Jesus

The Last Judgment Painted by Leandro Bassano, a 16th century Venetian artist, The Last Judgment is a stunning work of scared art that takes one’s breath away upon first sight. Finished in 1596, the oil painting stands 73 x 51 cm tall and currently resides in the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, Japan.

Visiting this piece on a Monday, I had the pleasure of seeing it mostly to myself. Most people walking by stopped to take a brief look at the well lit painting and I couldn’t help but wonder if they were Christian or not and whether or not the piece would have had a bigger impact if they were. At first glance it was pretty easy for me to see this piece’s relationship to Christianity and the event that it depicts. The painting, to me, appears in 3 sections: the central and most eye drawing section on top, the middle section, and the bottom section.

The top section depicts Jesus of Nazareth basked in a glowing light holding a white flag of salvation while a man, most likely his father God, floats above him. He is surrounded by angels and pure followers of Christ at, what the title suggests, is the last judgment. This section is the brightest and most eye catching part of the painting due to the well played contrasting colors surrounding it. All other parts following this are duller and darker in color and really help to create a glowing light in the darkness effect for this top portion.

The middle section, duller in tone to its predecessor, appears in two parts. The left side portrays people of the church while the right side shows commoners. I felt this section depicted those who were neither tainted nor completely pure; those who were almost in reach of salvation but who could yet still fall. I thought this section, although smallest in portrayal, represented the largest portion of the Christian community as we are often on the path to salvation but can still easily sway.

This middle section was what I believed to be the middle way. As it appears, the top portion of the painting conveys salvation and Christ, while the middle section depicts the church and the people, so all that remains are those in redemption and those who are already damned. This is the bottom and darkest part of the piece. On the left side sits those who can still be saved; the image of angels helping men stand up covey great feelings of regret and redemption.

The right side of the section, the darkest and grimmest part of the painting, depicts devils and demons carrying and torturing the tainted and damned. When I first saw The Last Judgment I was curious as to why the brightest piece was on top and not dead center as it was what drew my eye first and foremost; however a quick look at the other sections of the painting quickly draws one to the conclusion of an order with heaven on top, earth in the middle, and hell down below.

The colors and style of the painting resemble that of other renaissance pieces surrounding it and really does well in drawing one back in time; giving the viewer a wonderful feel of the Christian religion. Overall this was an amazing piece depicting a holy and scared event in the Christian religion. The Last Judgment, by Leandro Bassano 16th century Venetian Artist, religious painting of Christ Finished in 1596, currently residing in the National Museum of Western Art; Tokyo, Japan (Ueno).

About the Author

Lee Strobel, Master of Studies in Law from Yale Law School. Award-winning journalist & investigative reporter for 13 yrs. at the Chicago Tribune.His life changes when his wife becomes a Christian. He fears he will lose the fun-loving companion and friend he has known for years, but instead he is surprised by subtle changes in her character. This not only intrigues him but prompts him to learn more about Jesus by using the same logical and factual approach he follows while working as an investigative crime reporter.

He starts his learning quest as an unconvinced skeptic. His underlying question is, “Can a case for Christ be made beyond a reasonable doubt”? To answer this, he sets out on a fact-finding mission. For nearly two years, he interviews numerous subject matter experts and biblical scholars to answer his questions with facts and evidence. His skills in investigative reporting help uncover the truth regarding the reliability of the gospels. Introduction: Who is Jesus? This comes down to two answers: This man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.

Part 1: Examining the Record

• Timeframe Skeptics: “Some scholars say the gospels were written so far after the events that legend developed and distorted what was finally written down, turning Jesus from merely a wise teacher into the mythological Son of God. ”
• Answers: “The standard scholarly dating is that Acts was written by Luke in A. D. 61-63 because Paul was still living and under house arrest in Rome. Since Acts is the 2nd of a two-part work, we know the 1st part – the gospel of Luke – must have been written earlier than that. And since Luke incorporates parts of the gospel of Mark, that means Mark is even earlier.

So if you allow one year for each writing, you end up with Mark written no later than about A. D. 60, a maximum gap of 30 yrs. after Jesus’ death. That’s still within the lifetimes of various eyewitnesses of the life of Jesus, including hostile eyewitnesses who would have served as a corrective if false teachings about Jesus were going around. ” Eyewitness testimony is the key here. The two earliest biographies of Alexander the Great were written by Arrian and Plutarch more than 400 years after Alexander’s death in 323 B. C., yet historians consider them to be trustworthy. So whether the gospels were written 60 yrs. or 30 yrs. after the life of Jesus, the mount of time is negligible by comparison.

Character Test

“The gospel writers had nothing to gain except criticism, ostracism, and martyrdom. The certainly had nothing to win financially. If anything this would have provided pressure to keep quiet, to deny Jesus, to downplay him, even to forget they ever met him—yet, because of their integrity, they proclaimed what they saw. Pg. 48. Eleven apostles were put to grisly deaths, which show deep conviction for what they believed and were preaching regarding Jesus.  Consistency “The gospels are extremely consistent with each other by ancient standards, which are the only standards by which it’s fair to judge them”.  “If the gospels were identical or too consistent, this would have raised awareness that the authors had conspired among themselves to coordinate their stories in advance, and that would have cast doubt on them”.

The Adverse Witness Test

“Many people had reasons for wanting to discredit this movement and would have done so if they could have simply told history better. Yet, look what his opponents did say.

In later Jewish writings Jesus is called a sorcerer who led Israel astray—which acknowledges that he really did work marvelous wonders, although the writers dispute the source of his power. They never say he did not work the written miracles. If critics could have attacked the movement on the basis that it was full of falsehoods or distortions, they would have. But, that’s exactly what we don’t see”.

• Corroborating evidence outside the Bible Josephus, Jewish historian, A. D. 37-100
• Wrote about Jewish wars that have corroborated by other historians and archaeological excavations.
• Writes about James, brother of Jesus, who was called the Christ. Stoned to death in A. D. 62.
• Wrote about Jesus the tribe of his Christian followers that had still to this day not disappeared. Tacitus, a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire, A. D. 56 –117
• Writes about Christ suffering extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of Pontius Pilatus. Refers to an immense multitude of Christ followers willing to die for their beliefs. Pg. 82 Pliny the Younger, Roman citizen, and provincial governor, A. D. 23-79
• Refers to rapid spread of Christianity among all classes of people, as well as Roman citizens that are sent to Rome for trial. “They have high ethical standards and if they repeatedly admit they honor Christ as God they are executed”. Thallus, a Greek historian, wrote in A. D. 52 a history of the Mediterranean world since the Trojan War.
• Referenced the total darkness at the time of the crucifixion. Pg. 84 Phlegon, a Greek author in A. D. 137
• Reported about the greatest eclipse of the sun when it became night at noon in A. D. 33.
• The Mishnah, the 1st part of the Talmud, an important Jewish work compiled in A. D. 200 regarding Judaism’s Oral Law
• Refers to Jesus as a false messiah who practiced magic and was justly condemned to death.

Key Findings

So if we didn’t have any New Testament or other Christian writings, we could conclude from non-Christian historical writings that:

1. Jesus was a Jewish teacher
2. Many believed he performed healings and exorcisms
3. Some believed he was the Messiah
4. He was rejected by Jewish leaders
5. He was crucified under Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius
6. His followers spread beyond Palestine to there were multitudes of them in Rome by A. D. 64
7. All types of people worshiped him as God.

The Scientific Evidence Archaeology found an inscription from the time of Tiberius, from A. D. 14-37 which names Lysanias as tetrarch in Abila near Damascus—just as Luke had written. John mentions the Pool of Bethesda and details the pool had five porticoes. When archaeologists excavated in this location 40 feet below the ground, they found the pool site and 5 porticoes (walk ways) exactly as John had described.

A fragment copy of John 18 was found in Egypt that papyrologists have dated to about A. D. 125.

Part 2: Analyzing Jesus

The Identity Evidence of Gospel Writings The cross: Pontius Pilate inscribed INRI, an acronym for “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews. The Psychological Evidence Gary Collins, Dr. in clinical psychology. “People suffering form psychosis display inappropriate emotions such as anxiety, depression or even anger. Jesus did not display any such emotions nor did he exhibit the misperceptions that plague people suffering from psychosis. Jesus did not show any symptoms of mental illness.

Jesus supported what he said by his actions—healing, raising people from the dead and the casting out of demons.

Prophesy Fulfillment

Louis Lapides, Jewish convert to Christianity. Grew up thinking Jesus was more derogatory than anything else. After returning from Vietnam War, he experimented with various religions and drugs. Was challenged about his disbelief in Jesus which led him to read the Old Testament prophesies. Was amazed of all the prophesies that Jesus fulfilled: “Isaiah revealed the manner of the Messiah’s birth (of a virgin); Micah pinpointed the place of his birth (Bethlehem);

Genesis and Jeremiah specified his ancestry (a descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, from the tribe of Judah, the house of David); The Psalms foretold his betrayal, his accusation by false witnesses, his manner of death (pierced in the hands and feet, although crucifixion hadn’t been invented yet), and his resurrection (he would not decay but would ascent on high); and on and on” (p. 179). Lapides goes on to earn a bachelor’s degree in theology and a master of divinity of theology.

Part 3: Researching the Resurrection

To establish that Jesus rose from the dead, one must first establish that he died on the cross. The Medical Evidence The gospels tell us that Jesus sweat blood. “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. ” Luke 22:44 Dr. Metherell, M. D. & PH. D. in Engineering. “In severe cases of anxiety, the body releases chemicals that break down the capillaries in the sweat glands. As a result, there’s a small amount of bleeding into these glands, and the sweat comes out tinged with a very small amount of blood”.

According to the Dr., when Jesus was nailed to the cross, his arms would have immediately been stretched about 6 inches in length, and both shoulders would have become dislocated. This fulfilled the Old Testament prophesy in Psalm 22, which foretold the Crucifixion hundreds of years before it took place and says, “My bones are out of joint. ” When Jesus suffocated on the cross, a Roman soldier confirmed it by thrusting a spear into his side, which likely went through his lung and into the heart. When the spear was pulled out, clear fluid and a large volume of blood would have come out.

Clear fluid from the lung and large amounts of blood from the heart. This was confirmed in John 19:34 when John reported he saw blood and water come out Jesus’ side when the spear was removed. The Dr. testified there would be no question that Jesus was dead at this point. To speed up death, Romans would use a steel shaft to shatter the victim’s lower leg bones. This would prevent the victim from pushing up with his legs to breathe. Jesus’ legs were not broken, because the soldiers already determined that he was dead, and they just used the spear to confirm it.

John 19:32-36 This fulfilled another Old Testament prophesy about the Messiah, which is that his bones would remain unbroken. Ps 34:20. Roman soldiers had every incentive to ensure crucified prisoners were dead when removed from the cross, because they would be put to death if a prisoner escaped. “Last of all, if Jesus did not die, and he somehow walked away from the tomb, he would have been in such poor condition and looked so pitiful that his followers would have felt sorry for him and try to nurse him back to health.

They would never have been prompted to start a worldwide movement based on the hope that someday they too would have a resurrected body like his”.

The Evidence of the Missing Body

Joseph of Arimathea takes to body of Jesus, puts it in a tomb, the tomb is visited by a small group of women followers of Jesus early on the Sunday morning following his crucifixion, and they find that the tomb is empty. They see a vision of angels saying that “Jesus has risen” (p. 215). Recorded in Acts 13:29-31 and prophesied in Ps. 16:10.

In the earliest Jewish writings, there was nobody claiming the tomb still contained Jesus’ body. The question always was, “What happened to the body? ” The Jews proposed the guards of the tomb fell asleep, while the Christians proclaimed the guards were paid off to keep quiet.  “The site of Jesus’ tomb was known to Christian and Jew alike. If it were not empty, it would have been impossible for a movement founded on belief in the Resurrection to have come into existence in the same city where this man had been publicly executed and buried”.

The Evidence of Appearances

Wrote in both 1 Cor. 9:1 and in1 Cor. 15:8 where he personally encountered the resurrected Christ.

Persecuted Christians until his conversion sometime in A. D. 33.

Refers to the fact that Jesus was a descendant of David, that he was the Messiah, that he was betrayed, that he was tried, crucified for our sins, and buried, and that he rose again on the third day and was seen by many people—including James, the brother of Jesus who hadn’t believed in him prior to his crucifixion.

“1 Corinthians 15:8 is part of an early church creed. In this portion of Scripture, the post-resurrection Jesus is said to have appeared to Peter, the twelve, plus more than five hundred people some of whom were still alive at the writing of this epistle”.

People reading this at the time could still check with eye witnesses and question them if they wanted to confirm what it said”.

“This creed can be traced back to about A. D. 32 to 38 which means it lends it credence as primitive, unembellished testimony about Jesus appearing to skeptics like Paul and James”. Then they go on to cover the numerous sightings by other eye-witnesses mentioned in the gospels and the book of Acts”. Pg. 234. Were the appearances hallucinations? Dr. Gary Habermas, PH. D. , considered expert on the resurrection. He refutes the theory that the appearances were hallucinations because a hallucination is an individual experience that happens to one person at a time.

The Circumstantial Evidence

J. P. Moreland, PH. D. Professor and author. “When Jesus was crucified, his followers were discouraged and depressed.

They no longer had confidence that Jesus had been sent by God, because they believed anyone crucified was accursed by God. They also had been taught that God would not let his Messiah suffer death. So they dispersed. The Jesus movement was all but stopped in its tracks. ”

“Then, after a short period of time, we see them abandoning their occupations, regathering, and committing themselves to spreading a very specific message—that Jesus Christ was the Messiah of God who died on a cross, returned to life, and was seen alive by them. “And when you’ve got eleven credible people with no ulterior motives, with nothing to gain and a lot to lose, who all agree they observed something with their own eyes–now you’ve got some difficulty explaining that away”

The Conversion of Skeptics

“The gospels tell us Jesus’ family, including James, was embarrassed by what he was claiming to be. ” “Later the historian Josephus tells us that James was stoned to death because of his belief in his brother. Why did James’s life change?

Paul tells us: the resurrected Jesus appeared to him. There’s no other explanation”. Saul executed Christians when he had the chance. “Suddenly, he doesn’t just ease off Christians but joins their movement. He writes that he saw the risen Christ and heard Christ appoint him to be one of his followers. ”

Revolutionizing Jewish Life for followers of Jesus Immediately after Jesus’ death, 10,000 Jews were willing to give up five key practices that had served them sociologically and theologically for many centuries:

1. Jewish people no longer offered sacrifices they had been doing since the time of Abraham and Moses
2. You don’t become an upcoming Jewish member simply by keeping Moses’ laws.
3. Worshipped on Sunday (when Jesus rose) instead of Saturday, a 1500 year tradition.
4. Began to worship Jesus as God (trinity)
5. The Messiah was someone who suffered and died for the sins of the world, whereas Jews had been trained to believe that the Messiah was going to be a political leader who would destroy the Roman armies. ”

Conclusion

So let’s revisit the underlying question of this book, “Who is Jesus”? Lee Strobel concluded the evidence of history and his own experiences was too strong to ignore. He made a personal decision to receive Christ. Later, his five-year-old daughter went up to his wife and said, “Mommy, I want God to do for me what he’s done for Daddy. ” This book has helped strengthen my faith in Christ, by highlighting many intriguing historical facts and evidence that corroborates what is written in the Old and New Testament concerning Jesus.

I will end with the book’s last paragraph which cites a quote from C. S. Lewis, an atheist and skeptical Cambridge University professor who was eventually won over by evidence for Jesus. C. S. Lewis is most notably known for his best-selling book series The Chronicles of Narnia. “I am trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God. ” That is the one thing we must not say. A man ho was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic…or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

Between the fourth and eleventh centuries, the relationship between politics and religion included religion being used for military aid, papal primacy, rulers enforcing religious orthodoxy, and religion being used for legltlmlaatlon. One of the relationships between religion and politics was papal primacy (church power over ruler power) as seen in documents 3, 4, and 5, In the fifth century, Pope Gelasius told the Roman emperor it was important to deter to papal authority.

He wrote this in a demanding and domineering way in order to maintain power over secular rulers Gelaslus I’s letter Illustrates the Idea of papal primacy where he tated, “[P]iously bow your neck to those who have charge of divine affairs” (doc. 3). Since the pope argued that rulers should “bow” to the clergy, this Indicates the power ot the pope over secular rulers. Similarly, Pope Gregory VII asserted his power over princes and their subjects. Since the Dictatus Papae was a letter. which was candid. It probably portrays the pope’s view’S accurately.

In the letter the pope claimed he had the power to release people from their ruler’s authority, which suggests the pope was superior to rulers In terms of their power (doc. 4), Gregory VII also railed dgdlnst Idy nvestiture (kings appointing bishops). As a pope, he would of course see matters of faith as most Important because he was head of the Church. HIS decree exemplifies papal primacy because he proclaimed, “[N]o clergyman shall receive Investiture from the hand of the emperor, or the king” (doc. ). By reserving the power to appoint bishops, the pope had more power than emperors and Another document that might further this analysis of papal primacy would be a comparison of the land holdings of kings versus the papacy. This might indicate whether or not wealth contributed to the papacys sense ot superlorlty wer secular rulers. Another relationship between politics and religion was the use of religion for military support as shown In documents 2 and 8.

In the late sixth century, Gregory wrote in the account of the conversion of king Clovis bringing about the history of his armys victory between the fight of the Franks and the Alemannl. In the document, It is mentioned that Clovis’ passion tor Jesus Christ earned his victory with the fight between his army and the Alemanni and the address of this, suggests that Gregory as the 81shop of Tours was for the divinity of this particular faith. Clovis proclaimed, “Jesus Christ… o is said to give aid to those in distress and victory to those who hope In you” (doc. 2). This gives off the Impression that religion was much valued when it came to winning a tight between armies. Charlemagne wrote to pope Leo Ill indicating that religion provided for the support of the military. As the king of the Franks, he Is dedicated to have the faith concerning of Jesus Christ whom he Is to glorify and having the authority as the head of the church, the belief of Christ Influenced his thoughts on the mllltdry did.

The king addressed, “Cod willing and granting, the Christian people will torever achieve victory over the enemies ot His ame”, which indicates his favor towards the Invocation for military support from his Lord In relation to religion being Invoked for military aid, another document that might further this analysis would be a reference from the annals which might show an L]nblased point of view of religions towards the act of military.

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Similarly, Pope Gregory VII asserted his power over princes and their subjects. Since the Dictatus Papae was a letter, which was candid, it probably portrays the pope’s views accurately. In the letter the pope claimed he had superior to rulers in terms of their power (doc. 4). Gregory VII also railed against lay faith as most important because he was head of the Church. His decree exemplifies apal primacy because he proclaimed, “[N]o clergyman shall receive investiture bishops, the pope had more power than emperors and kings.

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The front surface has three registers with ‘each crowned by a cusped arcade with five hanging capitals and six recreated apertures’ which ‘means that the enter of each composition is aligns with a capital’. The first direct visual impression left on a beholder is that the diptych is a representation of an ordered chaos. It Is ordered because It Is systematically divided Into three registers on each wing with each register having six recreated apertures equidistant from each other and symmetric.

On the contrary, it seems chaotic because unlike some other passion diptychs, each individual registers are not bordered inside (or split according to the number of apertures) to explicitly show different scenes. Instead, in most registers in his diptych, different scenes are interposed which makes an interesting narrative and, comparatively, leads to a chaotic On a good way) display In an otherwise neatly bordered and systematic diptych.

This type of representation, In each composition, also portrays a lively sense of movement to the traditional scenes which are otherwise portrayed in an iconic style. This diptych is read left to right across the wings and from the top to the bottom without changing directions. Although it is of a ‘normal’ directional impulse, the implications of reading the scenes horizontally sakes It easier and provides a potential to understand and meditate on horizontal and vertical relationships between registers.

Interestingly, an absence of Interior dividers not only provides more space and therefore, more creatively but also leads to an increased scope to form thematic relationships between registers without confusion. The first register is a rather unusual start to a Passion diptych because most of them usually start with the ‘Entry Into Jerusalem’ or an event that Is directly related to the death of Christ. However, both, this diptych and the “Abbreviated Passion Diptych” egging with the Resurrection of Lazarus (fig. 1). Both the diptychs have Mary and Martha thanking Jesus for what he’s done.

In the Dormouse diptych, a disciple or onlooker can be seen scratching his head in bewilderment and amazed at the fact that Lazarus has resurrected. Lazarus is half out of the tomb that held him holding the cloak of Jesus, who is compassionately looking at him while Lazarus does look tired as If woken up from an unfinished sleep. This section of the first register stimulates trust and dependency because Jesus, although he’s Ralston someone from he dead, is calm but also compassionate which agrees to the fact that ‘He loved Him’ and shows His humanity.

The next scene in the first register is the ‘Entry to Jerusalem’ where a person can be seen laying down his cloak and the people ‘on the wall’, which denotes people in the city watch excitedly for the entry of their Savior. Interestingly, the scale of Jesus and his disciples, and the other half- the people and larger than the people hailing his entry. Noticeably, Jesus head is held high, Just as a king nobly receives the respect he is due while he also greets them and accepts their joyous praise.

However, this is a sharp contrast from the previous scene – The raising of Lazarus – which is relatively melancholy and calm, suddenly turning to erupting praise which provides an interesting twist in the prayer of the beholder. Continuing on, the next register shows the Washing of the Apostles’ Feet’ . At this instant, Jesus is probably talking to Simon Peter, as is recorded in the gospel of account of John in which he is initially taken aback and refused to have his foot washed by Jesus but when Jesus insists and gives his reasoning, Peter agrees to it.

The mood is very ember and to a degree, awkward, as Jesus is doing something very unexpected of a leader. Incidentally, In stark contrast to the ‘Entry to Jerusalem’, where Jesus is being ushered and hailed as King with his head held high, in this scene, Jesus’ head is tilted down, and he is missing his outer garment – his cloak. In this scene, Jesus is kneeling down before his disciples, humbling himself before them and washing the dirt of their feet. To the beholder, this reminds him of the nature of Jesus, that he being God and master of the apostles, humbled himself to wash their feet.

A viewer s reminded and encouraged in the fact that if Jesus showed that the way of the kingdom is serving, then he too, must serve willingly. Furthermore, unlike the previous scene where Jesus is a ‘head above’ the disciples, in this register, he is placed at the same height showing that he humbled himself to their level. The third register is the event of ‘The Last Supper’ which consists of two scenes : Firstly, Jesus foretelling that one of them would betray him. He is seen dipping the bread at the same time as Judas, his betrayer (Matthew 26:23). Secondly, Peter is seen leaning on

Jesus’ breast as He breaks it to him that he will be betrayed and in the process, be denied by Him three times. Here, ten of the disciples seem a bit merry as they enjoy a feast with Jesus. However, Judas looks at Jesus with a mix of guilt and deceitfulness while Peter has his eyes closed, visibly sad that his master is going to be betrayed and that he would deny him three times in the process. The diptych continues onto the ‘Agony in the Garden’ at Statement where Jesus is praying, fearing for the punishment that he will bear, while his disciples sleep.

The three disciples in front’ of him are Peter, James and John while the other eight are ‘behind’ Jesus. The trees are curved in order to use the available space and is shown in a smaller scale to the disciples and Jesus creating a background that helps imply that they are in a garden. This scene shows the humanity of Jesus; where he is looking up towards heaven, with his arms raised, wide awake, asking for help as he is visibly troubled. Interestingly, there is a contrast between this register and the previous one.

Unlike the last supper, he disciples here are asleep and hence, to a degree, the mood is a bit dull and dreary. However, for Jesus, it is a tense night as He gains his strength from the Father. This encourages a beholder to find His strength in God through prayer when from all around support is waning, lacking or even absent. Onwards, the next register, ‘The Betrayal of Jesus’ shows three scenes simultaneously with Jesus presented only one time, making an interesting Juxtaposition of various scenes in one register.

In the background are two soldiers who are of a slightly lower height which ivies a more realistic sense of scale to the whole composition. Peter looks on with and Jesus has rebuked him for that act. The disciple next to Simon Peter is seen as restraining him to attack anyone else. Furthermore, the betrayer, Judas Chariot leans in to kiss Jesus while Jesus tilts his head downwards to receive the kiss. Jesus looks at him disappointedly while Judas looks with guilt and remorse as he slowly comes to the fact that he is betraying his master and God.

At the same instance, Jesus is healing Mulches who is shown writhing in pain. Onto the next scene in the same sister, Judas Chariot, overcome by his guilt hangs himself on a tree, naked, with his intestines and innards coming out. There is a burst of activity in this diptych as there are a lot of intense activities occurring simultaneously. If the previous register was tense because Jesus was apprehensive of the wrath He would take on, the scenes in this register are even tenser with almost a deceptive calmness that Jesus shows in every composition.

Incidentally, this diptych has no scene representing the flagellation of Christ or the trying of Him at a counsel and goes straight ahead, after he betrayal, to the crucifixion of Jesus. In the register containing the crucifixion, two major scenes occur simultaneously. Firstly, Mary is swooning and is supported by women who have come to see of her son. Secondly, a dead Jesus, flanked by Longings, the Roman soldier who pierced Jesus’ side, with his spear leaning on his far shoulder, on the left side, who is convinced of his deity and on the right, Stephan, who offered Jesus sour wine to abate his pain.

The soldiers flanking him and the women on the left mourn his death radiating sorrow. Moreover, this composition, in n observer, invokes a feeling of gratitude on meditation. Gratitude, because of the humanity of Jesus, who suffered a horrendous death and took on God’s wrath so that all could be redeemed by God through Christ. It also stimulates praise and love when one imagines the degree of humility that Jesus underwent to do what He did on the cross. Interestingly, comparing the bottom two registers, Judas is similar to Jesus hanging on a cross as both have their heads slumped to the left.

However, Chrism’s torso is bare but his abdomen and loins are covered while Judas’ torso is covered while his abdomen and loins are bare. Additionally, Judas’ hands are turned out which is similar to the orientation of the hands of Mary, who is despairing, too. Similarly, there exists another diptych, the ‘Passion diptych in three registers (135()-75)’ which in form is different from the Dormouse diptych as it has five apertures. Apart from the form of the diptych, this passion diptych varies a lot in terms of expression from the Dormouse diptych. The Dormouse diptych contains a range of emotions and passions.

From somberness to Joyous rapture to an awkward tuition – it has it all. However, the ‘Passion diptych in three registers’ mostly continues along without much changes in individual expressions of horror or happiness, of Joy or sadness. Additionally, unlike the Dormouse diptych, this diptych doesn’t have the cruciform halo and doesn’t contain scenes such as the ‘Raising of Lazarus’ and ‘The Hanging of Judas’. Furthermore, this diptych also lacks difference in scale and precise proportions that distinguishes itself between a good and great diptych.

For example, in the last register, the swooning Virgin is seen as tender, restfully falling into the hands of the women supporting her. However, in this Passion diptych, it seems like she’s standing with her eyes closed. In conclusion, the Dormouse diptych is a wonderful piece of gothic ivory that is unrivalled not only each composition provides and produces and how the visual complexity of this diptych make the study of its images rewarding. ‘ Bibliography Lowdown, John, and John Cherry, Medieval Ivories and Works of Art: The Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario. British Columbia: Skillet Publishing, 2008

Spanish Painter, Bartholomew Eastman Muriel Bartholomew Eastern Muriel. Self-portrait. C. 1672-75. 011 on canvas, National Gallery in London I-J. Bartholomew Eastman Muriel was born December 31 1967, he was born Into Christianity he was baptized on January 1, 1618 In Seville Spain. Muriel was the son of Marl Peres, his mother and Gasper Eastern his father who was a barber and surgeon In Seville Spain, Muriel had 13 siblings and he was the youngest one of them all.

Muriel was eventually adopted by his relatives because he was not able to provide for himself when his parent’s died unlike his older siblings, at the age of level his uncle J. A. Lagers a barber who was married had adopted him. Within a year of living with his uncle, Muriel soon became an apprentice for another relative named Juan Del Castillo. Juan was considered a mediocre painter but a great teacher, they painted paintings for a living and sold them at local fairs and sometimes even sent off to be traded into America.

While being under the study of Juan his relative he learned about Flemish Painting, which was a technique used in the 20th century on paintings, they applied layers of a substance that kept the image fresh for years. When Muriel turned 17 he was working independently painting small, religious compositions for the Latin American market, continuing the selling techniques taught to him when he was young. He then started to create a name for himself, selling his paintings at these markets or fairs.

Muriel went to the school of Antwerp where he learned how to be more of an advance painter; they mainly learned Baroque paintings that he continued to carry on threw out his art career. During the time he was an apprentice for his relative and attending school, he found interest in other forms of art and artist that inspired him o be more creative and diverse in his paintings. In 1940 Muriel moved to Cadis, he then became Van Dyke’s pupil, learning and studying Van Dyke’s work he gained an Interest in studying other masters of art.

Muriel set out to travel to study other great masters of art, he found himself involved with the kings painter Velasquez, during his stay there of three years he studied the masterpieces of Titian, Everyone, Tinderbox, and Rueben. In 1645 Muriel moved back to Seville, this Is where the beginning of his career really started. During the year 1 645 he got married to Beaters De Caber y Estimator, during his year he also accomplished 1 1 great masterpieces for the Franciscan monastery In Seville.

Because of his 11 paintings he became well known and recognized for his religious paintings, most paintings would be of, Jesus, Vulgar Marry, birth of Christ, Angels, the healing pool, and a few paintings of his family and paintings of the poor In Seville. When he had painted these paintings for the Franciscan, It generated more work for him at cathedrals, churches, hospital, and for private Individuals. Eventually became President of the academy. By 1665 Muriel had enrolled into the Brotherhood Of Charity, by this time Muriel had nine children and only five of them continued in his religious paths.

During this time he was enrolled into the Brotherhood, he really flourished and became active in his pieces of art, he had received several demented Jobs and requests, one of them was the infamous painting of the Santa Maria la Blanch which was completed in 1665 and many other commissioned works as well. By this time in his life he had worked nearly 50 years to become one of the most famous Spanish Braque’s Painters in the 20th century, it was unfortunate for many when he passed away on April 3 1682.

Little did Muriel know that on April 3 1682 while he was working in the Capuchin church of Cadis, that he was going to fall off of a scaffold which lead to sever and permanent injuries that would put him to rest a year later in Seville. A couple of his most inspiring pieces are the Christ Healing the Paralytic at The Pool of Bethesda and The Protestant Son. The fist image that is very religious and comes from a piece of the bible is Christ Healing the Paralytic at The Pool of Bethesda; it resides in the National Gallery in London.

Muriel painted this original painting between 1667 to 1670 unfortunately nice Muriel rarely dated his artwork, actual dates on most pieces is unknown. Christ Healing the Paralytic is Oil on canvas and its dimensions are 237 by 261 centimeter. The painting is presented in the National Gallery of Arts in memory of W. Graham Robertson in 1950. Muriel had painted this originally for the church belonging to the hospital of the Cardiac in Seville, which Muriel happened to be apart of this Brotherhood, which aided in the sick and poor of his native city Seville.

The painting represents a piece from the bible, a very strong passage, which is well known in the Christian religion. It is from the New Testament John 5, in the passage it states: ” In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he swath unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steepest down fore me. Jesus swath unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. ” This is what Muriel had painted the image from those exact words above! So strong, detailed, full of background and foreground; he has made a masterpiece that tells an amazing story.

Therefore no explanation is really needed which makes this painting so historic, life like and unique. The image to the left is the image of Christ Healing the Paralytic at The Pool of Bethesda. It is kept at the National Art Gallery in London. As you look into the aground of this beautiful painting you can see many things. On the very top there blue sky threw them. Right in the middle of the clouds off to the right there is a small figure in white, with a yellow glow surrounding it, presumably an angel coming from heaven.

As you look below the angel you see the structure of the building. Then as you look towards the middle of the background you can see giant pillars, creating high archways and you can faintly see people walking around. In the Middle of the image you see part of a light blue pool right in the middle. As you look more up front from the pool you see what appears to me some sort of encounter gazebos with two tall skinny pillars and some people laying on the ground right on the steps.

As you look to the left you can see a person propped up on his elbow, speaking to a man bent over and is engaged in a conversation. The foreground of the image is three men off to the far left both wearing black shirts, one is wearing a red robe while the other is wearing a yellow robe, standing barely in front of them is Jesus wearing a light purple long sleeved gown with a dark green robe, he is reaching his hand out to a man on the ground. This man appears very ill, skin to the bones and bed ridden, as items lay close.

His arms are spread off to each side fingers spread apart, he is facing up looking at Jesus and his mouth is open as he must be saying something to him. To the far right of this man there is the front part of a brown and white dog that is sniffing at the ground. This image shows so much if you look closely at it, it is a brilliant masterpiece and is definitely one of a kind, and so beautiful that it captivates and draws you in with ease. Another great painting my Muriel is called the return of The Prodigal Son, created between 1667 to 1670.

It was painted on a canvas with oils, the dimensions of the canvas are 236. By 261 centimeters, and it was a gift from the Valor Foundation to the National Gallery of Ireland in the city of Dublin. Muriel was originally commissioned by a church to make this painting for the Hospital De la Cardiac, this painting and others Muriel was commissioned to make for the Hospital and the Church. This painting was one of a whole series on The Prodigal Son and even made a final painting to this series called the Return of The Prodigal Son that is located at The National Gallery of Washington.

The series ranged from the birth, to feasting with The Prodigal Son and more, although this is the one that started the series. The original painting of The Prodigal Son was also generated from the bible as well as most of his biblical pieces of art. The story behind this painting is as follows, as Renee Dwell mentioned in her article: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, father let me have the share of the estate that will come to me. So the father divided the property between them.

A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. He soon came home to his father and said, I have sinned against heaven ND against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men. ” So he left the place and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I no longer deserve to be called your son. ” But the father said to his and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast. Because this son of mine was dead and has come back to fife; he was lost and is found” (1). The story is as entertaining as the painting to the left called The Protestant Son, created around the 1670, is filled with emotions, forgiveness, begging, hope, anger, joy, and worry. As you look in the background you see the sky with dark and light fluffy clouds on the top of the painting.

To the right is the beginning of a tall building, as the structure appears to be in the middle of the painting, you see some buildings and possible tress fading if as it disappears into the distance. In the middle of the image to the left there is a man holding an ax with a boy leading a cow, they are align away looking behind them to watch the commotion. To the right there are four adults all dressed nice, they appear to be all females. In the foreground of the image there is a woman in a yellow dress, standing there silently holding a vibrant, elegant robe.

In the middle of the foreground you see the father wearing a large droopy red robe hunched over wrapping his arms around his son to embrace him close. His son has fallen to his knees looking up at his father, wearing torn and ragged clothes and rather thin looking, falling into his fathers arms as a small white dog Jumps on his leg. It appears they are standing on a step of some sort; their bodies are in the formation of a triangle, becoming the main focal point of the painting. This painting has so much to say if you look at the body language of everyone and the facial expressions.

This artist Muriel was chosen as a topic for this paper, because his work was once famous in the 20 centuries and over time has been forgotten. Muriel has tons of beautiful, individual paintings that most of us never knew existed. Once this image was stumbled upon a couple of weeks ago, the beauty, artistry, realism, naturalistic goings, and even the reality of what life was like in Seville captivated me and hopefully it will captivate you as well. It is important to not forget those who inspire us, as they help us make our own creations.

Is Jesus God? Have you ever met a man who is the center of attention wherever he goes? Some mysterious, indefinable characteristic sets him apart from all other men. Well, that’s the way it was two thousand years ago with Jesus Christ. But it wasn’t merely Jesus’ personality that captivated those who heard him. Those who witnessed his words and life tell us that something about Jesus of Nazareth was different from all other men. Jesus’ only credentials were himself. He never wrote a book, commanded an rmy, held a political office, or owned property.

He mostly traveled within a hundred miles of his village, attracting crowds who were amazed at his provocative words and stunning deeds. Yet Jesus’ greatness was obvious to all those who saw and heard him. And while most great people eventually fade into history books, Jesus is still the focus of thousands of books and unparalleled media controversy. And much of that controversy revolves around the radical claims Jesus made about himself”claims that astounded both his followers and his adversaries.

It was primarily Jesus’ unique claims that caused him to be viewed as a threat by both the Roman authorities and the Jewish hierarchy. Although he was an outsider with no credentials or political powerbase, within three years, Jesus changed the world for the next 20 centuries. Other moral and religious leaders have left an impact ”but nothing like that unknown carpenter’s son from Nazareth. What was it about Jesus Christ that made the difference? Was he merely a great man, or something more? These questions get to the heart of who Jesus really was.

Some believe he was merely a great moral teacher; others believe he was simply the leader of the world’s greatest religion. But many believe something far more. Christians believe that God has actually visited us in human form. And they believe the evidence backs that up. After carefully examining Jesus’ life and words, former Cambridge professor and skeptic, C. S. Lewis, came to a startling conclusion about him that altered the course of his life. So who is the real Jesus? Many will answer that Jesus was a great moral teacher.

As we take a deeper look at the world’s most controversial person, we begin by asking: could Jesus have been merely a great moral teacher? Great Moral Teacher? Even those from other religions acknowledge that Jesus was a great moral teacher. Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi, spoke highly of Jesus’ righteous life and profound words. [l] Likewise, Jewish scholar Joseph Klausner wrote, “It is universally admitted that Christ taught the purest and sublimest ethics which throws the moral precepts and maxims of the wisest men of antiquity far into the shade. “[2] Jesus’

Sermon on the Mount has been called the most superlative teaching of human ethics ever uttered by an individual. In fact, much of what we know today as “equal rights” actually is the result of Jesus’ teaching. Historian Will Durant, a non-Christian, said of Jesus that “he lived and struggled unremittingly for ‘equal rights’; in modern times he would have been sent to Siberia. ‘He that is greatest among you, let him be your Gandhi, have tried to separate Jesus’ teaching on ethics from his claims about himself, believing that he was simply a great man who taught lofty moral principles.

This was the approach of one of America’s Founding Fathers, President Thomas Jefferson, who cut and pasted a copy of the New Testament, removing sections he thought referred to Jesus’ deity, while leaving in other passages regarding Jesus’ ethical and moral teaching. [4] Jefferson carried around his cut and pasted New Testament with him, revering Jesus as perhaps the greatest moral teacher of all time. In fact, Jefferson’s memorable words in the Declaration of Independence were rooted in Jesus’ teaching that

On the other hand there are many instances that show that Greek mythology still pulses through our veins and in our society; it’s only in a efferent form that what how we normally see the Greek myths. The stories we know from history have strong parallels in the currently worshiped religion of Christianity. There are several tales and characters in Greek myth that can be paired with books and people from Christianity. First instance is the old Greek god Prometheus; he was the god whom gave us fire and the knowledge needed to allow mankind to grow and survive.

When he did this he was then captured by Zeus and persecuted. His punishment was to be nailed to a rock and every day he’d have a giant eagle eat his liver and regenerate at the setting of each ay to do it again. Prometheus sacrificed himself for the well being of mankind. In a way, this character sound much like Jesus in modern day religion. Jesus was nailed to a cross as a sacrifice for the salvation of mankind. Prometheus is not the only one in Greek mythology that can be represented as Jesus, the later added Olympian wine god Dionysus shares some resemblance.

Dionysus and Jesus are both the ones who game mankind the gift of wine and encourage a blissful lifestyle. The also both share the archetype of rebirth after death. Dionysus traveled to the underworld to search for his mother homo he never met and didn’t know anything about. He wanted to bring her to Olympus since he was now considered a Olympian god. Dionysus went to the underworld to save a person he didn’t know. Much like how Jesus went to hell after taking on the sins of all the humans on the earth.

Then in a sense both Dionysus and Jesus rose up and were reborn from the place of the lowest level of existence. Almost all have heard the Flood story when Noah built a large boat to save himself, his family, and a pair Of all the animals in the world. Well in Greek mythology, there is also a flood story These religions also share the idea of giants and monsters once ruling the earth. In the Greek there were Cyclopes, Hysterectomies (hundred handlers) and the Titans. In Christianity there is a similar story with giants and large monsters that fight over the power of the world.

Not many know of this book from Christian religious text because it was forbidden from the bible: the Book of Enoch. These giants in the bible were called Oenophile; they were half angel, half human, their fathers were renegade angels who fought god in order to help humanity, but in reality only lusted for human women. These beings that sprawled on every corner of the earth. Their appearance was similar to that in the Greek creation story as being these grotesque deformed creatures with great power.

In the Book of Enoch, it states that God sent the Flood to dispose of these enormous beings that rivaled in power of god himself, much like how Zeus rivaled his father Crocus or how Crocus rivaled his father Chaos. Not only in common religion is there reminiscence of classical mythologies, they are also advertised, Worn, used, and distributed all over the globe. Almost everyone has used or at least seen an atlas, which was named from he titan that was forced to forever hold the world on his shoulders.

Many people have also worn Mike products, the creators named there brand after the Greek god of victory. Then there is the Honda Odyssey and the Volkswagen Goes, named after the ten year long story of Odysseus and the Goddess of Dawn. Our culture even has sayings and terms like the Achilles Heel and having the Midas touch which are famous characters from Greek mythology. There are many more allusions and connections with Greek mythology to our culture. As was shone, Greek mythologies are alive and still a heavy influence on our ultra.

Greek terms and names are thrown around everyday even if the meaning is not well known, many have the grand idea without the story behind it. So some people with this knowledge would argue with the belief that mythology is dying out They also are the people who may see the relations between classical mythology and currently worshiped religion. I use to say that mythology is nothing but a forgotten religion, but now I see that its really not all that forgotten. Which is why agree with professor Joseph Campbell when he said that “Myth is much more important and true than history.