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The Book of Elchasai is a lost prophetic book containing certain laws and prophecies pertaining to Jewish Christian and gnostic doctrines that was written during the reign of Trajan. It is known only from fragments that are quoted in the early Christian writings of Hippolytus of Rome, Eusebius, and Epiphanius of Salamis.〔 *〕 ==Origins== The Book of Elchasai was written around 114–117 AD in Aramaic by a Mesopotamian Jew. The book describes angelic beings of "stupendous" size and their announcement of universal destruction. These beings revealed the requirements which would allow absolution on the judgment day. The book contains a prediction of a war among wicked angels. The purpose of the book may have been to bring comfort to Jews surviving the massacre during the Parthian war of 114-117 AD. Over hundred years later, a Hellenistic version of this manuscript was used by Syrian Judeo-Christians. Epiphananius considered this book heretical.〔 Alcibiades of Apamea was described by Hippolytus as having possession of this book of revelations. Hippolytus refuted Alcibiades claims that the book was "a secret writing" and those who listened to the message of the book would receive remission of all their sins. The actual contents of the book were only revealed to converts, those who are willing to follow Alcibiades.〔〔 Scholar Petri Luomanen notes that Alcibiades's focus on the Book of Elchasai distinguishes him from the other Ebionites.〔 According to Epiphanius, the book was used by a number of Transjordanian sects, including Ebionites, Essenes, Nazarenes, and especially by Elcesaites. Luomanen highlights the later adoption of the book by Ebionites as evidence that the book contained teachings favorable to the Ebionites, and further argues that their adoption of the book marks a distinct separation from Judaism.〔 Elchasai is considered to be a historical figure. The ''Kitāb al-Fihrist'' references a manuscript, written by al-Nadim in which Elchasai is identified as instituting the sect of Mughtasilah. This sect was based upon the revelations that he had in his twenties. Elchasai has been confirmed as the author of the Apocryphal book which bears his name. One of the followers of Elchasai was Mani, who joined Elchasai when he was only four years old. Mani went on to form his own Gnostic sect known as the Manicheans.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Book of Elchasai」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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