Following is a Syriac Orthodox icon of John the Baptist from the 18/19th century (found in the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen, Yabrud, Syria).
The wings are often depicted in icons of John the Baptist because of his status as a messenger. The scroll that John the Baptist holds quotes John 1:29 and reads (translated into English): “I saw and witnessed concerning him, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.’”
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
“In the religious cultures of Asia, it is often believed that people are blind because of their past karma. The blind often resort to begging in order to survive. Here the blind man stretches out his arms in a polite way to receive a donation but instead he connects with a healing touch. The onlookers are shocked to see Jesus making physical connection with a lowly beggar with bad karma.”
“John the Baptist” in Mexican Sign Language (source: BSLM )
In German Sign Language (Catholic) it is translated with the sign for the letter J and the sign signifying a Catholic baptism by sprinkling on the head.
In American Sign Language it is translated with the sign for the letter J and the sign signifying “shout,” referring to John 1:23. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“John” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with the sign for leaping in the womb (see Luke 1:41) and baptism. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)
A question of cultural assumptions arose in Tuvan. The instinctive way to translate this name denotatively would be “John the Dipper,” but this would carry the highly misleading connotation that he drowned people. It was therefore decided that his label should focus on the other major aspect of his work, that is, proclaiming that the Messiah would soon succeed him. (Compare his title in Russian Orthodox translation “Иоанн Предтеча” — “John the Forerunner.”) So he became “John the Announcer,” which fortunately did not seem to give rise to any confusion with radio newsreaders! (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2015, p. 117ff. )
In Noongar it is translated as John-Kakaloorniny or “John Washing” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
A new oral translation into Yao / Ciyawo, spoken in Mozambique, uses John the one who ceremoniously washes/pours water, using a term (kusingula) that “indicates a ceremonial washing or pouring of water on a person in the Yawo’s expression of Islam which can be used for an act done in repentance of sin.” (Source: Houston 2025, p. 236)
Jesus and his disciples were traveling to a village near the town of Caesarea Philippi. On the way, Jesus spoke to the disciples:
— Who do the people think I am?
The disciples answered:
— Some think you are John the Messenger. Others think you are Elijah the prophet. Still others think you are another prophet who lived before and has now come to life again.
Jesus asked the disciples:
— Who do you think I am?
Peter stepped forward among the disciples and said:
— I know that you are Jesus, God has chosen you.
Jesus said:
– Do not tell others who I am.
Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):
Иисус с учениками шли селения близ города Кесария Филиппова. В пути Иисус обратился к ученикам:
— Кем народ считает меня?
Ученики ответили:
— Некоторые считают, что ты — Иоанн Вестник. Другие считают, что ты — пророк Илия. Третьи считают, что ты другой пророк, который жил раньше, а сейчас вновь ожил.
Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.
Here, individual or several disciples address Jesus with the formal pronoun, expressing respect. Compare this to how that address changes after the resurrection.
In most Dutch as well as in Western Frisian, Gronings, and Afrikaans translations, the disciples address Jesus before and after the resurrection with the formal pronoun.
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:28:
Uma: “They said to him: ‘There are some who say you are Yohanes the Baptizer come back to life. There are also some who say you are the prophet Elia. There are also some who say you are a prophet of long ago who has come back to life. ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “They answered, they said, ‘There are people who say that you are ko’ Yahiya who bathed people being alive again. Others also say that you are ko’ Nabi Eliyas. And there are also some who say that you are ko’ one of the prophets of old.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they answered, they said, ‘There are some who say that you are John the Baptist raised from the dead, and some say that you are ancient Elijah, – and others say that you are one of the ancient prophets of God.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘Some say that you (sing.) are Juan the Baptizer. Others say that you (sing.) are Elias, and others also say that you (sing.) are one of the prophets of long-ago,’ they answered.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “His disciples replied, saying, ‘Some say you are Juan who was baptizing. Well as for others, they say you are Prophet Elias. Well there are those too who say you are one of the prophets of the past who has come alive again.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Choapan Zapotec: “… ‘Some say, John the Baptist, who lives again, and others say that you are Elijah who lives again, and others say that you are a man who preached God’s word a long time ago who lives again.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
The name that is transliterated as “Elijah” in English means “God-LORD,” “strength of the LORD,” “my God is YHWH.” “the LORD God.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
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