8l2 GLOSSARY
Mara Buddhist demonic tempter, referred to in the Great Song to Mani.
Mary of Magdala Galilean woman, a student of Jesus, one of his closest followers accord-
ing to the Gospel of Philip and the Gospel of Mary. Later discredited by being called a
prostitute. One of several Marys mentioned in early Christian gospels.
Masbuta Mandaean baptism by immersion.
Mathaias Person claimed to be the compiler of the Book of Thomas. Mathaias may be
considered the apostolic replacement for Judas Iscariot according to Acts 1:26, or the
apostolic author of the Gospel of Matthew, or some other person.
Mercury See HERMES.
Merkavah Divine throne-chariot, depicted in Ezekiel 1, which functions as a goal of con-
templation in Jewish mysticism.
Messenger Apostle.
Micheus, Michar, Mnesinous Heavenly powers connected to Sethian baptism in the
Gospel of the Egyptians and elsewhere.
Middle Realm of Achamoth, lower wisdom and mother of the demiurge, between the spir-
itual realm of the divine above and the realm of creation below, according to Valentin-
ian texts. The middle thus is the region between the pleroma and this world, and as
such it is termed a place of death in the Gospel of Philip.
Mirothea Sethian name or epithet for the divine in Three Forms of First Thought, the
Three Steles of Seth, and elsewhere. The meaning is uncertain; perhaps "divine
anointed one" (from Greek myro-theos) or "divine destiny" (from Greek moiro-theos—
compare Moira, destiny in Greek mythology). Mirothea is a feminine form, Mirotheos
a masculine form. Mirothea can be used to denote Barbelo and the mother of Ger-
adamas. See Turner, Sethian Gnosticism and the Platonic Tradition, 211.
Mirotheos Masculine form of Mirothea. Mirotheos can be used to denote Geradamas.
Monad See ONE.
Moon Ship of the night, a cosmic vehicle to help transport the light on its way back to the
kingdom of light, in Manichaean thought.
Moses Hebrew lawgiver, said to be the author of Genesis (which is particularly important
to gnostics) as well as the other books of the Pentateuch.
Muhammad Prophet of Islam, figure of the divine realm of five in the Mother of Books.
Naas Maternal angel of Edem, identified with the evil tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, in the Book of Baruch. The term derives from nahash, Hebrew for "serpent" (as
with Naassenes). See SERPENT.
Naassenes Serpentine gnostics, whose name derives from nahash, Hebrew for "serpent."
The Ophites are gnostics given a similar name, from ophis, Greek for "serpent." See
NAAS, SERPENT.
Nag Hammadi City in Upper Egypt near which the Nag Hammadi library was discovered
by Muhammad Ali of the al-Samman clan, reportedly in 1945. The Nag Hammadi li-
brary contains gnostic texts representing Sethian, Valentinian, Thomasite, hermetic,
and other traditions.
Najib Class of angels in the Mother of Books. The name means "noble one."
Naqib Class of angels in the Mother of Books. The name means "leader."
Nbu The planet Mercury, one of the planetary powers of this world, in Mandaean