05/19/2025
Symbolism of John the Baptist
The character of John the Baptist, like all characters and places in scripture, is layered with symbolism. Meaning that beyond an actual person, he represents many different aspects and ideals. Understanding these ways of interpretation can help bring us to a deeper significance of the many lessons scripture is trying to convey. Here are three that are probably the easiest to find, for anyone who has a desire and willingness to look beyond the letter.
1 - Astronomically or Astrologically, John the Baptist is the Zodiac Constellation of Aquarius. Jesus, after his birth on December 25th, was baptized at 30 years. The Sun enters the sign Aquarius to be baptized by the Water Bearer 30 days after its birth on December 25th.
Then we have the saying of John, "I must decrease so he may increase." As Aquarius, John decreases from June 24th, getting gradually lower in the sky until August 29th, where he is beheaded. This refers to the symbolic interpretation that Aquarius's head seems to be above the equator at a specific time of year. Aquarius decreases and the Sun increases in its eastern ascension or right ascension. (The Sun rises to sit at the right side of the sky or in the east.)
This begins to show us how ancient scripture authors used the Sun, Moon, and Stars for the allegories they wanted to convey. This is by no means limited to the Bible and is not the full significance of the story. The Sun for example, was used to symbolize many of the heros of old, such as Heracles, Surya, and Horus, just to pick out a few, but they are always a representation of the Soul or Higher Self within you. The story of the hero inside you, wrote in many ways in many different cultures, but the original has always been in the Stars.
2 - Biologically or Physiologically, John the Baptist represents the Lymphatic System. Just as John the Baptist prepared people for a new spiritual state by emphasizing cleansing and repentance, the Lymphatic System prepares the body for optimal health by filtering and cleaning the body's tissues. Both involve a process of purification and preparation for something greater.
The Lymphatic System removes toxins and waste by circulating a fluid called lymph through a network of vessels and nodes. This fluid picks up waste products, bacteria, and other harmful substances from body tissues, filters them through lymph nodes, and eventually returns the cleaned fluid to the bloodstream, where it is further processed by the liver and kidneys for excretion. This system is continuously cleansing your Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) which is symbolically the River Jordan in you, the inner waters of baptism. In essence your Lymphatic System (John the Baptist) is the purifier of the Temple Body.
3 - Finally we have the Psychological (mental and emotional) interpretation. In this way, John the Baptist symbolizes in each individual the natural man, but with an illumined intellect. His face is turned toward the light in the measure that he recognizes and pays homage to the higher self within the individual. The awakened mind is "the voice of one crying in the wilderness." This mind recognizes that the things of the flesh, the carnal nature of man, are not permanent or eternal, thus it desires, it "cries" for better things.
Before he is fully spiritually illumined, the intellectual -moral man (John the Baptist) in his zeal to do that which is right, takes cognizance of both good and evil in a relative sense. It is through the intellect (the thinking, reasoning faculty) that we first come to learn about the true nature of God. With the first quickening comes the impulse to seek to uphold good, the great need for repentance, for cleansing of the consciousness and the outer life.
Baptism with water, in this way, refers to this awakening of the mind to the higher possibilities of the Soul nature of man, and to the part the mind must play in the development of the Soul. Through wise direction of it own creative facilities, it begins to make "the way straight" and through creation of new conditions in its own kingdom, it has made possible for the Soul to become conscious, or for the Christ to come forth. This building or awakening of the Soul, cannot come before the awakening of the mind. Unless the mind becomes convinced of its darkness, its own carnality, it cannot seek the light, the Christ within.
As this personality (John the Baptist) is cleansed of beliefs of limitation, thoughts of error, it decreases in its limited expression, and the individuality (Christ) in turn increases in the expression of power in our life. The intellect is no longer undisciplined or untrained but becomes a willing instrument for the expression of Truth, Love, and Unity.
Separately, these are all beautiful interpretations themselves, but with knowledge of how all three can work together we may open a whole new world of transformation. Through understanding the ordinances of heaven and purification of the body and mind, we will undoubtedly open our heart, the altar in the center of man, and Jesus (Higher Soul built within) will receive the true inner anointing and become the "Christ in you, the hope for glory." John 14:20 "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
Art: John the Baptist
- Jacques (Jacob) Jordaens (1593–1678)
🎩 WM Bro Mark J. Shadd
