John the Baptist

pencil on card

Gordon Napier, January 2007

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John has his raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locus and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about the Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Matthew 3:2-5

John the Baptist is similarly described early in all the Gospels, and his significance was confirmed by the antiquarian Josephus, who also described his execution on Herod's orders. Here I have taken the liberty of showing the Baptist wearing an Ankh, the Egyptian sign of life. The symbol is found in the recently discovered Gospel of Judas, evidence that it may have been used as by the early Christians.