(A)John...
Illustration
(A)
John the Baptizer is the perfect representative of Advent, as he points toward the Christ. The Gospel of John goes to great pains to assure us that the Baptizer was not the Christ, but he was a witness to the Christ.
One of the best artistic presentations of John was painted by Matthias Grunewald and is titled "Crucifixion." It was painted 1512-1515 and is part of the Isenheim Altar.
It pictures Jesus on the cross. To his right, the mother of Jesus is being comforted by a young man. Another woman, probably Mary Magdalene, is on her knees, looking up at Jesus, with her hands folded in prayer.
To the left of Jesus, stands John the Baptizer. The open Scriptures are cradled in his left arm. His right hand is extended toward the cross, as his large index finger points toward Jesus. A small white lamb at John's feet suggests the thought that is on his mind: "Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world."
John is often described as "a voice."
I like Grunewald's silent representation of John as a "finger."
Advent is a great time to remember that, as Christians, we are fingers, pointing others toward the Savior.
- Randolph
John the Baptizer is the perfect representative of Advent, as he points toward the Christ. The Gospel of John goes to great pains to assure us that the Baptizer was not the Christ, but he was a witness to the Christ.
One of the best artistic presentations of John was painted by Matthias Grunewald and is titled "Crucifixion." It was painted 1512-1515 and is part of the Isenheim Altar.
It pictures Jesus on the cross. To his right, the mother of Jesus is being comforted by a young man. Another woman, probably Mary Magdalene, is on her knees, looking up at Jesus, with her hands folded in prayer.
To the left of Jesus, stands John the Baptizer. The open Scriptures are cradled in his left arm. His right hand is extended toward the cross, as his large index finger points toward Jesus. A small white lamb at John's feet suggests the thought that is on his mind: "Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world."
John is often described as "a voice."
I like Grunewald's silent representation of John as a "finger."
Advent is a great time to remember that, as Christians, we are fingers, pointing others toward the Savior.
- Randolph
