John the Baptist (icon)

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.

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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John the Baptist

A further question of cultural assumptions arose in Tuvan in the case of “John the Baptist.” 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 Nyongar it is translated as John-Kakaloorniny or “John Washing” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also John.

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complete verse (Matthew 14:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 14:8:

  • Uma: “Hearing that, Herodias encouraged her child to ask for the head of Yohanes the Baptizer. So, that young girl said to Herodes: ‘I ask for the head of Yohanes the Baptizer put on this tray!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because the girl had been instructed by her mother beforehand, that’s why she said to the sultan, ‘Give me now the head of Yahiya who bathes people placed on a tray.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the maiden was advised by her mother, that’s why she said, ‘Give me here right now the head of John Baptizer on a plate.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then Herodias instructed her young-lady to say to Herod, ‘Then have the head of Juan the Baptizer brought here put on a plate.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, since she had already been prompted(bad connotation) by her mother, she said, ‘What I really want you to give to me now/today is a plate containing the head of that Juan who was baptizing.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The girl went to ask her mother what she should ask for. Her mother told her what to ask for and that she should go and say to Herod: ‘Give me the head of John who baptized, on a plate,’ she said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

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