto-Evangelium of James and the Quran Account of Mary

[Stephan Huller]

James McGrath translation:

34 – Miriai’s Story

Posted on June 13, 2012 by James F. McGrath


In the name of the Great Life
Sublime light be exalted

I am Miriai, daughter of kings of Babylon,
Daughter of the mighty rulers of Jerusalem.
Jews gave birth to me and priests nurtured me.
They carried me in the hems of their garments,
And brought me up to the house of gloom, (i.e.) to the temple.
Adunai placed a burden in my hands, and both my arms
I sweep and wash the “house of truth” –
There is no support in it for the poor
And in it there is no refreshing for tortured souls.

My father went out to the house of the people
And my mother went out to the temple
Father went out and said to me
And mother went out, ordering me,
“Miriai, shut your inner doors
And fasten the bolts
See that you not go out to the royal marketplaces,
and the sunshine of my lord fall upon you.”

I, Miriai, did not take to heart what I heard from my mother
And I did not heed the way my father ordered my time.
I opened the inner doors
and unfastened the bolts.
I came out to the royal marketplaces
And the sunshine of my lord fell upon me.
I, leaving home, I made my way towards the house of the people.
I came to the Mandaean sanctuary,
And I found my brothers and sisters as they offered lamentations and sang hymns.
My brothers chanted chants and my sisters songs.
I seemed to lay down, and fell asleep in my place to the sound of their chants and to the sound of their songs.
My brothers departed and did not wake me,
And my sisters departed and did not rouse me.
You, sister of truth, woke me from my sleep,
And said, “Get up! Get up, Miriai,
Before the day dawns and before the rooster crows!
Before the sun shines and (its) radiance shines forth upon the worlds!
Before the priests and the sons of priests go out,
and sit in the shadow of the ruin of Jerusalem!
Before your father comes and physically beats you –
A downfall which you do not deserve!”

I Miriai, did my best to conceal my prayers and hide my chants.

Straightaway the day dawned
Straightaway the rooster crowed
Straightaway the sun shone and (its) radiance shone forth upon the worlds
The priests and the sons of priests went out and sat in the shadow of the ruin of Jerusalem
My father came and physically beat me -
A downfall which I did not deserve.
And he said, “Where are you coming from, debauched woman of mixed race,
that did not push the bars and bolts?
Where are you coming to me from, bitch in heat,
that did not secure your pegs and leashes?
Where are you coming to me from,
fragment of sackcloth that rips that dress of mine?”
[Miriai replies:] “If I am a debauched woman of mixed race
Then tear away your bar and bolt!
If I am a bitch in heat,
Then cease with the pegs and leashes!
If I am a fragment of sackcloth that tears your dress,
Then roll me up and cut me off from your dress.”
He said, “Come see Miriai
Who has forsaken Judaism and has gone, she has loved her lord.
Come see Miriai,
who has left dyed garments and dyeing,
And has gone, she has loved her lord.
She has forsaken gold and silver,
And has gone, she has loved her lord.
She has forsaken (Jewish) phylacteries
And she has gone, she has loved a man in a (Mandaean) turban.”
Miriai said to him, “God forbid that I hate and love -
God forbid that I should hate except –
God forbid that I should hate my lord, Knowledge of Life,
Who becomes a support for me in the world –
In the world he becomes a support for me –
and a helper in the place of light.
Let there be dust in the mouth of the Jews,
and ashes in the mouths of all the priests!
Let the dung beneath the feet of horses
be upon the so-called mighty rulers of Jerusalem!”

Life is victorious, and victorious the man who goes there

In the name of the Great Life, transcendent light be magnified!

I, Miriai, am a vine,
a tree which stands at the mouth of the Euphrates.
The tree’s leaves are sweet
and the tree’s fruit are pearls.
The tree’s branches are radiance
And its tendrils are light.
Its prized scent spreads among the trees
and goes out into all worlds.
Birds smell it in the air.
A flock landed in the tree -
In the tree a flock landed -
Seeking to build their nests.
They shelter in it and do not keep still
They eat what falls from its branches
And from within it they drink wine.
They eat what was not destroyed,
And drink what was not wine.
The birds sit in the vine.
Winds and storms break loose
They startle the good birds.
They batter the tree.
They cause the vine’s leaves to fall,
And cause the birds to fly away from their places.
How the birds do not fly off
but cling tightly with their claws and wings,
and hold on until the winds and storms pass.
The ones that neither hold on nor flee away undergo great distress.
(The storm) moved on and fooled them.
Woe to them that do not hold on and do not fly off,
but are dashed from the tree and dislodged!
How lovely is the tree of life,
And lovely the birds within it.
Winds and storms pass over them
And calm comes to the world.
The birds sit and twitter,
And seek to build nests upon in.

An eagle circles and flies around
the birds perched upon the vine.
A white eagle comes
And it gazes and sees the birds.
It circles and stirs them up in the vine
And comes into the tree.
In a storm the birds speak from it
And say to it, “By your life, eagle,
In this tree are birds!
How shall this not be the end of them?
Winds encompass them and they go to the tree.
Storms rise up, startle them from the tree,
Until their wings are torn off.
How they cling tightly and hold on
Winds and storms do not tear them loose.
How they were tossed about and flew away.
We say to you, eagle,
We ask you concerning the birds,
As one that travels around, so that you see the affairs on the Earth.
Those birds, our brothers -
What do they do about winds and storms?
What befalls them?”
He said to them, “Do not wish to see, my brothers
what becomes of those birds.
Projectiles drove them away from me and broke their wings.
They were torn off and broken,
they ended up lying on the harbor.
Kites and a hawk circled around them
And tore at their flesh and ate from the fattened ones.
Woe to them, whose portion is (to end up in the) water,
The substance apportioned to their hands.
Fortunate are you birds,
who are able to dwell in this vine!
You who have Miriai,
the vine that stands at the mouth of the Euphrates.
See and discover, birds,
That I came into your midst -
I came to my brothers who will be on the Earth -
I came as a support, to strengthen Miriai.
I watered my good and precious plants,
vines which stand at the mouth of the Euphrates,
I draw water in a white pitcher
and water my plants.
I sustain and carry them in my arms of radiance -
I sustain and carry and water.
It is a cure to drink from my water.
They drink and are cured,
And their soul is raised up twofold.
Vines that drink water produce good fruits
And their foliage thrives and flourishes.
Vines that do not drink water produce bitter (fruit) and brambles.
Woe to them that do not go on their way,
And woe to them that do not pass a milestone!
They hated Treasure of Life, Miriai the precious Truth.
My brothers cling tightly and hold on,
They become an ornament for Miriai.
I seek in the scornful world,
Calling with the voice of life,
And rousing before they sleep.”

The eagle flew away from the tree.
It turns and teaches its friend(s)
And says to them,
“My brothers hear my voice and hold on
And endure the persecution
And become an ornament for Miriai
- For Miriai they become an ornament!
Woe to the Jews that brought persecution on Miriai!
Woe to Eleazar the great house, a pillar that supports the Temple!
Woe to Zatan the Pillar, who spreads lies concerning Miriai!”

All the Jews met,
Summoning the great and the small,
And they came to Miriai, saying,
“You were called by the priests,
but you loved a man
And you took one another by the hand
- by the hand you took one another!”
And they went and sat at the mouth of the Euphrates.
They sought to slay them,
And brought contempt on Miriai in Jerusalem.

We will make a gallows for the one who destroys Miriai
And will bring him out,
and they will not be a day on the Earth.
Strangers enter Jerusalem.
They break open their dovecotes
And capture their doves.

All the Jews gathered in Jerusalem
And they pursued Miriai.
They went and found Miriai
set upon a throne at the mouth of the Euphrates,
And a white banner was spread over her
And a scroll was spread across her lap
- They read in the books of truth -
And she stirs up all worlds.
A (ritual) staff of living water is in her hand
A (ritual) girdle is fastened and tied around her waist.
They bow and prostrate themselves before Miriai
And she teaches in a sublime voice.
Fish assemble from the sea
And water fowl from the mouth of the Euphrates
come at Miriai’s voice
and they do not love to lie down and sleep.
They inhale the scent which is before her
And forget this world.

When they saw these things,
The Jews rose from before her.
Ashamed, they clenched their fists
And beat their breasts and wept.

Miriai’s mother spoke
And tears fell upon her chest
And she said to her,
“Look at me, my daughter Miriai.
Look at me, for I am your mother.
You are my daughter, and the daughter of all the chief priests,
Head of the great house of the Temple.
This is not the Miriai I remember -
Miriai in whose bosom is the Torah!
You opened it, and read it, and knew it by heart.
The keys to the outer doors were in your hand,
while those of the inner doors you kept in a chest.
All the priests and the sons of priests trust (you)
And kiss your hand,
Asking (you) to open the door,
And to not ask him to go to his place ashamed.
A thousand rose before you,
And two thousand returned.
They sat, prostrating themselves before you like a castrated slave,
And listened to your words in Jerusalem.
Why have you forgotten your brothers,
And your heart become estranged from the priests?
See brides lamenting in Judah
And women and men in Jerusalem removing their beloved gold,
And taking up mourning and wailing concerning you.
They say, “We will destroy our property until Miriai returns.
We shall forge heavy gold and attractive gauzes -
And place them in chests.”
They stood upon the roofs,
Waiting to see you in Jerusalem.
Making vows concerning you, that you would come with me.
Let’s go, my daughter!
Get up, return to your own city of Jerusalem.
Come, light the lamps which have stood unused since the day you left.
Do not wish for this man to captivate you and carry you off
- a man who is not for you from your people.
Forsake and leave him in the world,
So that he will not say,
“I went and brought Miriai out from her place.”
Come, teach the little ones how to write.
Remove the Torah from the bookshelf.
- Since the day you put it up (there) it is becoming dusty.
Place the secret miscarrages back into your womb,
And let us hear your voice as it was then.”

Miriai heard. She laughed at her mother
and rejoiced at her thought,
And said to her, “Are not the Jews secretly disgraced
and rendered of no account?
Are not the Jews standing at the Dome?
They are prostrating themselves covered in darkness.”
She says to them,
“Go away! Go away, fools,
miscarriages which are not from the world to me.
I am the woman who forsook the sacrifices.
It was not that I loved a man.
I did not leave to turn back unto you -
To see you at the Dome of wickeness.
Go away! Go away from before me,
You who testified lies and committed perjury concerning me!!
You testified adultery and thieving concerning me
- While you yourselves are not worthy!

Blessed is the man who freed me from my fetters
and transplanted my feet from there!
I did not commit adultery with him,
And I did not commit theft in the world.
The testimony that you testified concerning me,
Has become prayer and praise upon me.”

The priests rose up
and spoke about Miriai at the mouth of the Euphrates.
The eagle stretched out its pure wings as wide as the world
He flew over the Jews, flapping his wings.
He fettered them, and sank them at the edge of the water.
With its scum he traveled around sinking them.
The stagnant water ate away inside them,
And sank their ships at the edge of the water.
After this, he destroyed the Temple,
And set fire in Jerusalem.
He rained destruction upon them,
And killed the disciples in Jerusalem.

He listened, he came to her.
He flapped his wings, and sat by her and spoke to her
And taught her, and he loved truth from her.
He stretched out and embraced her with a strong embrace
And straightened her,
And placed her on the throne, and said to her,
“Miriai, look at me!
Mention good before Life concerning me, your messenger.
I am the good man which heard your word.
I ask of you the Truth -
Lofty truth which the Jordans illuminate.”

She said to him, “Oh, Good Uthra,
Uthra of Life,
Send your radiance upon me!
Your light has shined forth
And your glory is recognized in the place of light.
Everyone who hears your voice
Is enclosed in the place of purity
- Is enclosed in Treasure of Life -
And your banner shines twofold.
Everyone who does not hear your voice
Enlightenment and sleep are blotted out for them.

The Jews will be slaves
And all the priests sons of slaves.
You and I will become great
and rise up in victory to the place of light and be praised.”

Life is victorious!

[Stephan Huller]

Let's start to analyze the various sources. In the Mandaean account:

I am Miriai, daughter of kings of Babylon,
Daughter of the mighty rulers of Jerusalem.
Jews gave birth to me and priests nurtured me.
They carried me in the hems of their garments,
And brought me up to the house of gloom, (i.e.) to the temple.
Adunai placed a burden in my hands, and both my arms

I find the 'carried me in the hems of their garments' particularly interesting. Is there anyone out there who does not think that this tradition found in the John Book, the Quran and the Proto-evangelium derives its origin from a gnostic account of Mary Magdalene? Here is what I find interesting:

1. The importance of her being 'twelve years' in the Proto-evangelium
2. The reference to 'they carried me in the hems of their garments' in the Mandaean account
3. The significance of menstruation in the Proto-evangelium

If you put all these things together one can imagine that a proto-gospel narrative once existed, closely tied with Gnosticism, where the Jairus's daughter resurrection ('twelve years' = Luke 8:42) and the woman who bled for twelve years (Luke 8:43) were one and the same person.

It is well established that the Eastern Diatessaron fuses together all (or most) of the different anonymous women into 'Mary.' This 'Mary' is both called 'mother' (and so takes on aspects of Mary the mother of Jesus) and is at once Mary Magdalene. This additional layer of 'heretical' information would suggest to me that rather than a birth narrative, the original gospel presented the twelve year old girl who lived in the temple had a menstrual flow and then was thrown out of the temple as a symbol of Hochmah (Wisdom) who is at once the mother of Jesus, whom Jesus redeems, but that the birth narrative is entirely missing from the gospel.

The 'your mother and brothers stand outside' comment I think goes to the heart of the recognition of what Jesus was originally saying. Jesus was an angel, Mary a hypostasis (i.e. the fallen Wisdom figure). But again, why the name 'Mary'?

[Stephan Huller]

Some more details from Irenaeus (Adv Haer 2.22)

For they hold that He preached [only] for one year after His baptism. They maintain also that the same thing was clearly set forth in the case of her who suffered from the issue of blood. For the woman suffered during twelve years, and through touching the hem of the Saviour's garment she was made whole by that power which went forth from the Saviour, and which, they affirm, had a previous existence. For that Power who suffered was stretching herself outwards and flowing into immensity, so that she was in danger of being dissolved into the general substance [of the AEons]; but then, touching the primary Tetrad, which is typified by the hem of the garment, she was arrested, and ceased from her passion. Then, again, as to their assertion that the passion of the twelfth AEon was proved through the conduct of Judas, how is it possible that Judas can be compared as being an emblem of her--he who was expelled from the number of the twelve, and never restored to his place?

and again:

Judas, then, the twelfth in order of the disciples, was not a type of the suffering AEon, nor, again, was the passion of the Lord; for these two things have been shown to be in every respect mutually dissimilar and inharmonious. This is the case not only as respects the points which I have already mentioned, but with regard to the very number. For that Judas the traitor is the twelfth in order, is agreed upon by all, there being twelve apostles mentioned by name in the Gospel. But this AEon is not the twelfth, but the thirtieth; for, according to the views under consideration, there were not twelve AEons only produced by the will of the Father, nor was she sent forth the twelfth in order: they reckon her, [on the contrary,] as having been produced in the thirtieth place. How, then, can Judas, the twelfth in order, be the type and image of that AEon who occupies the thirtieth place?

But if they say that Judas in perishing was the image of her Enthymesis, neither in this way will the image bear any analogy to that truth which [by hypothesis] corresponds to it. For the Enthymesis having been separated from the AEon, and itself afterwards receiving a shape from Christ, then being made a partaker of intelligence by the Saviour, and having formed all things which are outside of the Pleroma, after the image of those which are within the Pleroma, is said at last to have been received by them into the Pleroma, and, according to [the principle of] conjunction, to have been united to that Saviour who was formed out of all. But Judas having been once for all cast away, never returns into the number of the disciples; otherwise a different person would not have been chosen to fill his place ... If, however, they say that Judas was a type of the Enthymesis, not as separated from the AEon, but of the passion entwined with her, neither in this way can the number twelve be regarded as a [fitting] type of the number three.

At least part of Irenaeus's objections can be overcome if we assume that Judas was transformed into Jesus as per the substitution myth known to the Islamic pseudepigraphal tradition. Also it is worth noting that the name 'Judas' in Hebrew = 30.

My questions are:

1. why is the hem of the garment 'typified' as the Tetrad?
2. how did the same heretics view the Passion to have taken place in the twelfth month? Passover is always in the first month?
3. why are Judas and Mary Magdalene linked as two parts of the Twelve?

[Stephan Huller]

I don't mean to throw out another bone to Robert Tulip but I have thought about this problem for over ten years and can come up with no other solution. When Irenaeus says that the 'heretics' claim that 'the Passion occurred in the twelfth month' - the only solution that makes sense is that they mean Pisces. Because Passover always occurs in the first month of the Jewish calendar which doesn't exactly line up with the astrological twelve.

The link between the Twelve and the twelve Aeons also appears in the discussion (see above). Something is here. I just don't know what exactly.

[Stephan Huller]

My suspicion is that the Hochmah's 'menstrual flow' is symbolic of the universe entering into its twelfth year. In other words the Passion marks the beginning of the twelfth astrological period where the universe symbolized by Hochmah has 'come to maturity' and is ready for marriage with the Savior

[Stephan Huller]

Mazal doesn't mean "month." What language then?

[Stephan Huller]

But the months are understood to have their astrological counterparts. Adar = Dagim (Pisces)

[Abbsray]

Stephen, if you want an in death look into the Quran, go to this site, it breaks it down word by word of the meaning and by Topic. Mary, Jesus mother, Peace Be upon them Both, has an entire chapter for her. http://quransmessage.com/articles/how%2 ... %20FM3.htm

According to the Quran, it seems Jesus was born in fall, around October.

[Abbsray]

Mazal doesn't mean "month." What language then?

Month in Arabic and the Quran is referred to as "shahr" when talking or referring to "months" it is 'sh hor'
Mazal is Jewish, I believe it is Zodiac.

Hope this helps