Christ Conspiracy_ The Greatest Story Ever Sold - Acharya S [89]
Astrology in the New Testament
The biblical astrological imagery does not end with the Old Testament, however, as the New Testament is also an astrotheological text. Although the biblical and Christian admonitions against astrology are pitched and hysterical, from the beginning of the gospel tale we encounter astrology, as the "three wise men" or "magi" who used the stars to find the babe in the manger represent astrologers. Of this event, ben Yehoshua says:
It should be noted that the centre of astrological superstition in the Roman Empire was the city of Tarsus in Asia Minor-the place where the legendary missionary Paul came from. The idea that a special star had heralded the birth of Jesus, and that a solar eclipse occurred at his death, is typical of Tarsian astrological superstition.
Furthermore, at John 14:2 Jesus says, "In my Father's house are many rooms," which is also translated "many mansions." Walker explains:
The original meaning of these mansions was "houses of the moon," that is, the zodiacal constellations through which the Moon Goddess passed on her monthly round.36
These "houses," of course, are also applicable in the story of the sun. As Paul says at 1 Corinthians 15:41, revealing his astrotheological thinking: "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory."
In the gospels, Jesus refers to different "ages," which are in fact the divisions that constitute the precession of the equinoxes. As Moses was created to usher in the Age of Aries, so was Jesus to serve as the Avatar of the Age of Pisces, which is evident from the abundant fish imagery used throughout the gospel tale. This zodiacal connection has been so suppressed that people with the fish symbol on the back of their cars have no idea what it stands for, although they are fallaciously told it represents "ICHTHYS," an anagram for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior," ichthys also being the Greek word for fish. The residual symbols of the previous Age of Aries can be found in the "Lamb" designations of Jesus, including the "Agnus Dei," or "Lamb of God." In addition, Jesus makes mention of the precession of the equinoxes or the change of the ages when he says to the disciples, who are asking about how to prepare for the "passover," "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters . . ." (Lk. 22:10) This famous yet enigmatic passage refers to the "house" or Age of Aquarius, the Water-Bearer, and Jesus is instructing his disciples to pass over into it. Furthermore, the "upper room" where Jesus sends his disciples to "make ready" is the same "upper chambers in the heavens" found in Amos.
That the ancients, including Christians, were well aware of astrology and its influence is evident not only from the canonical biblical texts but also from those that did not make the final cut. For example, the noncanonical Epistle of Barnabas (c. 100-120 CE) speaks of a 2,000-year eon, clearly referring to one of the equinoctial ages, and the author of First Clement also expresses his knowledge of astrology, as well as his love for it:
The heavens are moved by His direction and obey Him in peace. Day and night accomplish the course assigned to them by Him, without hindrance one to another. The sun and the moon and the dancing stars according to His appointment circle in harmony within the bounds assigned to them, without any swerving aside. The earth, bearing fruit in fulfillment of His will at her proper seasons, putteth forth the food that supplieth abundantly both men and beasts and all living things which are thereupon, making no dissension, neither altering anything which He hath decreed.
In fact, the earliest "Christians," the Gnostics, also were astrologers, and their texts are