New Testament Word & Image: Acts 6:1-7 & Fra Angelico




St. Peter Consecrates Stephen as Deacon, from a fresco in the Niccoline Chapel, Fra Angelico

Acts 6:1-7

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

 

And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

 

Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Framing Sheep

Away from the Flock, Damien Hirst

John 10:1-10

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens

When we look at or imagine sheep, we see more than sheep. We see sweaters in the making. We see counting devices that act as sleeping aids. We see dinner. We see cuddly creatures that should be cartoonized and turned into stuffed animal dolls for children. When I look at a sheep I see someone with the same hair texture as me. We project every image onto the animal except that of the animal. Scripture is no different in it's treatment of sheep. Sheep are used as a symbol of humility, obedience, innocence, etc. In today's scripture reading Jesus used sheep as a metaphor.The contemporary artist Damien Hirst used real sheep...not a painting of a sheep, not a sculpture nor a performance piece about the idea of a sheep but an actual dead sheep. Yet he even found a metaphor in it for the human experience, stating that it was like "“that failure of trying so hard to do something that you destroy the thing that you’re trying to preserve.” In an interview with Mirta D’Argenzio he revealed that "the title came after Hirst completed the work and observed the 'tragic beauty' of the animal. The lamb, identifiable within Christian iconography as Jesus, has been separated by death from the living so that, 'you kind of feel sorry for it.'” Christian imagery has long used the image of a sheep for Jesus, echoing the "Lamb of God" image presented in the New Testament. However, in this scripture reading Jesus isn't referring to himself as the sheep but to us as the sheep.



Away from the Flock, Damien Hirst

Preserving Sheep

When Damien Hirst first displayed this piece (and others like it), he and his fellow YBA's (Young British Artists) were catapulted to fame. This artwork was bold, confrontational and controversial. Yet one cannot argue that what he was doing was new. He was preserving a dead animal in formaldehyde. Taxidermists and high school biology students have been doing some variation of this for generations. But Damien Hirst took preserving a sheep and made it Art. Hirst use of the formaldehyde barrier protected the dead sheep from being exposed to decay. Jesus opens up his parabolic metaphor by making obvious statements that everyone would agree with then using that common ground to make a deeper assertion. They all center around the argument that the best way to protect precious possessions is to put it in a protective barrier. Everyone would agree with this because everyone does this. To the Ming Dynasty of China it's precious possessions to protect was it's people. So it reinforced and completed a series of walls to protect them against Mongol invaders. We now know it as the Great Wall of China. In the Wild West frontier era of the United States cattle rustlers were a constant threat to rancher's primary investments. Then Joseph Glidden invented barbed wire as a way to protect and contain livestock. To the ancient Palestinian Jews that Jesus spoke to sheepfold or an encircling wall was the best way to protect your sheep. The key to any if these barriers is to channel entrance to one guarded point. The guard at this portal decides who is safe to enter and who is a threat to keep at bay. Anyone who hops the gate, scales the wall or cuts into the fence at any other place does it because they have malicious intent. They are barbarians hoards, outlaw rustlers, thieves and robbers who either desire to harm the sheep or the owner of the sheepfold (by stealing the sheep). Everyone of Jesus' listeners understood this. As observant Jews they probably also caught his veiled references to Psalm 23. They understood that they (Israel) were the sheep and that the Lord was their shepherd. What some of them didn't understand was that Jesus was saying that the thieves and robbers were the Pharisees, Jesus was accusing them of being the agents of death and decay that he was sealing the sheep against. The doorkeeper would not open to them for he knew that to let them beyond the protective barrier would expose the sheep to spiritual decay.



Away from the Flock (Divided), Damien Hirst

Dissecting Sheep

and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”


Putting dead animals encased in formaldehyde was not a one time affair for Damien Hirst. Nor was displaying a sheep in this manner. A year later he would do another version of "Away from the Flock", but he would dissect this one in two. He actually called it "Away from the Flock (Divided)", "dissecting" is more of my word. Dissection denotes not only dividing something into parts, but rather dividing it into parts to better understand it. That is why we call Bible study/biblical exegesis "dissecting the scripture." When we dissect this part of the scripture we find that it dissects the nature of the sheep (the Christian). The first thing that we come to understand about the Christian and sheep comparison is that it is based on the sheep's listening skills. Apparently they are keen and Middle Eastern shepherding techniques are all based on them. Sheep can actually distinguish the voice of their shepherd from other voices. So they really won't follow others. This analogy was so tight that now you can understand why the Pharisees didn't follow where he was going with the illustration. It just appeared that he was just sharing shepherding instructions. When we dissect the analogy a Christian should have similar auditory capabilities. Hence we refer to the elect/people that God has chosen as "the called." Christians are not just the spiritually hungry and curious but those who (through the aid of the Holy Spirit) have recognized Jesus' voice amongst the cacophony of other voices claiming to be Truth. In recognizing Jesus as God they set out not only to be a "believer" but a "follower." That is the second quality that we share with sheep. Faith without deeds (of following) is dead. So by dissecting the sheep/Christian we not only makeup of sheep but also the potential behavior of the sheep. A sheep cannot do what it was not designed to do (like fly) and a person cannot do what the Holy Spirit has not called them to do (like have faith and works that glorify God). So the question begs: if sheep can recognize their shepherd how can Christians recognize the voice of God? Like with most parables, Jesus will eventually make it clear.



Away from the Flock (Divided), Damien Hirst

Encasing Sheep

Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

So what did Damien Hirst do that made his work artwork? Butchers have split sheep in parts for the ages. Students and taxidermists have suspended innumerable animals in formaldehyde. In fact it was probably one of them who did it for Damien Hirst because he is notorious for employing others to do his work for him. Well Damien Hirst is the one who encased it in a frame and put it in a gallery. In short he made it Art because he appreciated it as Art and made others see it as Art. In fact he had this to say of it “It’s not a ‘preserved’ lamb, it’s a dead lamb. But then it does have a kind of new life.” It is the framing in a casing of a gallery setting that gave it its new life as Art. So what did Jesus do that made his ministry different from the Pharisees? They were rabbis who taught about Scripture and were followed by disciples as well. Yet Jesus accused them (explicitly this time) of having come to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. Like with Damien Hirst, it is in the encasing of the sheep that the new life is found. You may have gathered by now that Jesus is the "good shepherd" in this parable but have you also come to realize that he is the one that constructs the sheepfold and gives it its formaldehyde-like powers to preserve you from death and usher you into new life? At this point in the parable Christ pulls no punches and says directly "I am the door of the sheep(fold)." Middle Eastern shepherds had a practice of standing in front of the opening to the sheepfold like a Samoan bouncer guarding the entrance into an exclusive night club. When they got tired they would sit in front of it. At night they would sleep in front of it. They were the only entry point and they decided who would and would not get beyond the velvet rope. The key to protecting the sheep is encasing them in exclusivity. That is not to inflate the ego of Christians but just to illustrate how valued they are by God. Platinum was just another really strong metal until someone valued it as jewelry. It may just look like dark silver to others but it is even more precious to the owner. Since we are that precious to Jesus, he shares the benefit of the sheepfold: life, and abundant life.



Away from the Flock (Divided), Damien Hirst

So that is what is behind Jesus' usage of sheep in this parable. It is also what separates Jesus from Damien Hirst and the Pharisees. The more I think about it Damien Hirst's artwork is a better illustration of the Pharisees' followers than Jesus'. Therefore the title of "Away from the Flock" is befitting. It is what happens when a sheep is drawn away from the sheepfold by one who has climbed up some other way rather than entered by the door. Yes the sheep may be look preserved but as Damien Hirst has pointed out it is still dead. Christ didn't come to beautify dead sheep and make them lifelike like Lenin "lying in state." Christ came to give you actual and full life. Yes I am talking about the afterlife but I am also speaking of the here and now. To often we live with the evidence of spiritual death lingering over us. That is the most that the Pharisees could promise their disciples: a reminder of their constant struggle with sin and God's judgment. I am not fully disparaging this because it is a necessary first step, however their is a second one too. This second step is not only a "freedom from" but also a "freedom to." It is a freedom from death and sin but it is a freedom to live, love and experience the fullness of what God has created you to be. That is the promise of the Good shepherd. Come back to the flock.




Psalms Word & Image: Psalm 23 and Anton Mauve



Anton Mauve, Shepherd with Sheep.

Psalm 23

 

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.

 

Anton Mauve, In the Pasture

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

 



Anton Mauve, Sheep on the heath



Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;

 

Anton Mauve, Shepherdess 

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

 



Anton Mauve, Entering the Fold

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.

 

Anton Mauve, The Return of the Flock, Laren

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

Christ Concealed



Untitled no. 396, Cindy Sherman

Luke 24:13-35

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

Popular media today has a number of performers who always stay "in character." Whether they wear an actual costume or just conceal themselves in an assumed dramatic identity the performer is known by their performance. When we see them we see their artistic persona. Comedy has Stephen Colbert playing his alter ego conservative commentator Stephen Colbert on the Colbert Report. It also has Sasha Baron Cohen testing the line between Reality TV and scripted television while juggling the portrayal of his characters Borat, Ali G and Bruno. In her latest album Art Pop, Lady Gaga continues the usage of avant garde visual aesthetics pioneered by David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust period to promote mainstream Pop Music. Like many things that trickle down (or up) to popular culture, the roots of the indistinguishable dichotomy between performer and performance has its roots in visual art. There are several cases in performance art like video/performance artist Matthew Barney (the husband of the Icelandic singer Bjork) whose anthropomorphic/androgynous character from the Cremaster Cycle hides the real life identity of the artist. Another example can be seen in the larger than life personality of the 20th century Surrealist Salvador Dali. Every inch of Dali's public and private persona (and upturned waxed mustache) evoked the grandiose dream world of Surrealism and the bombastic silliness of the Dada movement. Yet no other artist surpasses photographer Cindy Sherman in her effort to take on the persona of her subjects. That is because she is the subject of every portrait. The characters are different but the model is the same. With the help of makeup, prosthetics, scenery and a sense of humor Cindy Sherman has appropriated the identity of scores of different characters over the decades. She changes just enough to enable herself to be hidden within the image. The creator of the image disguises herself while being a model in the image to challenge how we imagine Women in general. Whether it is because of the disguise or because of the change of context she hides in plain sight and we don't notice her. This strange phenomenon is exactly what happened in Luke 24:13-35: Jesus hid from his followers in plain sight. Yet the story isn't about the adventures of two dumb disciples but rather reveals several truths about how Christ has hidden in plain sight from all of his followers both ancient and contemporary.



Untitled #153, Cindy Sherman

Hidden In The Grave
And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

When the two disciples tell the mysterious stranger (Jesus) about the recent events that had been going on in Jerusalem they tell the story about a dead Jesus not a risen one. Yes, they had heard the reports that he had risen but to them it was still a legend rather than fact. It was more of an outrageous claim. The thing that they did know was that Jesus was dead. The mystery for them was not whether he was alive or not but rather where his dead body was. Instead of his body being hidden in the tomb (like all other well behaved dead people) the location of his body was what was hidden.

Jesus' body being hidden in the grave gave way to a greater truth: eternal life is hidden in the grave. Eternal life begins with death: first the death to one's self and sinful nature (symbolized in baptism) but then death of the actual physical body. The fulfillment of salvation has three steps (justification, sanctification and glorification) that are only completed in death. It is dying to sin in Christ justifying us, dying to self in the Holy Spirit sanctifying our lives to holiness and finally physically dying in our fleshly state so that God can one day raise us up physically to brand new life. Yet when we die to sin it induces spiritual birth (the being born again that Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about), when we die to self it frees us to birth good works and bless the lives of our neighbors and when we die physically we will be resurrected to the completion of a full new life (in spirit, in flesh and in deeds). Christ promised us eternal life: life and life more abundantly. With each part of salvation we experience a greater paradoxical part of this truth that life is wrapped up in death. Death is only a step and a release into greater life.

In The Gospel of John Jesus once said, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." You may be thinking to yourself that a grain of wheat doesn't actually die in the seed process but rather its destruction in its seed form is only its changing into something greater. That is what Jesus was saying about the wheat and you. Glory means praise honor and distinction but it also means great beauty and splendor, gratification and achievement. When a grain of wheat dies and comes into its full glory it raises from the earth and yields a harvest of golden fields. When Jesus dies he rose to the glory of God, producing a harvest of believing souls and ascending to the right hand of the Father. When you die as a believer you will one day rise to new life and a crown of righteousness in Heaven. Life is hidden in the grave.



Unititled Film Still #14, Cindy Sherman

Hidden In The Scripture

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

When the two disciples listened to the mysterious stranger, he revealed to them how Christ was the unifying theme of Scripture From the fist prophet (one who revealed God's words to the people) in Scripture Moses to the last prophets, he showed them that the Word of God (the Bible) and the Word of God (Jesus, God made flesh) were almost synonymous. The stories that shared God's people prophets and promises were lived out in the Messiah. Somehow they, the Pharisees and we missed the overall gist of God's communication to us. Christ was hidden in Scripture.

The book of Acts shares that the first century church abided in the Apostle's doctrine/teaching. It was the belief system that united this diverse community. What was the actual Apostle's doctrine? The easy answer is the beliefs, letters and stories that were eventually gathered together as the canon of the New Testament. But what really is the testimony of the New Testament? What is the overall message? If we can capture that then we can glean what was the concise message of the Apostles' ministry and their view of what they had extracted from Jesus in their time as his Disciples. Of course they had gathered that Jesus believed himself to be God and mankind's Savior but it also appears that they shared the view that is shared in this narrative in Luke about the two disciples in Emmaus: all of Scripture (which to them was the Jewish Bible/Old Testament) testified of Jesus and his looming sacrifice. As St. Augustine once argued (and someone else made rhyme in English) "In the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed; in the New Testament the Old Testament is revealed."

The authorship of the book of Hebrews is contested. The author does not leave his or her name. We assume that it is Paul the Apostle Paul (most probably), but their are arguments that it could have been Apollos, Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Luke or Priscilla. Personally my money is on J. K. Rowling. In the midst of all of this debate there is one thing evident about the author. They think that Jesus is everything...or at least superior to everything else. Literally that is the theme of the book. The book systematically breaks down how Christ is above the angels, Moses (and by connection the Law) and the priesthood/sacrificial system... everything that the original first century Jewish reader would have understood about connecting with God. Before the writer delves into discussing any of these matters they open up with this line: "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds." Jesus provides our last revealed word from God. The same Jesus whom the Apostles believed the Old Testament prophets foretold. The same Jesus whom the Apostle John and the mysterious writer of Hebrews both agree that God created all of creation through.



Untitled #425. Cindy Sherman

Hidden In Our Communion
Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

Yes, I am about to say that Christ is hidden in our communion. This will be followed by my fellow Protestant readers getting up in arms that I am making such a Catholic statement. Before you flip your wig and excommunicate me, follow my line of thinking. Catholics (along with the other first Christian denominations, like the various Orthodox groups) believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This means that they believe that the communion wine is really Jesus' blood and the bread is really Jesus' body. Where did they get a crazy idea like this? Well, Jesus. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me."

Often times we like to paint the simplified picture that Catholics do things based purely on Church tradition and Protestants do things based purely on biblical precedent. We also like to imagine that theologically conservative Protestants (Fundamentalists and Evangelicals) always base things on a literal interpretation of Scripture and never base their decisions on Science. Yet we have an instance here where Catholics are basing their beliefs on a literal understanding of Jesus' words and Protestants (who in varying degrees believe that the bread and wine are symbolic of Jesus' flesh and blood) are taking Jesus' words metaphorically and doing the most basic scientific function (testing by observing that the bread and wine appear to not be wine and flesh). It shows that you cannot use a general rule of interpreting Scripture, like most language and literature it uses both literal and figurative/metaphorical devices to make its point. It is not about taking the Bible strictly literal or figurative: it is about taking it seriously. As a Baptist (a Protestant group) I do understand the communion wine to be symbols of Christ's real symbols of Christ's literal sacrifice of his flesh and blood for our real sins. As a believer who tends to side with taking the Bible literally, who am I do look down on another believer (in this case Catholic) for actually taking Jesus' words literally, even if they are different than my understanding.

I believe that the greater truth that can be shared by all types of Christians (Protestant, Catholic, theologically liberal and theologically conservative) is found in what Jesus (the mysterious stranger) and the two disciples shared in Emmaus: a meal. Early Christians made a shared meal the center of their weekly worship. Whether it was an actual communion/Eucharist or just a meal between friends, the breaking of bread is how our spiritual ancestors shared community. They communed together in these Agape feasts and discussed the Apostles doctrine, prayer and their lives. The name Agape, comes from the Greek word for Love. Actually there were several Greek words for Love, but this one was used exclusively to express the unconditional love that emanated from the Christian God and flowed freely among the Christian brethren. It is sometimes translated to English as the word "charity"... a word that we now often associate with free. But isn't that exactly what this free meal amongst believers symbolizes: the free gift of love that God had freely bestowed upon us? A grace? If that is the case then it is truly the bread of our communion that Christ broke in Emmaus and gave to the two disciples. A communion of community in Grace that he still gives to his disciples today.

Untitled 224 from the History Portrait Series, Cindy Sherman

Hidden In Our Heart

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Cindy Sherman has taken a plethora of portraits over the years. She has disguised herself as silver screen film actresses, clowns, socialites, plastic surgery victims and classic pieces of Renaissance and Baroque art. It can be hard recognizing Cindy Sherman hidden under all of the makeup and prosthetics. However it becomes a high brow game of "Where's Waldo?" to the trained eye. Every piece starts to look like Cheri Oteri doing an impersonation in her Saturday Night Live days. I believe that poker players call this a Tell: visual and/or behavioral clues that reveal something that the player is hiding. I believe that Cindy Sherman's tell is her intentional overacting in her portraits. The overacting of a Nikki Minaj trying desperately to have her albums be palatable to a Pop audience. That is at the core of every Cindy Sherman image. Peal away all of the layers of disguise and disfigurement and you will find this borderline comedic actress and photographer at the heart of the image amplifying her characters through stage makeup and pronounced subtleties.

The heart. It is the place where the mysterious stranger revealed Jesus to be hidden in Scripture. It is the place where Jesus revealed that eternal life lies hidden in death. It is the place where Jesus' prayer that we all may be one lies hidden in our diverse communion of believers. It is the place the two disciples felt a burning when they broke bread with Christ and recognized him as Christ... maybe because the bread was really spicy and they were two millennia away from the invention of Tums. But what do we mean by "heart" in all of these diverse cases? It is a metaphor, a figure of speech that reveals a greater truth in a greater way. The heart is the center, the core, the essence... the part that beats the life and meaning that flows through a thing. It is because the disciples had Jesus in their "heart" that they could recognize him hidden in the mysterious stranger sharing the bread of Life with them at Emmaus.

As modern day believers we will find that having Christ in our heart will help us recognize Christ in others. Now by this I don't mean that Christ is making weekly trips back in forth to earth to live out episodes of Highway to Heaven and Touched by an Angel amongst believers. I believe that he lives in others, especially those of us in the most dire straits. While we are looking for Jesus to reveal himself in our lives ready to bless us he has hidden himself in the lives of the hungry, the thirsty, the sick and the prisoner waiting for us to serve him. That is why Jesus shared this story, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Jesus truly is hidden all around us but he only reveals himself to be in the heart and eyes of us as believers if we can recognize him in the situations of others. When we serve others, share a meal with others and share the Gospel of grace with others we reveal him to the world. We may wear different disguises but others will recognize Christ in our heart. Just as in Cindy Sherman's art the performer is known by her performance. We as Christians are known by our love. When people see us they see Christ...Or can they?

New Testament Word & Image: 1 Peter 1:17-21 & Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Petersburg, Russia.



Stained glass window of Jesus Christ, Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Petersburg, Russia.

1 Peter 1:17-21

 

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;



Angel weather-vane on the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral

knowing that you were not redemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.



Tombs inside the cathedral of St. Peter and paul, St. Petersburg, Russia

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God,



Peter and Paul Cathedral during the White Nights

who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.



Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul in the middle of the Peter and Paul Fortress

 

Psalms Word & Image: Psalm 12 & Steve McCurry



Nomads, Steve McCurry

Psalm 16





A miktam of David.

 

Keep me safe, O God;

in you I take refuge.

 



Nomads,Steve McCurry



I say to the LORD,

you are my Lord,

you are my only good.

 



Nomads, Steve McCurry



As for the holy ones who are in the land,

they are noble,

in whom is all my delight.

 



Nomads, Steve McCurry



They multiply their sorrows

who court other gods.

Blood libations to them I will not pour out,

nor will I take their names upon my lips.

 



Nomads, Steve McCurry



LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,

you have made my destiny secure.

 



Nomads, Steve McCurry



Pleasant places were measured out for me;

fair to me indeed is my inheritance.

 



Nomads, Steve McCurry



I bless the LORD who counsels me;

even at night my heart exhorts me.

 



Nomads, Steve McCurry



I keep the LORD always before me;

with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.

 

Nomads, Steve McCurry

Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices;

my body also dwells secure,

 



Nomads, Steve McCurry



For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

nor let your devout one see the pit.

 



Nomads, Steve McCurry

You will show me the path to life,

abounding joy in your presence,

the delights at your right hand forever.



New Testament Word & Image: St. Peter's sermon in Acts 2:14-39 & Nicola Pisano's sculptural pulpits

Pulpit in Duomo di Siena (Siena Cathedral), Nicola Pisano

Acts 2:14-39

Pulpit in the Pisa Baptistry, Nicola Pisano

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:



Pulpit (detail): the "Nativity" and Annunciation to the Shepherds, Nicola Pisano

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’



Last Judgment, The Elected, Nicola Pisano

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken[b] by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him:



Crucifixion panel from the Siena Pulpit, Nicola Pisano

‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’



Last Judgment, The Damned, Nicola Pisano

“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.


Siena Cathedral pulpit, Nicola Pisano

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’



Pisa Baptistery pulpit, Nicola Pisano

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”



Siena Cathedral pulpit, Nicola Pisano