Just as the Artist Cast it Away

The clues of the Maranatha Puzzle offered many different interpretations for puzzlers.  Each person considering the cluster of words followed various paths and researched numerous options.  It was possible any of them, each in their own way, could have led a person to a final intended conclusion.   The clue’s understandings, much like the enigma’s noticed at Rennes le Chateau, are still questioned today.  Only speculations, like the following, can be shared.

While exploring the September 2007 clue of ‘Find in a burden’s name the rod not to use, just as the artist cast it away’, puzzlers were led down many paths.  It has been realized how even searching for an understanding of only one clue, picked from the entire collection, could send a person on a journey.

One potential meaning for the first half of the clue led to Find in the Ark of the Covenant (symbolically); as explained in a previous post.  This may connect to the second half by signifying a particular time.

‘Just as’ is a synonym for ‘at the same time’.  The second half of the clue could then be read as ‘at the same time as the artist cast it away’?   In the Maranatha Puzzle book, the artist of the seven images had signed his name to all, except one.  The ‘it’ of the clue segment could refer back to ‘name’ in the first half of the clue.  Scaramouche (the artist) cast his name away on the fifth image of the book.  This picture shows two serpents and a staff entwined.

An interpretation can be made that the time in which the artist cast his name away was at the precise time or point of unity displayed on the page.  The two serpents represent opposites.  The staff provides a point of balance of which the two intersected.  The image portrays a time of union and demonstrates a point of spiritual awakening.

If ‘the rod not to use’ is ‘Aaron’s rod’(the rod which budded/renewed life), perhaps a meaning of the complete clue is indicating life is found at a ‘point of unity’.  The rod, symbolizing man, is laid to rest once life is found.   Matthew 16:25 states, “For whomever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”

Fascinatingly, there is another artist who cast a rod away and may offer an additional application with a similar meaning.  One found not directly in the book.  Because the ‘artist’s’ name of the Maranatha puzzle book was linked to the Fool (Scaramouch), the cast away rod could have been the fool’s rod.  Since Puzzlers were informed during the competition that the ‘secret’ found within the puzzle was connected to the mystery surrounding Rennes le Chateau, one may have looked there for a cast away fool’s rod.  The fool’s rod is often seen with a sack.

There happens to be an occasion.  In the large bas relief depicting Jesus on the Mount, there is a prominent sack located front and center.  As described on the RLC Research Site, the painting was most likely inspired from a previous picture in an 1875 book by Dean Frederic Farrar called ‘Life of Christ’.  In the original picture there was a rod depicted with the sack.  However, at Rennes le Chateau, the ‘rod is cast away’ by the artist; it does not appear.  One may wonder if the clue wanted to draw attention to the scene in which the rod does not appear along side of the sack.

Like the image in the Maranatha book, this image of Jesus standing above offers an understanding of Unity.  The below caption says, “Come to me, all who suffer, and I will relieve your pain” (translation).   The similar phrase in the Bible is “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”(Matthew 11:28)  Jesus, seen as Divine, provides the union of opposites; man and God.  A new covenant.

The side scenes display another hint towards union of opposites.  They are opposite landscapes as described again on the RLC site.  Together, the phrases beneath each side and one wide reaching arc complete the thought, “Come to me and I will give you rest.”  The possessions/burdens of man (fool’s sack) are seen placed aside, and the unseen rod could be seen as laid to rest/not used; perhaps signifying a raised man.