Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus

In Sethian Gnostic texts, Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus is the personification of the Living Water. He is mentioned in the Nag Hammadi tractates of the Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit, Zostrianos, and Apocalypse of Adam.[1]

Etymology

Meyer (2007) gives the etymology of the Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus as follows.[1]

• Yesseus from Jesus
• Mazareus from Nazarene (Greek: nazōraios)
• Yessedekeus from "the righteous" (Greek: ho dikaios)

In contrast, Lofts (2010) connects Mazareus with Mazzaroth and considers Yessedekeus to be cognate with Sadducee, in turn derived from Yu/Yu (an epithet for the divine) and the root צָדַק, ṣāḏaq (to be right, just). Lofts also propose that the name Yessedekeus is also found in Mandaeism in the form of Yuzaṭaq, an epithet for Manda d-Hayyi.[2][3]: 39 

Parallels in Mandaeism

In Mandaeism, the uthra (celestial spirit) Piriawis Ziwa is the personification of the heavenly river of living water.[4] Qulasta prayers 13 and 17 mention Piriawis Ziwa and Piriafil Malaka together as uthras.[5]

In Mandaean scriptures such as the Ginza Rabba, Praš Ziwa (pronounced Fraš Ziwa) is mentioned as the personification of the Euphrates,[6] which is considered to be the earthly manifestation of the heavenly yardna or flowing river (similar to the Yazidi concept of Lalish being the earthly manifestation of its heavenly counterpart).[7]

See also

• Five Seals
• Micheus, Michar, and Mnesinous
• Piriawis
• Jesus in Manichaeism
• Mandaean priests, who are referred to as Nasoraeans (Nazarenes)
• Water of Life (Christianity)
• Living Water

References

1. Meyer, Marvin (2007). The Nag Hammadi scriptures. New York: HarperOne. ISBN 978-0-06-162600-5. OCLC 124538398.
2. צָדוֹק
3. Lofts, Mark J. (2010). "Mandaeism: the sole extant tradition of Sethian Gnosticism". ARAM Periodical. 22: 31–59. doi:10.2143/ARAM.22.0.2131031.
4. Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
5. Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
6. Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
7. Nasoraia, Brikha H.S. (2021). The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. New Delhi: Sterling. ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4. OCLC 1272858968.