Around 1921, Crowley wrote a short commentary about each chapter, assisting the reader in the Qabalistic interpretation.

[4] An explanation of the title on the facing page ends with the sentence, "There is no joke or subtle meaning in the publisher's imprint.

"[4] Yet according to Robert Anton Wilson in his 1977 book Cosmic Trigger I: The Final Secret of the Illuminati: This might have been a veiled warning about what will follow, but is actually the first lie in the book; occult historian Francis King has carefully determined the date on the imprint is inaccurate by at least a year.

[5]In his Confessions, Crowley discusses how the book was to lead to his joining Ordo Templi Orientis.

He went to the bookshelves and, taking out a copy of The Book of Lies, pointed to a passage in the despised chapter.

(sucking seed and sucking eggs referring to mutual oral sex),[citation needed] while Crowley's book De Arte Magica names Chapter 36, "The Star Sapphire", a ritual related chapter.

The ritual has been performed by many practitioners during the years, including Robert Anton Wilson, who describes his experience with it in Cosmic Trigger II: Down to Earth.