Baphomet was a deity that the Knights Templers were accused of worshipping in blasphemous ceremonies in the 14th-century and were imprisoned by King Philip IV of France. Some of them that were tortured admitted to worshipping Baphomet. In 1856, Éliphas Lévi drew the first depiction of Baphomet that took the form of a semi-human-semi-goat hermaphrodite, with a caduceus where an erect phallus should be and its arms (one female and the other male) in the “As Above So Below” position. The principle of “As Above So Below” is thought to be in relation to the macrocosm (the realm of God) and the microcosm (our physical world) and how through the Tree of Life, we may learn to unite them, thus accomplishing the Great Work. According to Tracy Twyman, in her book ‘Temple Mystery Unveiled’, Éliphas explained that Baphomet was “a symbol of transcendental power beyond good and evil, man and beast, or male and female energies, capable of performing any transformation of matter that the human mind could conceive” and represented the “synthesis of all energy, both on Earth and in Heaven”. This was echoed by Freemason Albert Pike, who described Baphomet as the magical force of the universe, while occultist Aleister Crowley described Baphomet as being representative of “arcane perfection” through a union of opposites. In mystical and occult traditions, Baphomet represents the sum of our entire universe and all its opposing forces, and rather than being a symbol of evil, represents enlightenment and wisdom. Baphomet is not the first horned-deity to be worshipped of course and other deities with similar characteristics include Ammon, Khnum, Naigamesha, Kherty, Cernunnos, and Pan. Cernunnos, for example, was a horned-deity in Celtic mythology and was associated with sexuality, fertility, and the hunt. On the Pillar of the Boatmen (which is the oldest known monument in Paris, dating back 2,000 years) he’s shown with horns while sitting cross-legged, providing a direct parallel to Éliphas’ depiction of Baphomet.
Baphomet is a symbol that has generated intrigue and controversy throughout history. It’s associated with occultism, mystery traditions, and the Knights Templar. While its origins and meanings are subject to interpretation, some individuals have proposed intriguing parallels between Baphomet and Christ. A notable parallel lie in their association with duality. Baphomet’s depicted as androgynous in nature and represents the equilibration of opposites and the integration of masculine and feminine energies. Christ is likewise depicted (especially in paintings) as androgynous and in ancient text is sometimes described as a merging of the male and the female. Drawing from the insights of the 15th-century book ‘Book of the Holy Treaty’, historian Leah De Vun describes the text as saying that Christ and Mary were originally a unified entity — an alchemical hermaphrodite. Describing the text — De Vun characterizes Christ as the “ultimate hermaphrodite, a unity of contrary parts, the human and the divine, the male and the female”. This idea of Christ as a hermaphrodite finds support in the writings of early Christian theologian Hippolytus, who, like the Ophites, considered Christ to be of dual genders.1 Artistic representations of Christ, such as the painting “The Lamentation around the remains of Christ”, underscore this idea, showing Christ with female breasts akin to Baphomet. Some propose that the name “Jesus Christ” could represent the merging of two distinct entities or names into one. This idea is bolstered by the identification of “Jesus” as an ancient name for Isis, referred to as “Esus” in hieroglyphic inscriptions,2 and “Christ” as a name historically associated with Osiris (see the book ‘Christ in Egypt: The Horus-Jesus Connection’). Within this framework, Isis and Osiris serve as possible precursors for the Biblical figures Mary and Christ.
This union or merging of Mary and Christ into a hermaphrodite like Baphomet represent twin souls becoming one and the accomplishment of the Philosopher’s Stone. The Philosopher’s Stone represents the alchemical process of inner transformation, leading to the ultimate goal of Divine Union. Divine Union refers to a spiritual state of unity and connection with the divine or higher consciousness. In essence, it refers to the coming together of twin souls, similar to how Christ merges with Mary or how Osiris merges with Isis. According to Manly Palmer Hall, in his book ‘Initiates of the Flame’, the “marriage of the Sun and Moon” represents the accomplishment of the Philosopher’s Stone. For the ancient Egyptians, the Moon represented Isis and the Sun represented Osiris and their union created Horus who was the fusion of both his parents and a divine hermaphrodite. In his book ‘Gods Wear Spandex’, Chris Knowles says: “The Chemical Wedding referred to the work of the alchemists, who sought to marry the masculine and feminine properties of creation and produce the Royal Hermaphrodite, which some historians have linked to Harpocrates (Younger Horus)”. In the ancient mysteries, the ultimate aim of the philosophers was not to transform lead chemically into gold, but transform man and woman into the divine hermaphrodite, merging the opposites; the male and the female. This is ultimately what Baphomet represents. It represents the idea that true spiritual enlightenment and wholeness come from embracing and integrating both the masculine and feminine aspects of creation. This union of opposites is seen as a path to spiritual balance and ultimate transcendence. This integration of the male and female is also represented by Rebis, which is a 15th-century figure used to symbolize the Magnum Opus or Great Work.
The connections between Christ and Baphomet are not widely recognized or agreed upon, but esoteric interpretations have been proposed. For example, in his book ‘Baphomet of Éliphas Lévi’, Abraxas Aletheia argues that Baphomet is an esoteric symbol of Christ, saying: “Contrary to popular belief, Baphomet is an image of an esoteric Jesus Christ created from a composite of alchemical, Kabbalistic and Christian symbols”. One such connection symbolically between Baphomet and Christ can be found in Baphomet’s caducous which matches the Christogram which is a monogram or combination of letters that forms an abbreviation for Christ’s name. One of Baphomet’s most recognizable symbols is the pentagram emblazoned on its forehead. The pentagram is commonly associated with Christ. In Christian tradition, the pentagram is seen as a symbolic connection to the five wounds of Christ. In certain esoteric traditions, the pentagram has been linked to the planet Venus, called the Morning Star or the Evening Star, depending on its appearance in the sky. This is of relevance, because Christ describes himself as the bright Morning Star in the Book of Revelation (22:16). One of the earliest connections between Baphomet and Christ can be found in the mythology surrounding the Knights Templar, a medieval Christian military order. Some have suggested that the Baphomet head that the Knights Templars venerated was the head of Christ. In her book ‘The Templars: The Secret History Revealed’, Barbara Frale says: “The last point raised in the indictment against the Templars concerned the secret veneration of an idol in the shape of a bearded head. There is clear evidence of the existence of image of Christ in the religious life of the order, as well as a mysterious cult devoted to the Sacred Blood”. Frale’s essentially suggesting that the Baphomet head was that of Christ. This same idea was the subject of the book ‘The Head of God: The Lost Treasure of the Templars’, by Keith Laidler.
Another intriguing point of convergence between Baphomet and Christ is the hand gesture known as the Punda Mandra, observed in certain depictions of both Baphomet and Christ (as seen here and below). This hand gesture carries symbolic connotations related to duality and unity. Baphomet’s gesture can be interpreted as an embodiment of the union of opposites, reconciling masculine and feminine energies within a singular entity, while Christ’s gesture possibly signals a similar thing. This parallel suggests a shared metaphysical theme, emphasizing the integration of opposing forces and the ultimate transcendence of duality. The Punda Mandra hand sign that Baphomet makes can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Two Finger amulets (Prana Mudra sign) were a symbol of Osiris and were placed on the body of a mummy. The Pyramid Texts give some references on the importance of the sign where it explains that “two fingers helped Osiris ascend the Ladder and reach into Heaven” (see the book ‘Amulets and Superstitions’, by Wallis Budge). Baphomet and Christ also share symbolic connections when it comes to the “As Above So Below” hand gesture. The “As Above So Below” gesture is used as a visual reminder of this Hermetic principle, serving as a symbol of the interconnection between the spiritual and material worlds. This hand gesture, depicted as an upward-pointing hand and a downward-pointing hand meeting at the centre, represents the harmony and interconnectedness between the spiritual and physical realms. The link between Baphomet and Christ is open to diverse interpretations in different cultures and religions, yet these similarities suggest a profound underlying connection that unifies them. Probably an Easter Egg, but in the popular video-game Destiny 2, the character Osiris makes the same hand-sign as Baphomet.
In his 1887 book ‘The Gnostics and Their Remains’, Charles King connects Baphomet to Osiris, saying: “Interesting above the rest for the part it played in medieval superstition is the Osiris, or old man, with radiated head, a terminal figure always shown in front face with arms crossed on the breast; the true Baphomet of the Templars”. Meanwhile, Lévi equated Baphomet with the “Goat of Mendes” which was believed to be “Banebdjedet” and Greek philosopher Plutarch links Osiris to the “Goat of Mendes”. However, this might be a misinterpretation. According to the article ‘The Baphomet’, Brain Pitkin says: “Lévi incorrectly identified Baphomet as the Goat of Mendes, an ancient Egyptian deity whose name should more properly be translated as: Harpocrates, the Ram of Mendes”. Harpocrates was Horus in child-form and Horus was the reborn Osiris. The syncretism of traditions in ancient Egypt led to the identification of Harpocrates with the ram-headed deity of Mendes. This association can be seen in certain artistic representations where Harpocrates is shown with a ram’s head or with a crown featuring ram horns. In his book ‘Magic and Theory in Practice’, 20th-century occultist Aleister Crowley equates Baphomet with “Horus come to full growth”. Crowley also equated Baphomet with Harpocrates (see the book ‘The Commentaries of AL’). In Egyptian mythology, Horus (Harpocrates) was the son of Isis and Osiris, but some sources imply that Horus was not the son of Isis and Osiris, but rather a product of them fusing as one into a hermaphrodite alchemically like Rebis.18 Some suggest that Horus is merely Osiris reborn, as suggested here. The 19th-century occultist Helena Blavatsky said in her book ‘The Secret Doctrine’: “Osiris is interchangeable with Isis — and Horus is of both sexes”. Some have noted similarities between Christ and Horus, suggesting that the character of Christ may have been inspired by the earlier story of Horus. Both Horus and Christ are assumed to have been born to a virgin mother, both are depicted as healers and miracle-workers, and both are associated with narratives of resurrection and triumph over death.
In his article ‘Elements of Gnostic Concepts in Depictions on Magical Gems’, Grażyna Bąkowska-Czerner says: “Harpocrates [Horus] was a very popular deity in the Greco-Roman period, and worshipped mainly in Alexandria. Numerous depictions of the god can be found around the whole Roman Empire, where he was equated with Apollo, Helios, Heracles, Eros, and sometimes also with Cronus [Saturn]. In the Gnostic theology and art he was compared to Christ. On amulets, the name Chnoubis is repeated which is a Greek version of the word Chnum. It was the name of an Egyptian god worshipped as the maker. Chnoubis appears in the Gnostic sect of Ophites. The serpent Chnoubis sitting on a lotus flower is sometimes equated with Harpocrates and Ialdabaoth. The latter was considered by Gnostics to be the Demiurge, the first ruler with the face of a lion and snake, he was also called Ariel because he used to take on the form of a lion”. In artistic representations, Harpocrates is shown sitting on a lotus flower. The Greek philosopher Iamblichus equates Harpocrates with the Platonic Demiurge. In his book ‘De Mysteriis’, he states: “But he [Harpocrates] was, none the less, a figure of the supreme god, more or less in the position of the Platonic Demiurge, precisely as the transcendent ruler of the universe”. From the information above, Baphomet possibly corresponds to Harpocrates, the “Ram of Mendes”, who in turn possibly corresponds to Christ and perhaps even the Demiurge. The Demiurge is regarded as the creator of the material world. Similarly, Christ is considered the agent of creation: “All things came into being through him” (John 1:3). In his article ‘Christ as Demiurge’, Edward Moore references old material (such as from Origen of Alexandria) suggesting Christ corresponds to the Demiurge, including old material where “Jesus Christ is explicitly identified as the Demiurge (δημιουργός); the active principle (ἀρχή) of creation”.
In his book ‘Im Kraftstrom des Satan-Seth,’ German author Frater Eremore establishes intriguing connections between Osiris, IAO, Christ, and Baphomet, suggesting a nuanced interpretation that could potentially view them as distinct manifestations of a single entity. Quote: “IAO is a name that has been haunting the world for at least two-thousand years. It’s teeming with literature in which the authors are quite sure what and who is behind this name. Some see in IAO a name of God comparable to the Tetragrammaton; YHVH, interpreted as Jehovah or Jahve, but never pronounced or spelled out by orthodox Jews. In common parlance, he was replaced by Adonia, Hebrew for “Lord”, derived from the Semitic Adon or the Phoenician-Syrian Adonis, who, from the point of view of religious studies, belongs to the family of the dying and resurrecting gods; Osiris, Balder, Tammuz, Attis, and Christ. The heretic Marcion and his followers used IAO as the formula for God in the second century AD. The Marcionite community later formed in the order of the Knights Templar, who worshiped IAO as a universal deity and possibly associated it with Baphomet. The Egyptian initiates into the mysteries of Serphis, in their eyes an incarnation of Osiris, gave themselves this title. Aleister Crowley saw in the IAO a fundamental formula of Osiris, a formula of all male deities who died a sacrificial death: Dionysus, Balder, Adonis, and Christ”. The association between the god IAO, perceived by the Templars as a universal deity possibly linked to Baphomet, and Christ, finds further support in the very name IAO itself. The name IAO is believed to represent ‘I’ Alpha Omega, or the Greek Iota Alpha Omega. In the Book of Revelation, Christ declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” Within Gnostic traditions, IAO is associated with the liberation of the soul and the revelation of hidden knowledge, while Christ, as understood in Christian tradition, assumes the role of liberator.
I believe it’s a possibility that the male aspect of Baphomet represents Osiris and the female aspect represents Isis. In the book ‘The Hidden Faces of Eve’, it’s said that the myth of Osiris and Isis does not differ in essence from Adam and Eve. Some believe that Adam and Eve was originally a hermaphrodite being, but was split apart by God before the “Fall”. Some view this hermaphrodite as the perfect Primordial Man and one day they believe humanity will be fused back into one androgynous entity and mankind’s entrapment in the material realm will be reversed and we will be restored back to our original self. In this respect, the hermaphroditic Baphomet may represent Divine Union. Lévi described Baphomet as a symbol of the Great Work, saying: “There exists in nature a force which is immeasurably more powerful than steam, and by means of which a single man, who knows how to adapt and direct it, might upset and alter the face of the world. This force was known to the ancients; it consists in a universal agent having equilibrium for its supreme law, while its direction is concerned immediately with the great arcanum of transcendental magic. This agent is precisely that which the adepts of the middle ages denominated the first matter of the Great Work. The Gnostics represented it as the fiery body of the Holy Spirit; it was the object of adoration in the secret rites of the Sabbath and the Temple, under the hieroglyphic figure of Baphomet”. The Great Work is a term used in Hermeticism and occult traditions descended from it, such as Thelema. Accomplishing the Great Work, symbolized as the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone, represents the culmination of the spiritual path, the attainment of enlightenment, or the rescue of the human soul from the unconscious forces which bind it. According to Manly Palmer Hall, the Philosopher’s Stone is accomplished by the marriage of the Sun and Moon. In ancient Egyptian religion and esoteric systems, the Moon respresents Isis and the Sun represents Osiris.
Renowned occultist Tracy Twyman (who probably wrote the most detailed breakdown of Baphomet ever in her book ‘Temple Mystery Unveiled’) says that she thinks that the Gnostic god Abraxas is simply another expression of Baphomet.13 In Gnostic cosmology, Abraxas is depicted as a composite creature with the body of a man and the head of a rooster or a lion and symbolizes the fusion of opposites and the unity of divine attributes. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung described Abraxas as the Great Hermaphrodite, incorporating all opposites in one being.14 Images bearing Abraxas were used in the 14th-century in seals of the Knights Templars. In the ancient Greek Magical Papyri texts, Abraxas corresponds to Osoronnophris, whose name represents Egyptian Wsir Wn-nfr, “Osiris the Perfect Being” (possibly being a reference to the union between Isis and Osiris into one being, Horus, the born-again Osiris, who’s described by some as hermaphrodite). There are quite a number of sources that connect Abraxas to Horus. For example, in her 1888 book ‘The Secret Doctrine’, Helena Blavatsky corresponds Abraxas with Horus, saying: “Just as the LAO of the mysteries was distinct from Jehovah, so was the later Iao and Abraxas of some Gnostic sects identical with the god of the Hebrews, who was the same as the Egyptian Horus”. Meanwhile, archeologist Sencan Altinoluk sees Abraxas as a solar deity, much like those from the Egyptian pantheon, such as Horus, Osiris, and Ra. In her book ‘Abraxas: A Magical Gem in the Istanbul Archaeological Museums’, she says: “Abraxas is the god of the solar year; Abraxas was thought to be a mighty tutelary deity. People imagined him as a kind of Sun-god similar to the Greek Helios, who could protect people all of the year — 365 days — and who was able to see everything that happens on Earth”. In his 1921 book ‘Mackey’s History of Freemasonry: Volume 1’, Freemason Albert Mackey states: “Abraxas, or Iao, or both, are Horus, or the Sun”.
❝Basilidės had taken from the word abracadabra the name of God or Abraxas, whose mystical symbol, among the Egyptians, was Osiris or the Sun. Jehova, God, Abraxas, Osiris and Unity, the holy Unity, are the five names of the Great Architect of the Universe, a unity all the more great and marvelous because it’s made up of a triad; Osiris, omnipotence; Isis, creation; and Horus, wisdom❞
Nathaniel Moulth, his 1854 book ‘Petit Manuel du Devin et du Sorcier‘
In his book ‘The Blue Equinox’, Crowley describes Baphomet as follows: “And I believe in The Serpent and The Lion, Mystery of Mystery, in his name Baphomet”. I have various interpretations about what Crowley meant when describing Baphomet as “The Serpent and The Lion”. One interpretation is that Baphomet is dualistic in nature and is composed of two opposing parts, one being The Serpent and the other The Lion. If the numbers of the names of the Sun-god and the Moon-goddess, Belēnos and Andatē, 365 and 364, be added together, they come to 729, which curiously enough is given by Crowley as the number of ‘Baphomet’. In the 1884 book ‘Diccionario de ciencias éclesiásticas’, the author connects Belēnos to Osiris, the Egyptian Sun-god. Meanwhile, Andatē, could be connected to Isis, the Egyptian Moon-goddess. Isis was depicted as a serpent or snake in Greco-Roman times (see the book ‘Isis: Eternal Goddess of Egypt’) and Osiris was sometimes associated with a lion. The serpent has long been recognized as a symbol of the goddess and wisdom. This association is famously depicted in the story of the Garden of Eden, where a serpent tempts Eve with the forbidden fruit of knowledge. In certain Gnostic circles, Sophia is equated with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. According to some Gnostic myths, Sophia is an emanation from the divine realm who becomes involved in the material world and plays a pivotal role in humanity’s spiritual awakening. Sophia also has another connection with Baphomet. When the Hebrew letters spelling Baphomet are run through the ATBASH cipher it generates “Sophia”, meaning wisdom. In his book ‘Spiritual Ecology’, Patrick de Sercey says: “It’s believed by some that Baphomet really means Sophia, which is to say wisdom or gnosis, the quality of Isis or more exactly the androgynous result of the spiritual path associated with Osiris and Isis”. Sophia is considered to be interchangeable with (many goddesses including) Isis and Inanna. In ancient artistic representations of Inanna, she’s shown subduing a lion, which could well represent The Serpent overcoming The Lion.
Some linguists have connected the root syllable “met” in “Baphomet” to the name of the god Mithra, worshipped by some Gnostics as an incarnation of divine wisdom. This connection is supported by Crowley whose etymological interpretation of Baphomet’s name came out to be “Father Mithras”. Mithraism has been subject to various interpretations and some have suggested that the story of Christ was based on the earlier story of Mithra. Both the births of Mithra and Christ are associated with divine intervention or a supernatural conception, both were born on December 25th, both were regarded as Sun-gods and had 12 companions, both were associated with resurrection, and both were regarded as saviour figures and mediators between humanity and the divine. In his scholarly article ‘The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World’, David Ulansey says: “Christ is not merely like Mithra, he is Mithra”. Mithra also has androgynous qualities like Baphomet and is sometimes described as a hermaphrodite. For example, in his 1856 book ‘The Obstetric Memoirs and Contributions’, James Young Simpson says: “[German theologian August Tholuck said that] Mitra (Mithras of the ancient Persians) was hermaphrodite”. Mithra was equated with the Demiurge by some (see the article ‘Mithras Demiourgos’, by Diego Romagnoli). The actual identity of Baphomet, whether it’s Mithra, Harpocrates, or Abraxas, remains shrouded in speculation, yet it’s intriguing to note the connection between those deities and Christ. Despite its relatively ancient origins dating back to the 14th-century, the identity of Baphomet continues to be enigmatic. When considering the mystery of Baphomet’s identity, one might ponder the hypothesis proposed by Abraxas Aletheia in his book ‘Baphomet of Éliphas Lévi’, suggesting that Baphomet could symbolize an esoteric Jesus Christ, who historian Leah De Vun describes as the “ultimate hermaphrodite” based on a 15th-century text.
References:
1 Baphomet: The Temple Mystery Unveiled (by Tracy Twyman)
2 Reallexikon der Agpyptischen Religionsgeschichte (by Hans Bonnet)
3 Leah DeVun, The Jesus Hermaphrodite: Science and Sex Difference in Premodern Europe, Journal of the History of Ideas (2008)
8 The Lotus and the Boat: Plutarch and Iamblichus on Egyptian
Symbols (by Mikolaj Domaradzki)
9 The Name of Satan (by De Gruyter)
10 Wikipedia article: Leviathan
13 YouTube video: The True Origins and Identity of Baphomet
14 Smash the World’s Shell — The Gnostic Roots of the Dark Souls Trilogy
18 The Secret Teachings of Mary Magdalene: Including the Lost Verses of The Gospel of Mary, Revealed and Published for the First Time
SATURN, CERN, AND THE CUBE OF ILLUSION 
Similar analysis on baPHomet…
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Jesus – a re-write of HORUS from the Egyptian Osiris Myth?
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