The constellation Lynx is directly next to the Lesser Lion — the image of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The constellation Lynx itself was only defined in the 17th century, so the meaning does not lie in the animal as such. The main key is found in one of its stars — Alsciaukat (31 Lyncis), whose name comes from the Arabic aš-šawkat and means 'Thorn'. Beside the Son appears the Thorn — the image of His sufferings, the crown of thorns, wounds, and death on the cross. The Lesser Lion shows who He is, and the Thorn beside Him shows what He endured for the salvation of men.
Full interpretation
Verifiable historical, etymological and topographical statements are accompanied by sources. The theological conclusions are the project’s interpretation according to its published methodology.
Next to the Great Lion is the Lesser Lion.
In the overall heavenly picture, this is the image:[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
Great Lion — God the Father. Lesser Lion — God the Son.
And directly bordering the Lesser Lion is the constellation Lynx. The modern map of the International Astronomical Union shows Lynx as one of the neighboring constellations of Leo Minor.
However, here we must separate the figure of Lynx itself from the starry space it occupies.
The constellation Lynx was introduced by Johannes Hevelius in 1687. He filled with it a large region of faint stars between the Great Bear and Auriga; part of these stars were already listed by Ptolemy as individual 'unformed' stars outside the figure of the Great Bear.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
Therefore there is no basis to assert that ancient peoples saw a lynx here.
But within this later-defined region lies a remarkable star — 31 Lyncis, which received the official name Alsciaukat. The International Astronomical Union fixed this name for the star, and its origin — Arabic aš-šawkat — literally means:[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
'Thorn'.
Moreover, historians of star names specifically note: the name 'Thorn' has no connection to the image of the lynx, which appeared much later.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
That is precisely why this detail is especially important.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
We do not derive meaning from the idea that the predatory Lynx supposedly attacks the Lesser Lion. The meaning is much simpler:
beside the Son is the Thorn.
And the entire earthly life of Christ leads precisely to this image.
The Son of God came into the world, but was rejected by men. He was beaten, humiliated, a crown of thorns was placed on His head, He was crucified and pierced.
What is beside the Lesser Lion becomes the image of the Son's suffering.
Here the prophecy of Isaiah resonates especially strongly:[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
'He was wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities.'
The Lesser Lion shows the Son of God in His divine dignity.
The Thorn reminds of the price this Son paid.
A striking contrast emerges:
He is the Lion's Son. He is the King. Yet He accepts the Thorn.
And this precisely matches the Gospel. Christ did not cease to be King when they put a crown of thorns on Him. Men made that crown a sign of mockery, but unwittingly depicted the truth: before them indeed stood the King.
Therefore the image of the Thorn beside the Lesser Lion unites two sides of Christ:
The Lesser Lion — His royal and divine dignity. The Thorn — His voluntary suffering.
Through these sufferings, the way to the Father is opened to man. The Son accepts wounds in order to reconcile man with God.
That is why the Lesser Lion lies between God's people and the Great Lion-Father: Christ is the only way to the Father. But that way was opened at the cost of His body and blood.
The Epistle to the Hebrews says that the way into the sanctuary is opened for us 'by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way... that is, through His flesh'.
Therefore, beside the image of the Son, the image of the wound naturally appears.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
Father → Son → Thorn.
And at the same time:
Thorn → suffering → opened way to the Father.
Lynx is therefore best understood not as a separate spiritual character nor as another enemy of Christ. The late animal image is secondary here.
The main thing is preserved in the star itself:
Alsciaukat — Thorn.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
This Thorn is in the region adjacent to the Lesser Lion and becomes a sign that the Son of God was wounded for our salvation.[Kunitzsch & Smart][IAU · имена звёзд]
