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Mark 14:51-52 Translation from Source (From Nestle1904)

Today we will answer the question:

And a word from Dr Hillman, from The Mystery, introduces us to the matter at hand:

"The man christs all the time. You and I have been worshiping a drug fiend who is convincing minors to do things to him. And he was caught, arrested, executed... you don't execute thieves, you moron. They should have slapped you in the face with that one, but they didn't. People, this is all the foundation of what we're talking about."

Table of Contents

• Summary - There are 2 readable layers in this text
  • Layer 1 — The Public / Surface Reading
  • Layer 2 — The Esoteric / Priestly Reading
• Mark 14:51-52
• Verses 48-50 (what happened right before)
• Verse 51 - breakdown
• Verse 52 - breakdown
• Verses 53-54 (what happened right after)
• Terms
• Other accounts which add detail to the story
  • Jesus was entering an ecstatic state, right before this
  • Jesus, on the cross, between two other λῃσταί (lestai) child traffickers
  • Jesus cries out with “Euai, Euai, lama saba chthani” - Euai! Euai! — with intent — Sabai! — O chthonic woman, as he goes unconscious
  • A prior tradition had a rite with "elouai sabachth" incantation, for a gumnos boy wearing a sindon
  • Sponge with oxos medicated vinegar being given to Jesus (remedy for the dipsas venom)
  • Surprise at Jesus dying faster than the others
  • Roman guards breaking the legs of the others but not Jesus (appears to already be dead, venom slows breathing to barely perceptible)
  • Jesus being stabbed and water pouring from his side
• How do we know what time it is?
  • Analysis from Source Text
• Did he Die? Or go to Galilee?
• Before the Cave, any medical attention?
• Ritual Level Preparation for the Catharsis Chamber
• After the Cave, any evidence of medical Attention?
• After the Cave, Any sightings?
  • any other post-cave “sightings” in the canonical primary Greek NT?
• Jesus was not punctured in his rib
• Conclusions
• IMPORTANT CONCLUSION: In the text, he didn't die for anyone's sins.
• Medical Evidence
  • Nicander — Theriaca (c. 2nd c. BCE)
  • Gospel Scene — Vinegar / Oxos
  • Nonnus — Paraphrase of John (5th c. CE)
  • Why this matters for the dipsas connection
• Nonnus - Dionysiaca (5th c. CE)
• Terms - deep dive - sindon - fine linen medical grade bandage
• Terms - deep dive - peribeblemenos epi gumnos - Wrapped around his nakedness/testicles
• Relevant mystery rites background
• See Also

Summary - There are 2 readable layers in this text

In Mark, there are two layers.

• Layer 1 - for the public masses who are unaware
• Layer 2 - for the priesthood familiar with their own mystery rites

We will show how a second semantic layer can be read without violating the first.

Layer 1 — The Public / Surface Reading

The Lestes: Jesus is arrested at night after being betrayed by someone who knew where he would be. Armed men arrive with swords and clubs, even though Jesus has not been violent. Jesus asks why they are treating him as if he were a dangerous criminal “like a Lestes/λῃστής,” meaning a violent outlaw. His followers panic and run away, showing fear and confusion. Jesus is taken away, tried unfairly, and later executed by the Romans between two other Lestes/λῃστής criminals. At this level, the story teaches that Jesus was treated like the worst kind of criminal even though he was innocent, and that power often uses fear and force instead of justice.

The Death & Ressurection: Jesus suffers on the cross and shows signs of intense distress. He says he is thirsty, is given sour wine, and soon appears to die—so quickly that Pontius Pilate is surprised and asks to confirm it. When a soldier pierces his side, blood and water come out, which later readers understand as proof of death. Jesus cries out a final prayer and becomes unresponsive. His body is placed in a tomb, and after three days he is gone. To most readers, this is a story of suffering, death, and divine vindication: Jesus truly dies, is buried, and then is mysteriously absent from the tomb, which is taken as a miracle. The strange details are read devotionally or symbolically, without any special technical meaning.

Layer 2 — The Esoteric / Priestly Reading

The Lestes: A trained reader notices details that are not explained but are oddly highlighted and sequenced close together. A young male (neaniskos/νεανίσκος) is present in the Garden, not casually but “following along” as an attendant (sunokolethou), wearing a fine linen of the type used for surgical bandages (sindon) wrapped around (peribeblemenos) upon (epi) his nakedness (gumnos) — language that signals questionable social risk rather than ordinary clothing. During the arrest, Jesus himself names Lestes/λῃστής, even though the guards could have been arresting him for any number of other crimes, as a murderer, an adulterer, a temple vandal, or a political insurrectionist (stasiastes/στασιαστής). He chooses Lestes/λῃστής specifically — a category associated with boundary-crossing crimes like piracy, illicit taking, and unlawful custody of persons. Immediately after, such a type of person: the young attendant, flees naked, and later Jesus is executed with Lestai/λῃσταί, not with other crimes (rebels or murderers) but the same crime he himself named and which also matches the uneasy situation with the neaniskos. The text never explains the connection, but for readers familiar with ritual practices, attendant youths, and how such situations could be framed as Lesteia/λῃστεία, the narrative quietly shows — without stating — the kind of accusation that could arise in such rites, while still protecting the mystery rite by never naming it outright.

The Death & Ressurection: A trained reader, familiar with ancient Hellenic Oracular, Echidnaic, Medean or (especially) Heraclean (male) venom rites and Dipsas venom pharmacology involving extreme thirst symptoms, notices a tightly clustered set of highly odd (unnecessary to the layman's reading) bodily signs that are shown but never explained: Jesus cries out dramatically in thirst; water exits the wound when he is punctured in the stomach, revealing excessive drinking at the jail; He utters an ecstatic cry using PGM-like ecstatic/chthonic incantatory language rather than typical prayer of the condemned. He is offered oxos (ὄξος), a sour medicinal wine known in antiquity both for mitigating toxic venom pathology and for reviving collapsed patients in a manner analogous to smelling salts, it does not revive, but is taken/received. He then loses consciousness and appears "without signs of breath", assumed dead well before any other condemned dies, prompting notable and official surprise from Pontus Pilate himself. He is then placed in a sealed cave, a standard ritual practice to be sequestered in a secure chamber during the initiatory catharsis ordeal, and after the three days typical for venom survival in medical literature - he is then gone from the cave. Earlier in the garden, a Neaniskos (νεανίσκος) appeared as an attendant sunakoleuthou role; and now, another young male Neaniskos (νεανίσκος) is present locked inside of the tomb, an obvious tie back and definite reference to being with him inside, completely echoing the role continuity before and after, bringing certainty to that earlier role if it wasn't understood before. For readers initiated into venom mystery rite descent catharsis traditions, these elements cohere as a rite: attendants, induced apparent or near death, guarded catharsis chamber, and emergence. The narrative never names the mechanism, never lists ingredients, and never explains the procedure—because such knowledge belongs to the priesthood. The text protects the mystery by showing the signs while refusing to say the name. Afterwards, Mark tells us that Jesus flees to Galilee (mental ascension, not physical).

The Neaniskos/Eunuch: The knowledgable would know that Jesus reveals his practice when he says: "some people are made eunuchs, for the kingdom of heaven" in Matthew 19:12. Which is a practice across certain texts in Antiquity. Outside of anything you know about Jesus, if you just look at eunuchs, and why they're making eunuchs, and what eunuchs do, remember the Lestes (That child trafficker) is the eunuch maker. And they make Eunuchs using Hemlock, on a bandage, held against the testicles (wrapped-around/peribeblemenos upon/epi nakedness/gumnos is a euphemism for seed/kokkos, a euphemism for testicles).

Dawn Bringing: The knowledgable would also know there's an ancient Hellenic rite oriented around the Morning Star, Phorpheros/Venus, from the clues given around torches before the arrest, and sunlight after the arrest.

Prophet Wars: Looking back, Judas "turns Jesus in" without any charges, despite that, the arrest and heinous punishment happens easily, centered around Lestes language and involvement from the state priests indicate they understood the misuse of the mystery here outside of their order. The only rebellion here was utilizing the mystery outside the state priesthood's supervision.

Did Jesus Die for Anyone's Sins?: Nope. Jesus fled to Galilee. Not only did he not make a sacrifice, he also didn't physically die. But he sure had a doozy of a mystical near-death ego-death experience. The last-supper/cross/cave scenes themselves do not say that Jesus died for anyone’s sins. That idea comes later, from interpretive theology, not from the arrest–trial–execution narratives as such.

• see Christ for the definition of a christ, a pharmakon sorcery title for someone who christs themselves and others using chrism (salve/ointment).
• see Breakdown of the Mystery for the mystery rite details from Dr Hillman
• see Lestes for history on piracy/trafficking and this example of a Lestes Prophet from 2nd c CE
• see Neaniskos for the maturity/age of the neaniskos
• see Oxos for the medicinal sour wine (vinegar)
• see sabachthoni for those magical words
• see Morning Star for that Dawn Rite, Jesus appears to be acting as the Morning Star here.
• see Eunuchs for the practice of converting males into attendants for the rite
• see Apostles for background on them, their writing, language, culture

Mark 14:51-52

Here's the passage:

What follows is a literal word-for-word breakdown of the passage from Mark 14:51-52 with each Greek word and its meaning. We'll also add the before (48-50) and the after (53-54) for additional context. NOTE the Lesten (λῃστὴν) in 48.

Verses 48-50 (what happened right before)

48 καὶ (and) ἀποκριθεὶς (having answered) ὁ (the) Ἰησοῦς (Jesus) εἶπεν (said) αὐτοῖς (to them) Ὡς (as) ἐπὶ (against) λῃστὴν (a child trafficker) ἐξήλθατε (you came out) μετὰ (with) μαχαιρῶν (swords) καὶ (and) ξύλων (clubs) συλλαβεῖν (to seize) με (me). 49 καθ’ (daily) ἡμέραν (day) ἤμην (I was) πρὸς (with) ὑμᾶς (you) ἐν (in) τῷ (the) ἱερῷ (temple) διδάσκων (teaching), καὶ (and) οὐκ (not) ἐκρατήσατέ (you seized) με (me)· ἀλλ’ (but) ἵνα (so that) πληρωθῶσιν (might be fulfilled) αἱ (the) γραφαί (scriptures). 50 καὶ (and) ἀφέντες (having left) αὐτὸν (him) ἔφυγον (fled) πάντες (all).

Jesus said to them, why are you coming to seize me as if I was a trafficker (lestes) with your swords and clubs?

Verse 51 - breakdown

• Καὶ (Kai): And
• νεανίσκος (neanískos): the boy - a pre-pubescent or just-pubescant (small) male youth. (iskos diminutive and Heyschius defines as mikron=small) (see Dragon Master for analysis of neaniskos maturity in life)
• τις (tis): a certain one, someone
• συνηκολούθει (synēkolouthei): was following along valiantly in a military/regimented fashion (as a servant) with
• αὐτῷ (autō): him
• περιβεβλημένος (peribeblēménos): having been wrapped (wrapping sindon implies bandage)
• σινδόνα (sindóna): a surgical grade fine linen cloth, medicated bandage (a bandage based on context of 'wrapped'; medicated based on context of bandage + mystery rites + nakedness)
• ἐπὶ (epi): upon, on
• γυμνοῦ (gymnoû): his nakedness (wrapping + vague nakedness implies privy parts, a finger or limb would be specified)

wrapped-around/peribeblemenos upon/epi nakedness/gumnos is a potential euphemism for seed/kokkos, a euphemism for testicles.

Verse 52 - breakdown

• καὶ (kai): and
• κρατοῦσιν (kratousin): they seize, hold
• αὐτόν (auton): him
• ὁ (ho): the one (he)
• δὲ (de): but
• καταλιπὼν (katalipōn): leaving behind
• τὴν (tēn): the
• σινδόνα (sindóna): a surgical grade fine linen cloth, medicated bandage (a medicated bandage based on context of sindon (σινδόνα) in previous 14:51 verse)
• γυμνὸς (gymnòs): naked
• ἔφυγεν (éphygen): he fled, ran away

Verses 53-54 (what happened right after)

53 Καὶ (and) ἀπήγαγον (they led away) τὸν (the) Ἰησοῦν (Jesus) πρὸς (to) τὸν (the) ἀρχιερέα (high priest), καὶ (and) συνέρχονται (gathered together) πάντες (all) οἱ (the) ἀρχιερεῖς (chief priests) καὶ (and) οἱ (the) πρεσβύτεροι (elders) καὶ (and) οἱ (the) γραμματεῖς (scribes). 54 καὶ (and) ὁ (the) Πέτρος (Peter) ἀπὸ (from) μακρόθεν (a distance) ἠκολούθησεν (followed) αὐτῷ (him) ἕως (until) ἔσω (inside) εἰς (into) τὴν (the) αὐλὴν (courtyard) τοῦ (of the) ἀρχιερέως (high priest), καὶ (and) ἦν (he was) συνκαθήμενος (sitting together) μετὰ (with) τῶν (the) ὑπηρετῶν (servants) καὶ (and) θερμαινόμενος (warming himself) πρὸς (at) τὸ (the) φῶς (fire/light).

Here we can see it was a cold night.

And the Peter from afar followed him until inside into the courtyard of the high priest, and was sitting together with the attendants and warming himself toward the light.

Terms

• lestes (ληστής): (Nominative case) These are Traffickers, Julius ceaser was kidnapped by them, and when he came back he crucified them, because that’s what you do to traffickers. Lestei get crucified. reference. Read more on Lestes
  • Someone who commits human trafficking, is a brigand or robber (of souls!). Commit the kidnapping or exploitation of people in certain contexts. Could also be used in a broader sense to describe an outlaw or marauder.
  • USING CONTEXT ABOVE to narrow in: is child robbing / trafficking given the context of the child’s presence, and no other context to disambiguate Lestes from the other possible meanings… he’s saying “I’m not a child Lestes” given the context.
  • Jesus was crucified between two Lestes. Julius Caesar in his youth was kidnapped by Lestes. He had them crucified. Jesus, upon his arrest exclaims, "why are you all coming to capture me with clubs and swords like I'm a Lestes?" (I paraphrased Mark 14:48). Lestes are known throughout antiquity as pirates, stealing not only possessions but enslaving people. Lucian's "Ass" is one source. The death of Oedipus' father was first blamed on Lestes. These are not good people.
• lesten - (λῃστὴν) - (Accusative case) A trafficker, brigand, or plunderer (as the object of action). a Pirate (Peirates/Perates described here )
• sindóna (σινδόνα): fine linen cloth (of the type used as medicated bandages or for mummies)
• περιβεβλημένος (peribeblēménos): having been wrapped
• epì gumnós (ἐπὶ γυμνός) - "Upon nakedness" or "on/over [something] naked."
  • epì (ἐπὶ): A preposition that can mean "on," "upon," "over," or "toward," depending on the case of the word it governs.
  • gumnós (γυμνός): An adjective meaning "naked" or "bare." See deep dive below, it may also mean "testicles", especially in the context "wrapped around upon his nakedness" (which strongly implies privy parts like kokkos / testicles).
• neanías (νεανίας) refers to a young man or a youth, typically someone in the later stages of adolescence or early adulthood.
• neanískos (νεανίσκος) a younger neanias, a younger youth, refers to a younger boy, often in the context of a boy who is still in the early stages of adolescence or childhood; Heyschius says neaniskos is mikron "small" (not full size).
  • NOTE: This gets ambiguous if trying to talk about age. It's not defined by age, but by biology (puberty).
  • See Neaniskos for the maturity analysis.

• sunakolouthéō (συνακολουθέω) - to follow, accompany valiantly in a military/regimented fashion (as a servant)

Other accounts which add detail to the story

The story then goes across Mark 15, Matthew 27, Luke 23, and John 19. Here's how they align:

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Jesus was entering an ecstatic state, right before this

Before getting arrested...

• We see Mark 14:33-35 that Jesus enters an ecstatic and heavily pained, death-induced state.

Then, after the cave scene...

• We see in Mark 16:18 right after he leaves the cave, Jesus then tells his followers that the death-inducer will not harm them.

From that sequence:

• It seems that Jesus took the pharmakon, went through the ordeal, and then told his followers about it favorably.

Jesus, on the cross, between two other λῃσταί (lestai) child traffickers

• Mark 15:27
  1. 27. And with him they crucify two lestai, one on his right and one on his left.
  2. 27. Καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ σταυροῦσιν δύο λῃστάς ἕνα ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ ἕνα ἐξ εὐωνύμων αὐτοῦ.
  3. Καὶ (and) σὺν (with) αὐτῷ (him) σταυροῦσιν (they crucify) δύο (two) λῃστάς (child traffickers) ἕνα (one) ἐκ (from) δεξιῶν (right) καὶ (and) ἕνα (one) ἐξ (from) εὐωνύμων (left) αὐτοῦ (of him).
• Matthew 27:38
  1. 38. Then two lestai were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.
  2. 38. Τότε σταυροῦνται σὺν αὐτῷ δύο λῃσταί εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων.
  3. Τότε (then) σταυροῦνται (they are crucified) σὺν (with) αὐτῷ (him) δύο (two) λῃσταί (child traffickers) εἷς (one) ἐκ (from) δεξιῶν (right) καὶ (and) εἷς (one) ἐξ (from) εὐωνύμων (left).
• Luke 23:32-33 calls them "kakourgoi" (evil-doers), not "lestai."
  1. 32. They were leading but also others evildoers two with him to be executed. 33. And when they came to the place called Golgotha there they crucified him and the evildoers one on the right one on the left.
  2. 32. Ἤγοντο δὲ καὶ ἕτεροι κακοῦργοι δύο σὺν αὐτῷ ἀναιρεθῆναι. 33. Καὶ ὅτε ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τὸν καλούμενον Κρανίον ἐκεῖ ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς κακούργους ὃν μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν ὃν δὲ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν.
  3. 32. Ἤγοντο (they were leading) δὲ (but) καὶ (also) ἕτεροι (others) κακοῦργοι (evildoers) δύο (two) σὺν (with) αὐτῷ (him) ἀναιρεθῆναι (to be executed). 33. Καὶ (and) ὅτε (when) ἦλθον (they came) ἐπὶ (to) τὸν (the) τόπον (place) τὸν (the) καλούμενον (called) Κρανίον (Golgotha) ἐκεῖ (there) ἐσταύρωσαν (they crucified) αὐτὸν (him) καὶ (and) τοὺς (the) κακούργους (evildoers) ὃν (one) μὲν (on the one hand) ἐκ (from) δεξιῶν (right) ὃν (on the other hand) δὲ (but) ἐξ (from) ἀριστερῶν (left).
• John 19:18 just mentions "two others" without specifying their crimes.
  1. 18. Where they crucified him and with him others two on this side and on that side middle but the Jesus.
  2. 18. ὅπου αὐτὸν ἐσταύρωσαν καὶ μετ’ αὐτοῦ ἄλλους δύο ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν μέσον δὲ τὸν Ἰησοῦν.
  3. 18. ὅπου (where) αὐτὸν (him) ἐσταύρωσαν (they crucified) καὶ (and) μετ’ (with) αὐτοῦ (him) ἄλλους (others) δύο (two) ἐντεῦθεν (on this side) καὶ (and) ἐντεῦθεν (on that side) μέσον (middle) δὲ (but) τὸν (the) Ἰησοῦν (Jesus).

*** keep in mind that in the greek, the words can be in odd order, it's the word endings that give the flow, not the order.

Summary:
3 separate gospels says he's crucified with 2 lestai, or 2 kakourgoi:

• Mark 15:27: δύο (two) λῃστάς (child traffickers)
• Matthew 27:38: δύο (two) λῃσταί (child traffickers)
• Luke 23:32-33: κακοῦργοι (evildoers) δύο (two)
• John 19:18: ἄλλους (others) δύο (two)

Context tells us it's child traffickers.
See Neaniskos, for analysis of the age/maturity.

Thieves would be a TERRIBLE translation, often used in inferior English translations.

Insurrectionist (stasiastos) is a different word, and would be a TERRIBLE translation for Lestes.

stasiastes (στασιαστῶν) is used in Mark 15.7, and is clearly different than Lestes.

• στασιαστῶν (stasiastoun) - insurrectionists, one who stirs up sedition

He didn't use the word Lestes/trafficker, he used stasiastes/insurrectionist.
Two different words, two different meanings.

Hesychius of Alexandria, a 5th–6th century CE Greek lexicographer who compiled Lexicon, an important work that explains rare and obscure Greek words. So, if Hesychius commented on ληισταί (Lestai), περάτης (peratēs) and its relation to πειρατής (peiratēs), that would be found in his Lexicon.

Lestes (ληισταί) are Pirates (πεiρατής) which are perates (περάτης).
And pirates/perates/lestes cross boundaries and limits.

Hesychius tells you here, the lack of an iota ‘I’ on perates doesn’t mean it isn’t a pirate.

Later these two terms perates/peirates appears to drift apart more (in the victorian era "LSJ" lexicon they both mean crossing / wandering (crossing fixed boundaries?), but peirata (pirate) has more overt criminal connotation while perate more crossing boundary).

Do you wonder what a lestai is? We have a whole book on Lestai by Lucian called Alexander the False Prophet. And there's an article on Lestes with more information as well.

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Jesus cries out with “Euai, Euai, lama saba chthani” - Euai! Euai! — with intent — Sabai! — O chthonic woman, as he goes unconscious

Mark 15:34

We need to remember that Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani is entirely phonetic, not grammatical. The listeners and later writers did not know what Jesus was saying, but they wrote down the sounds they heard.

καὶ (and) τῇ (in the) ἐνάτῃ (ninth) ὥρᾳ (hour) ἐβόησεν (he cried out) ὁ (the) Ἰησοῦς (Jesus) φωνῇ (with a voice) μεγάλῃ (loud) Ἐλωῒ (Eloi - bacchic cry) Ἐλωῒ (Eloi - bacchic cry) λαμὰ (lama/λαμα/λημα - with intent) σαβα χθανεί (saba chthani) ὅ (that) ἐστιν (is) μεθερμηνευόμενον (being interpreted as) Ὁ (The) Θεός (divine one) μου (my) ὁ (the) Θεός (divine one) μου (my) εἰς (why) τί (have) ἐγκατέλιπές (you deserted) με (me).

• Meaning: "Eloi, Eloi, with intent, ecstatic awe! o cthonic mother. My divine one my divine one why have you deserted me".
• very likely that Eloi is euoi or euai, the bacchic cry

Matthew 27:46

περὶ (around) δὲ (but) τὴν (the) ἐνάτην (ninth) ὥραν (hour) ἀνεβόησεν (he cried out) ὁ (the) Ἰησοῦς (Jesus) φωνῇ (with a voice) μεγάλῃ (loud) λέγων (saying) Ἡλεὶ (Heli) Ἡλεὶ (Heli) λεμὰ (lema) σαβαχθανεί (sabachthani) τοῦτ’ (this) ἔστιν (is) Θεέ (divine one) μου (my) θεέ (divine one) μου (my) ἵνα (why) τί (have) με (me) ἐγκατέλιπες (deserted).

• Meaning: "Helios, Helios, ecstatic awe, o cthonic mother. My divine one my divine one why have you deserted me".
• very likely that hlei (Ἡλεὶ) is Helios, or elei (ἠλεὶ) is euoi or euai, the bacchic cry. Remember there were no spaces or punctuation in original sources.

• See Also Matthew 27-46 Deciphering Jesus on the Cross which goes in sabachthani translation (Ἡλεὶ Ἡλεὶ λεμὰ σαβαχθανεί) as well.

Luke 23 and John 19

• Neither apostle include this line, nor describe the utterance.

Sabachthani Conclusion

This phonetic utterance works in the Greek. It maps to Greek terms. It would appear that Jesus is giving the Bacchic shout Euoi or Euai, or moaning to the god Helios. Listeners on the ground didn't understand him, and assumed it was the prophet Elias / Elijah. Jesus then with intent invokes saba (ecstatic awe) to the chthonic mother (alt: or calling himself Bacchus or a cthonic host), all 3 are similar.

• Muttering a hard-to-understand incantation, perhaps mumbled while losing consciousness.
• What wasn't understood was the bacchic context, by his followers on the ground, and by the writers trying to record what was heard
• Jesus, the new cult leader here, is showing his hand - his previous tradition is Bacchic. This isn't strange, most cult leaders pull from previous traditions.

See sabachthani for the deep dive.

A prior tradition had a rite with "elouai sabachth" incantation, for a gumnos boy wearing a sindon

This PGM rite / incantation seems related to whatever was happening in the garden.

Here we see an older rite involving same elements

• gumnon (γυμνὸν) - naked
• sindoninon (σινδόνινον) - fine linen surgical grade bandage
• paida (παῖδα) - child; (and in this context, a young immature boy)
  • Different word than neaniskos, same age range.
• elouai sabaouth (Ἐλωαὶ Σαβαώθ) - same language sounds as what was spoken on the cross (see sabachthani.

sabaouth (σαβαώθ, τό) - related to the saba word cluster:

• sabai (σαβαί, ἡ) - Bacchic acclamation; ritual shout in Dionysiac/Sabazian rites.
• sabadzou (σαβαδάζω) - shake violently
• sebas (σέβας) - reverential awe, awestruck wonder
• Sabazios (Σαβάζιος) - a Phrygian–Thracian god assimilated to Dionysos in Greek ritual culture. Sabazios rites involve ecstasy, possession, snakes, initiation.
• The -ωθ ending sonically thickens, as a field of power, the sabadzou violent shaking sebas awestruck sabai cry to Sabazios Bacchus.

See sabachthani for the phonetic utterance said right before slipping unconscious.

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Sponge with oxos medicated vinegar being given to Jesus (remedy for the dipsas venom)

• See Mark 14-51 Oxos Analysis for the detail here, what's going on with the Sponge.
• See Oxos Medical Vinegar for Vinegar in more general use as a venom remedy.
• Mark 15:36
  1. 36. Having run but one and having filled a sponge of oxos medicated vinegar (sour wine) having placed around on a reed he offered to drink him saying; let be, let us see if Elias/Helios comes to take him down.
  2. 36. δραμὼν δὲ εἷς καὶ γεμίσας σπόγγον ὄξους περιθεὶς καλάμῳ ἐπότιζεν αὐτόν λέγων· ἄφετε ἴδωμεν εἰ ἔρχεται Ἠλίας καθελεῖν αὐτόν.
  3. 36. δραμὼν (having run) δὲ (but) εἷς (one) καὶ (and) γεμίσας (having filled) σπόγγον (sponge) ὄξους (oxos is medicated vinegar, aka sour wine) περιθεὶς (having put around) καλάμῳ (reed) ἐπότιζεν (he gave to drink) αὐτόν (him) λέγων (saying); ἄφετε (let be) ἴδωμεν (let us see) εἰ (if) ἔρχεται (comes) Ἠλίας (Elias/Ἠλίας → human prophet from Greek Septuagint, Helios → god) καθελεῖν (to take down) αὐτόν (him).
  4. What's meant here, Elias or Helios? Hard to tell.
     • Ἠλίας = Helios / main god, Elias may be mistranslated, purposefully reframed, or overheard incorrectly. Helios would correspond with words Jesus used while on cross: "Heli Heli Sabachthoni".
     • Ἠλίας = Elias / a human prophet, from Greek Septuagint / Old Testament, would make no sense, since he is dead; however the Greek language reader familiar with the LXX might interpret Elias as a spectacular, quasi-divine hero-prophet, so the invocation adds drama and authority to the narrative. The Greek Septuagint was the main Old Testament text used by the Greek New Testament writers, which is why the Greek is the one to follow here.
• Matthew 27:48
  1. 48. And immediately having run one from them and having taken a sponge having filled and with vinegar (sour wine) and having placed around on a reed he offered to drink him.
  2. 48. καὶ εὐθέως δραμὼν εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ λαβὼν σπόγγον πλήσας τε ὄξους καὶ περιθεὶς καλάμῳ ἐπότιζεν αὐτόν.
  3. 48. καὶ (and) εὐθέως (immediately) δραμὼν (having run) εἷς (one) ἐξ (from) αὐτῶν (them) καὶ (and) λαβὼν (having taken) σπόγγον (sponge) πλήσας (having filled) τε (and) ὄξους (oxos is vinegar, aka sour wine) καὶ (and) περιθεὶς (having put around) καλάμῳ (reed) ἐπότιζεν (he gave to drink) αὐτόν (him).
• John 19:29
  1. 29. Vessel was lying sour wine full therefore sponge full of the sour wine on hyssop having put around they brought of him to the mouth.
  2. 29. σκεῦος ἔκειτο ὄξους μεστόν· σπόγγον οὖν μεστὸν τοῦ ὄξους ὑσσώπῳ περιθέντες προσήνεγκαν αὐτοῦ τῷ στόματι.
  3. 29. σκεῦος (vessel) ἔκειτο (was lying) ὄξους (oxos is vinegar, aka sour wine) μεστόν (full); σπόγγον (sponge) οὖν (therefore) μεστὸν (full) τοῦ (of the) ὄξους (sour wine) ὑσσώπῳ (on hyssop) περιθέντες (having put around) προσήνεγκαν (they brought) αὐτοῦ (of him) τῷ (to the) στόματι (mouth).
• Who gave this vinegar (oxos/ὄξους) to Jesus?
  • They're unnamed, appears to be an anonymous man or bystander (“one of them”).

Did Jesus drink it? Perhaps. Or Perhaps not. Hard to say with certainty.
John 19:29–30 indicates Jesus "received/took" it, and immediately went unconscious with undetectable breath.

• Mark 15:36
  • ἐπότιζεν = “he was giving (him) to drink”
  • This verb does not state that Jesus drank.
  • It describes the action of offering / administering, not ingestion.
  • No verb like πίνω (“to drink”) is used.
  • So Mark tells us: someone tried to give him sour wine.
  • Mark does not say Jesus drank it.
• Matthew 27:48
  • Same situation:
    • καὶ ἐπότισεν αὐτόν
    • “he gave him to drink”
  • Still no statement that Jesus actually drank.
  • Matthew follows Mark here and is just as non-committal.
• John 19:29–30
  • This is the only text that explicitly addresses contact:
    • ὅτε οὖν ἔλαβεν τὸ ὄξος ὁ Ἰησοῦς
    • ἔλαβεν = “he received / took”
  • John then immediately says:
    • καὶ κλίνας τὴν κεφαλὴν παρέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα“
    • and bowing his head, he gave up the breath”

We can infer:

Jesus consciously took the oxos at his mouth, which entails ingestion, and immediately thereafter ceased perceptible breathing.

Learn more:

• See Mark 14-51 Oxos Analysis for the detail here, what's going on with the Sponge.
• See Oxos Medical Vinegar for Vinegar in more general use as a venom remedy.

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Surprise at Jesus dying faster than the others

• Mark 15:44
  1. 44. But Pilate was amazed if already he had died and having called the centurion he asked him if long time he had died.
  2. 44. ὁ δὲ Πειλᾶτος ἐθαύμασεν εἰ ἤδη τέθνηκεν καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν κεντυρίωνα ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν εἰ πάλαι ἀπέθανεν.
  3. 44. ὁ (the) δὲ (but) Πειλᾶτος (Pilate) ἐθαύμασεν (was amazed) εἰ (if) ἤδη (already) τέθνηκεν (he had died) καὶ (and) προσκαλεσάμενος (having called) τὸν (the) κεντυρίωνα (centurion) ἐπηρώτησεν (he asked) αὐτὸν (him) εἰ (if) πάλαι (a long time) ἀπέθανεν (he had died).
• This is unique to Mark — Pontus Pilate is surprised Jesus has died so soon.

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Roman guards breaking the legs of the others but not Jesus (appears to already be dead, venom slows breathing to barely perceptible)

• John 19:32–33
  1. 32. They came therefore the soldiers and indeed first they shattered the legs and of the other who had been crucified with him; but upon Jesus having come when they saw already him having died, they did not shatter his legs.
  2. 32. ἦλθον οὖν οἱ στρατιῶται καὶ τοῦ μὲν πρώτου κατέαξαν τὰ σκέλη καὶ τοῦ ἄλλου τοῦ συσταυρωθέντος αὐτῷ· 33. ἐπὶ δὲ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐλθόντες, ὡς εἶδον ἤδη αὐτὸν τεθνηκότα, οὐ κατέαξαν αὐτοῦ τὰ σκέλη.
  3. 32. ἦλθον (they came) οὖν (therefore) οἱ (the) στρατιῶται (soldiers) καὶ (and) τοῦ (of the) μὲν (indeed) πρώτου (first) κατέαξαν (they shattered, broke violently) τὰ (the) σκέλη (legs) καὶ (and) τοῦ (of the) ἄλλου (other) τοῦ (who) συσταυρωθέντος (had been crucified together) αὐτῷ (with him)· 33. ἐπὶ (upon) δὲ (but) τὸν (the) Ἰησοῦν (Iēsous) ἐλθόντες (having come) ὡς (when) εἶδον (they saw) ἤδη (already) αὐτὸν (him) τεθνηκότα (having died, in a completed state of death), οὐ (not) κατέαξαν (they did not shatter) αὐτοῦ (his) τὰ (the) σκέλη (legs).

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Jesus being stabbed and water pouring from his side

• John 19:34
  1. 34. But one of the soldiers with a spear of him pierced the side and came out immediately blood and water.
  2. 34. ἀλλ’ εἷς τῶν στρατιωτῶν λόγχῃ αὐτοῦ τὴν πλευρὰν ἔνυξεν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εὐθὺς αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ.
  3. 34. ἀλλ’ (but) εἷς (one) τῶν (of the) στρατιωτῶν (soldiers) λόγχῃ (with a spear) αὐτοῦ (of him) τὴν (the) πλευρὰν (side) ἔνυξεν (pierced) καὶ (and) ἐξῆλθεν (came out) εὐθὺς (immediately) αἷμα (blood) καὶ (and) ὕδωρ (water).
• The other Gospels do not mention this detail.

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How do we know what time it is?

The Gospel tradition places Jesus:

• awake while others sleep
• in a garden
• at the night–dawn threshold

Within a Greek mystery framework, this setting aligns naturally with:

• dawn-watch practices
• initiation
• the bringer of dawn motif

The account is not supernatural rhetoric - it is ritual language.

Analysis from Source Text

Before we can show dawn, we first show that the Greek text explicitly marks the garden scene as night and darkness.

John reinforces the darkness by mentioning artificial light sources, which only appear when it is dark.

Portable lights confirms pre-dawn darkness, not twilight

Then, Immediately following the arrest and vigil scenes, Luke explicitly marks the arrival of day.

Right at the transition from night to day (dawn). Happens immediately after arrest.

The cockcrow is an ancient time-signal marking the approach of dawn.

Crowing is pre-sunrise. In Greek and Roman timekeeping, this marks the last watch of the night. This situates Jesus awake through the night until dawn

Mark makes the dawn explicit with the technical term πρωΐ (early morning, dawn-time)

• πρωΐ = early morning, dawn-time
• Same root family as πρωϊνός (“morning” in ἀστὴρ πρωϊνός)
• This ties linguistically to morning-star vocabulary

From the Greek text alone, without speculation:

• Gethsemane is explicitly night / darkness
• Jesus remains awake through the night
• Artificial lights confirm pre-dawn timing
• The cockcrow marks the final night watch
• ἡμέρα coming into being marks dawn
• πρωΐ confirms early morning immediately after

This is a clean, continuous night-to-dawn sequence, textually anchored.

Without importing theology:

• The ἀστὴρ πρωϊνός title belongs to dawn-threshold language
• Gethsemane is framed as the hour of darkness before light
• What follows is light, day, and public revelation
• The Greek narrative structure itself mirrors night → dawn → light

That is not allegory - it is how the Greek story is temporally built.

The Gethsemenie story occurs at dawn, Jesus was in the garden doing something right before dawn, and would have experienced dawn if he hadn't been arrested.

Did he Die? Or go to Galilee?

He Didn't Die, He Fled to Gallilee

• It would appear from these texts, if take literally, that the apostles tell us that He didn't die, and instead He fled to Galilee ("he is not here" and "he is going into Galilee; there you will see him"), after waking up from his rite ("he was roused/raised").

• stolen leuken (στολὴν λευκήν) - not a sindon/bandage this time, but a white robe, different concept this time.
• Galilee (Γαλιλαίαν) - A northern region of the Levant, above Judea and Samaria. Known in antiquity as a mixed, boundary region—rural, multilingual, and culturally hybrid.

• angel (ἄγγελος) - a word which means messenger
• raised from the dead - in death and resurrection rites (where a person educates their psyche/soul), refers to the exit out of the ordeal, catharsis is complete.
• The neaniskos (νεανίσκος) becomes an angel (ἄγγελος) a messenger.
  • Also, angel is an apt metaphor for that "helper" or attendant sunokoleuthou in the rite.
• Jesus appears physically to the women.
• Jesus still goes to Galilee

• The neaniskos (νεανίσκος) becomes two men in dazzling clothes.
• The Galilee directive is reinterpreted:
  • Not “go there now,” but “remember what he said there.”
• Same language around "rise/raised", which easily refers to coming out of the death/resurrection rite, waking up.
• "Why do you seek the living among the dead"
  • can easily refer to the cave, where the initiate would commune with the dead in the rite.
  • meaning: "why are you looking for the alive Jesus in here? He's been raised (woken up and left)"

He Didn't Die, He Fled to Gallilee

• It would appear from these texts, if take literally, that the apostles tell us that He didn't die, and instead He fled to Galilee ("he is not here" and "he is going into Galilee; there you will see him"), after waking up from his rite ("he was roused/raised").

Before the Cave, any medical attention?

• ὀθόνια = linen strips / cloths
• ἔδησαν = bound, tied, fastened
• mix (μίγμα) of myrrh (smerna/σμύρνης) and aloe (ἀλόης) - Aromatics are present; purpose is not specified

in the 1st-century Mediterranean medical world, a mixture of myrrh (σμύρνα) and aloe (ἀλόη) would have been considered appropriate for treating a serious open wound (including a spear or sword wound), but not as a miracle cure. It fits ancient practice

• myrrh (smerna/σμύρνης) - appears frequently in wound contexts in De Materia Medica and earlier Hippocratic traditions.
• aloe (ἀλόης) - is repeatedly paired with resins and oils in ancient healing compounds.
• mix (μίγμα) - such mixtures help the body survive

Ritual Level Preparation for the Catharsis Chamber

Catharsis is a term often used for initiatory/mystery ordeals. Funny we should see it mentioned when preparing the body for the cave, which in the Level 2 mystery reading is a catharsis chamber (a recovery room for the mystery ordeal) for the initiate's experience (soul/psychic healing) in their journey back from (near) death.

It also works perfectly well for Layer 1, so take it for what it's worth. But it also fits perfectly with Level 2.

• en sindoni kathara (ἐν σινδόνι καθαρᾷ) - “in a clean / pure (kathara/καθαρᾷ) fine surgical grade linen (sindoni/σινδόνι)”
• katharos (καθαρός) - clean, pure
• katharmos (καθαρμός) - purification
• katharsis (κάθαρσις) - cleansing, purgation, purification

The pairing is odd:

• sindon (σίνδων) is common in funerary contexts
• katharos (καθαρός) is common in purification contexts
• their explicit pairing is unusual, not formulaic
• signals purification, not just cleanliness
• sindon is ALREADY clean/pure, it's medical grade, so katharos (καθαρός) here is ADDING .... something.

σίνδων is well attested in Greek literature as fine linen used for careful bodily handling, including funerary wrapping. The explicit qualification καθαρᾷ (“pure, ritually clean”) is not a fixed funerary formula but a marked choice.

So when καθαρᾷ is added, it must be adding a different kind of information.

In Greek ritual, medical, and mystery contexts, κάθαρσις refers to:

• removal of pollution (μίασμα)
• purification after contact with death
• bodily purging (medical)
• psychic/spiritual cleansing (mystery rites)

katharsis (κάθαρσις) often follows a descent, crisis, or near-death state.
You do not place an uncleansed body into a sacred chamber.

In Greek, katharos (καθαρός) operates in three overlapping domains:

1. Material (physically clean)
2. Medical (cleansed, purged, suitable for contact with wounds or bodies)
3. Ritual (making the chamber pure, and the body/psyche/soul free from conflicts/friction/opposing-daimones)

Matthew chooses the adjective that works in all three domains at once.
That choice is not accidental.

The body is handled after its catharsis ordeal, in a sealed catharsis chamber (that cave),

• with materials that are themselves in a ritually purified state (catharsis sindon)
• appropriate to a transitionary catharsis rite involving death and resurrection of the psyche/soul.

Matthew specifies that the body was wrapped in a sindon (σίνδων) cathara (καθαρά) — a fine surgical-grade linen in a purified state. The adjective kathara (καθαρά) belongs to the same semantic family as katharsis (κάθαρσις) and kathairou (καθαίρω) and operates across ritual, medical, and material registers in Greek. Its inclusion is unnecessary for a bare burial description and signals fitness for contact after a liminal ordeal. The text does not explain the purification, but it clearly names the state.

Layer 1 - for the ordinary reader: “Joseph wrapped the body in a fresh, clean burial cloth.” “Proper, respectful handling.” Nothing about σινδών καθαρά violates ordinary burial practice.

Layer 2 - The clean linen marks the body as purified and prepared for the next phase, not as finished. “Purification has occurred; the cathartic phase is complete.” Matthew did not need καθαρᾷ. He could have written: ἐν σινδόνι, or simply described placement in the tomb. Instead, he chooses a word that is: semantically multivalent, ritually loaded, medically appropriate, philosophically active. That is not accidental in Greek narrative.

• sindon (σίνδων) - is not generic cloth (ἱμάτιον). It denotes fine linen, medical, controlled, intimate-contact. used where bodies are handled carefully, not casually. σινδών already signals: This body is in a controlled transitional state.

• katharos (καθαρός) - is not just “clean”. clean, free of corrupting agents, free of miasma, appropriate for sacred or sealed space, and refers to "restored" after contact with "death" (our pharmakon death and resurrection rites), psychic cleansing. You do not seal an unpurified body into a liminal chamber.

In Matthew 27:59, the phrase ἐν σινδόνι καθαρᾷ is entirely adequate for an ordinary burial description, yet it is semantically overqualified. The adjective καθαρᾷ belongs to the same lexical family as καθαρμός and κάθαρσις and operates simultaneously in material, medical, and ritual registers. Here, καθαρᾷ functions on two levels. On the surface level, it indicates ritual and physical cleanliness appropriate for burial. On a deeper, mystery-aware level, it belongs to the καθαρσις word-family and signals purification following contact with the death experience (e.g. symbolic or near death) - marking a transition rather than a termination. The text does not explain this second layer, but it quietly and unmistakably allows it. In mystery contexts, purification is explicitly named.

The language Matthew chose already belongs to the purification/catharsis semantic field, and that field naturally supports a second-layer reading familiar to initiatory cultures.

Plausible and not provable, but that's how mystery texts work. This is a plausible, non-exclusive, mystery-layer reading grounded in Greek semantics and ritual culture. It does not deny the surface narrative and does not claim proof. It reads the text the way ancient initiatory audiences were trained to read.

After the Cave, any evidence of medical Attention?

• κείμενα = lying / placed / resting (not “discarded”)
• χωρὶς = apart, separately
• ἐντετυλιγμένον = wrapped, folded, rolled, coiled (perfect passive)
• The arrangement is orderly

From a bandage lens, the text allows:

• removal of cloths from the body,
• separation of a head/face cloth from other linen,
• cloths being wrapped/rolled and placed. As one would do with wound bandages (not clothing).

the text reports orderly removal and placement of cloths separate from the others, gathered into one place and rolled up or coiled (ἐντετυλιγμένον) as we do with bandages we would like to reuse again (or if being very orderly).

both burial and medical interpretations remain open — the author does not specify function beyond description.

Multiple cloths rolled up? If actual burial bandaging was used to keep up appearances until safely in the cave, then these would be set aside after escape, puncture wound bandages would be more likely to be taken with, unless a fresh dressing was done then the old wound bandages would also be left...

The facecloth would be the first to be removed, explaining why separated from the others. (Not that it would need to be separated.)

After the Cave, Any sightings?

• divine - refers to someone who's been through the rite, and/or a guide in the rite.
• bring your hand and place it into my side, and, do not become untrusting but trusting
  • Basically "Touch my side to identify me", remember the spear wound with the bloody water on the cross?
  • his side should have a scar on it, serves to prove his identity.

any other post-cave “sightings” in the canonical primary Greek NT?

• Matthew 28:9–10 — Jesus meets the women; they grasp his feet (strong “physical” marker):ἐκράτησαν αὐτοῦ τοὺς πόδας.
• John 20:14–18 — Mary Magdalene encounter (“do not touch me” line is here).
• John 20:19–23 — Jesus appears to the group and shows them the wounds:ἔδειξεν… τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευράν.
• Luke 24:13–35 — Emmaus road appearance.
• Luke 24:36–43 — identity demonstration: “not a spirit,” hands/feet, and he eats in front of them.
• Luke 24:34 — “the Lord was seen by Simon” (short, but explicit).

Jesus was not punctured in his rib

Most pictures and statues show Jesus with a cut in his rib

But,
He was punctured in his stomach.
Remember that bloody water poured out?
Remember he was thirsty?
And the spear had to come from BELOW

The text doesn't give the positioning EXCEPT THAT based on the watery blood pouring out, we can conclude with some certainty that:

The cut would be LOW, at (or above) the hip bone, not at the ribcage.

Remember that pleuras (πλευράν) has been mistranslated as "rib" to justify the "females have been created from men's rib" Genesis 2 story? See [Eve was not from Adams Rib] for some background here.

The word in John is πλευρά.

• πλευρά = side, flank
• It does not mean “rib” as an anatomical bone.
• πλευρά is a region word, not a bone word.
• it can refer in a vague way to refer to a person's rib, and only when context narrows it.
• By itself, πλευρά does not specify ribcage, chest, or thorax.
• Nothing in John 19:34 narrows context for pleura (πλευρά) upward to the ribcage.
• πλευρά shares a root with rib-related terms — but that does not give us license to specify ribs without contextual markers.
• water pouring out gives pleuras "side" context to the stomach, not to the rib

The Greek describes a puncture to the πλευρά (‘side/flank’), not the ribs.
The narrative details (thirst, fluid discharge, execution posture) make a lower-flank wound plausible and arguably more coherent than a ribcage wound (which has zero evidence), but the text itself leaves the exact location unspecified.

There is zero evidence for a ribcage wound

If one location must be judged more plausible from the text alone, the lower flank/abdominal wound fits the Greek and the narrative better than a ribcage wound.

Although πλευρά is a regional term for "side/flank", the narrative context in John 19 localizes the wound to the lower side/flank of the body. The combination of extreme thirst, a spear thrust from below, and the release of a notable volume of watery blood makes an abdominal/flank puncture far more coherent than a ribcage or chest wound. There is no textual evidence for a ribcage wound, and the context actively disfavors it.

Verdict: Stomach Wound

Conclusions

We can see clues to what is happening in this scene:

• That sindon is a bandage
  • Due to the context, sindon (surgical grade fine linen) peribeblemenos (wrapped around) and epi (upon)
• A naked youth with a sindon (gumnos neaniskos...sindon), running away, leaving behind a medical grade linen (sindon), not a robe, but a sindon.
  • Why would there be a naked youth with a sindon in the Garden early in the morning?
  • We know that a sindon bandage is a method of administering medicine (the venom) to the skin slowly (with venom, to induce antibodies in the person).
  • We know that a neaniskos is a youth (pre or just-pubescent biological maturity, not age; and Heyschius says that neaniskos is mikron "small", so not full sized)
  • We know that the historical Echidnaic mystery rite requires antidote from bodily fluids
  • We know that historically Heracles ran a "male only" version of the Echidnaic rite that only the Medwa were allowed to attend. Jesus appears to be emulating Heracles with his apostles as antidote providers.
  • Nakedness would be required to collect the body fluid antidote.
  • Historically, there is a rite "bringing the dawn" that operates in early morning when the "morning star" (venus/phosphorus) is visible. Jesus describes himself as the morning star, mirroring a rite described in the Old Testament around phosphorus / morning star.
• The bandage is wrapped around upon his nakedness or testicles
  • The sindon (bandage) is peribeblemenos (wrapped around) epi gumnos (upon his nakedness).
  • Gumnos can refer to kokkos (testicles)
  • Possible this could simply be "bandage wrapped around upon his nakedness" however, read into that what you will... the context "bandage wrapped around upon his nakedness" alludes to privy parts.
  • We know medical linen (sindon) was commonly used to hold a poultice against cuts in skin or thin tissues.
• We see in verse Mark 14:54 that it was a cold night
  • evidenced by the fact that Peter was sitting by the fire to warm himself up.
  • A gumnos neaniskos (naked youth) with nothing but a sindon (surgical bandage) peribeblemenos (wrapped) epi (around) gumnos (nakedness, context implying privy parts, gumnos leads to kokkos in the lexicon here) does not make sense in this context.
  • Regardless of where the sindon is bandaged around, bandages aren't clothing. The youth is underdressed for the cold weather. There must be a reason, most people wear clothing in the cold, naked is very strange, implies a certain kind of activity is happening.
• Jesus’ extreme thirst, collapse, and apparent death, Loudly complaining of extreme thirst while on the cross.
  • Which is a known symptom of the dipsas venom
• Jesus appears lifeless, earlier than anyone else, is a surprise: Roman soldiers breaking the legs of the criminals on their crosses, to suffocate them quicker, surprised to find Jesus already dead. Why would he be dead so early, well before the other criminals?
  • Which is a symptom of the dipsas venom, Coma or "like death", low heart rate and breathing.
• Vinegar (oxos) Sponge, on a reed, for Jesus to drink.
  • Why would vinegar be given to a man complaining of thirst??
  • Solders didn't give it, a bystander did, a weak argument for cruelty, sounds like they knew his condition.
  • Vinegar was a known antidote for venom poisoning.
  • Why cure him? Sounds like they're hedging against somehow getting him down, wondering if Elias or Helios will pull him through the tough time: "let us see if Elias/Helios comes to take him down".
• Spearing and “blood and water”: Water poured out from being "lanced" in his side.
  • The spear-thrust could have been narrated to “prove” death, but....
  • Paradoxically it betrays a known medical symptom called polydipsia (see explanation)
  • Polydipsia causing extreme thirst, causes the victim to drink a lot of water.
  • Hydrothorax or pleural effusion, which Galen describes as fluid gathering between chest and lung after poisoning, also causes water accumulation in the torso.
• Mystery language: The words Jesus was speaking on the cross, heli heli sabachthoni, Helios, helios, awe o chthonic mother (saba chthanie/σα βαχ θανίη), your Bacchus is dead (sa bach thani/σα βαχ θανί), or your cthonic host (saba chthon/σαβα χθανί).
  • Implies association with bacchic cthonic death and resurrection rites - often involving being brought to near death by pharmakon.
  • see sabachthoni for the deep dive...
• Resurrection 3 days later, empty cave and then sighted.
  • The coma from dipsas commonly lasted 3 days. It's more likely he woke up from the poisoning than came back to life. Don't you think that's the simple explanation?
• The crime: Why was he arrested in the first place? In a garden, at 4am, with a n4k3d youth, defensively asking why they're coming at him as if he was a Lestes, and then they've hung him right between two Lestes.
  • Crucifixion was a crime for the worst offenders, those traffickers, plunderer of souls, child abductors, kidnappers.

IMPORTANT CONCLUSION: In the text, he didn't die for anyone's sins.

BOTTOM LINE: The cross/cave scenes themselves do not say that Jesus died for anyone’s sins.
That idea comes later, from interpretive theology, not from the arrest–trial–execution narratives as such.

From the evidence, he "died" for

1. Dipsas Pharmakon - simply failing to get the antidote to drugs used in a mystery rite, and for being a
2. Lestes - trafficking a child for use in that rite. A heinous crime commonly punishable by crucifixion.

He didn't even die

• He went to Galilee
• He endured a visionary rite that took 3 days, woke up and left to Galilee

There was no sacrifice

• Jesus never announces that he's going to give himself for a cause

Thus, what the canonical narrative gives as miracle and salvation story can be read, line for line, as a mystery initiation gone wrong: the pharmakon not counteracted in time, the rite interrupted by arrest, the neaniskos fleeing, and the initiand entering a coma mistaken for death.

Nothing in the primary text requires a sacrificial atonement. Read within the Greek pharmakon/mystery vocabulary, the story is not of a god dying for sin, but of a christed human undergoing a mystery rite — suspended between death and life by venom and antidote — who revived after three days. That is the “resurrection.”

Medical Evidence

• Venoms and serpents: Geoponica catalogs the effects of different snakebites (ἔχιδνα, δίψας, ἀσπίς, δράκων, etc.), including the exact symptom highlighted: δίψας venom causes unquenchable thirst. That is the same pharmakonic signature we see in the scene where Jesus “says I thirst” (διψῶ, John 19:28).
• Vinegar Antidote: vinegar (ὄξος) is indeed recorded as a mild remedy against some venoms. The Geoponica keeps this older tradition alive, echoing Dioscorides and Galen. Bystanders offering vinegar (oxos/ὄξους) is pharmacologically coherent, not random cruelty. (See Mark 14-51 Oxos Analysis and see also Oxos Medical Vinegar use as a venom remedy)
• Bandaging with linen (sindon/σινδών): there are passages on poultices, medicated linens, and slow dermal absorption of drugs or venoms. Without modern syringes, ancients would use thin/soft tissues or cuts/abrasions in the skin wrapped with a medical grade fine linen bandage (sindon). This practice is consistent with how a bandage might serve in a mystery rite, to provide antidote for the initiate. (cf. Hippocratic “sindon” as medical linen).
• Near-death states: descriptions of coma, suspended breath, “appearing dead” from envenomation, and revivification after days — all fit the dipsas profile. In antiquity, people noted cases of those who lay insensible for multiple days and revived, as if resurrected.
• Watery Blood from a puncture
  • Polydipsia (extreme thirst from dipsas poisoning) causes victim to drink lots of water
  • Hydrothorax or pleural effusion, described by Galen as fluid gathering between chest and lung after poisoning.

Belly bursting with liquid....

When Jesus is crying out in thirst (heli heli lema sabachthoni), that burning thirst jesus had while on the cross (that Nicander wrote about dipsas related thirst at length ~200 years previously), so when Jesus is dying on the cross, screaming out that he is thirsty, and in Nonnus's writings he tells you it's because they were trying to give him the oxos vinegar (a known antidote for dipsas or venom) on the sponge attached to a long reed.

• See Mark 14-51 Oxos Analysis and see also Oxos Medical Vinegar use as a venom remedy.

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Nicander — Theriaca (c. 2nd c. BCE)

Nicander describes the dipsas (δίψας) snake:

• Its bite drives victims into an unbearable, burning thirst.
• Death comes through insatiable drinking.

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Gospel Scene — Vinegar / Oxos

So Jesus explicitly says “I thirst” (dipsoun/διψῶ). The drink given is oxos/ὄξος (sour wine / vinegar), known in medical tradition as a remedy to survive certain venoms (including thirst-inducing snakes like dipsas (dipsas/διψας)).

• See Mark 14-51 Oxos Analysis and see also Oxos Medical Vinegar use as a venom remedy

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Nonnus — Paraphrase of John (5th c. CE)

Relevant direct source. In Book 19 of the Paraphrase, Nonnus reworks John 19:28–30 in his Homeric epic style.

Notice how Nonnus sharpens “vinegar” into oxeies/ὀξείης and oxous/ὄξους (“keen/acid vinegar”), foregrounding its pharmakon quality. This makes the pharmacological resonance much louder than in plain John.

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Why this matters for the dipsas connection

• Nicander: Dipsas bite causes extreme thirst
• Gospel: Jesus cries out in thirst on the cross.
• Nonnus: Embellishes that scene with Homeric diction, spotlighting the ὀξός vinegar in vivid pharmakon terms
• Medical background: Vinegar is indeed attested as part of antidotes to certain snake venoms (Dioscorides, Galen, etc.)

Read about Oxos medical vinegar for more background. (Oxymel, Pasca)
See Mark 14-51 Oxos Analysis and see also Oxos Medical Vinegar use as a venom remedy.

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Nonnus - Dionysiaca (5th c. CE)

Nonnus, in describing the Dionysian encounter with serpent-venom, articulates a procedure that is both recognizable within the Galenic antidote tradition and revealing for its emphasis on the union of poison and remedy.

This formulation, venenum + oinos = pharmakon, is neither metaphorical nor unique. The passage continues in 25.457–470 to make explicit that wine itself becomes the medium by which venom is “released” (λύεται) and pain “loosened” (χαλάσμος):

See Mark 14-51 Oxos Analysis for deeper dive.

Terms - deep dive - sindon - fine linen medical grade bandage

sindon (σινδών) - fine linen as used in mummification or surgeons bandages

Sindon - A fine linen cloth, the type used commonly in Surgeon's or Mummy bandages.
Other specialty uses include napkins or a ship's sail, garments, sheets.

Why not a Robe? - No one would say that someone is wearing a robe wrapped around upon their nakedness, unless drawing attention to the nakedness for some reason. A kid running away from the Roman guard making an arrest, leaving their clothes behind, would be very odd. Robes don't fall off you unless some kind of scuffle, or cartoonish comedy, but this passage is not comedy, and the boy was not involved in the scuffle.

Surgical Bandage is the logical and simple conclusion to the meaning of sindon (σινδών). From lexicon context of sindon meaning fine linen bandage, and peribeblemenos (περιβεβλημένος) being wrapped around (as a bandage often is).

Very Likely Medicated

• Additionally, knowing medical practices of the time, sindon would be used to hold a plaster, poultice or christing salve, ointment, or oil.
• From context of mystery rites we know that christing medicated salves were common, the Galene process involved christing venoms into cuts or thin tissues to induce an antibody response in the body. These antibodies were used to bring the initiate out of their drug induced death state.
• Considering the context of "the Christ" here, "one who christs" (a title for one who applies the medicated salve), we can be pretty sure he is christing with that bandage. Likely applied his own Thanasimon (death inducer with venoms), and would shortly need the antidote.
• Considering Jesus's symptoms while on the cross, extreme thirst, we can conclude the medication in the sindon given to the naked boy in the garden, had dipsas venom in it.

Who? The youth (neaniskos) was wearing it

• Grammatically, the bandage was "wrapped around upon the boy's nakedness", and not on anyone else. Jesus wasn't wearing it, yet, and never will, since the Roman guard arrests him for the crime of trafficking (being a Lestes).

Where? On his testicles or other privy parts

• Nakedness strongly implies privy parts like kokkos / testicles. This text avoids using specific body part terms like finger or arm, but instead opts for the euphemistic "nakedness". As euphemisms for gumnos go, we do see kokkos / testicles is in the lexicon for gumnos (see below).

Terms - deep dive - peribeblemenos epi gumnos - Wrapped around his nakedness/testicles

• peribeblemenos epi gumnos (περιβεβλημένος ἐπὶ γυμνός) - Wrapped around his nakedness, or kokkos (testicles)

Breakdown:

peribeblemenos (περιβεβλημένος) - having been wrapped (throw round, about)

epi gumnos (ἐπὶ γυμνός) - "Upon nakedness" or "on/over [something] naked"

epi (ἐπὶ), "upon"

gumnos (γυμνός), "nakedness"

See #8 there, follow the link to kokkos:
kokkos (κόκκος), "seed" or "testicles"

We know that Seed - is euphemism for testicles...

Look at IV there:
kokkos (κόκκος), "testicles"

It's very possible the sindon (bandage) was peribeblemenos (wrapped around) epi gumnos (on his testicles).

• A common euphemism / inference of gumnos is kokkos (testicles), especially when the language ambiguously explains "wrapped around upon his nakedness" - seems to allude to something private.
• But at the least, we know the "bandage was wrapped around his nakedness". Which infers something private.

What's Dr Hillman say?

• 34:36 - quickly talks about the boy
• these two videos have a ton of info in them as well regarding the matter. (unindexed)
  • [link]
  • [link]
• The Gynomorph book probably has the most solid references to texts then... (unindexed)

Relevant mystery rites background

• Eua is the initiatory death support (Boethos (βοηθὸν) - helper in battle)

We see in the mystery rites outlined in ancient Greek language texts, both Hellenic, and Abrahamic (Greek New/Old Testaments). You give a "battle helper" Eua some small amount of thanasimon (pharmakon containing venom) to produce an antibody reaction, which causes a constant expression of dripping fluid from their body (e.g. breast, genitals). That Eua "helps" battle the symbolic thon (death) in the initiate who has taken "the storm", that thonesimon (death inducer) made of venoms. The Eua provides the galene (antidote), to the initiate to bring them back to life (zoe). The Eua (helper) cries Zōē (Ζωή) (life!) to bring the initiate out of their deathstate, to be ressurected (born again during their life), resulting in enlightenment or gnosis (knowing).

Examples of Eua:

• Oracular priestesses in their Echidnaic rites, kore, medwa
• Eve in Garden of Eden / Paradise scene, taken out from by Adam's side
• Mary in the Mountain scene, taken out from by Jesus's side
• Unnamed boy in Garden of Gethsemenie, as a servant (synēkolouthei / συνηκολούθει)

See also Breakdown of the Mystery - the oracular mystery rite
See also Venom Use in Mysteries and Medicine - more on venoms

See Also

• See Mark 14-51 Oxos Analysis for Oxos/Vinegar analysis.
  • And Oxos the Medical Vinegar for more Oxos/Vinegar analysis.
• see also Venom Use in Mysteries and Medicine
• see Dr Hillman explain Polydipsia
• see Christ - what is a christ? It's a drug title
• see Lestes - what is a Lestes? A trafficker, plunderer of souls
• see Neaniskos - how old is a neaniskos?
• see The Passion of the Christer a rewrite of the story
• Geoponica (Γεωπονικά). That Byzantine agronomic compendium (compiled under Constantine VII, c. 10th century CE, but gathering far older Hellenistic and Roman material) preserves a huge body of pharmacological and toxicological lore. Much of it descends from Hippiatrica, agricultural manuals, and earlier medical writers (Hippocrates, Galen, Apollonius, even Democritus traditions).