John the Baptist and the Jordan River: The Arrival of the Son of Man in the Testimony of Truth (NHC IX,3) and Parallels in the Paraphrase of Shem (NHC VII,1)

The Testimony of Truth (NHC IX,3) presents a relatively unique portrait of Christ, with little attention to his teachings or death; rather, the author emphasizes the Son of Man's arrival, both via a descent upon the Jordan River and through Mary, the virgin. This article argues that the pairing of these seemingly disparate traditions emphasizes key interests: the rejection of water baptism and sexual desire. A comparison with the Paraphrase of Shem (NHC VII,1), particularly its reference to John the Baptist and its cosmology, further illuminates both texts; in addition to questioning modes of baptism, shared interest in bearing proper witness suggests common engagement in early Christian debates regarding martyrdom.