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richard landes asks: > as for the serpent as a symbol of xt's passion -- other than hanging on a > pole, what's the connection? John's Gospel is the source of this analogy: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (Jn 3:14-15) There is a wealth of Patristic commentary on this image, and it frequently appears in Medieval art as a type of the crucifixion. The primary image would be one of healing, but the hanging upon a pole, the being lifted up, and the image of an animal which resurrects itself (i.e, sheds its skin) have also been noted. Phil Feller %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%