Matthew 12

While They Watched (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Sometimes the reaction of the religious leaders to Jesus' actions seems almost incomprehensible. In this story, Jesus heals a man of a withered hand on the sabbath and is criticized by the Pharisees. The probable reason for their anger had more to do with the fact that (a) Jesus got the best of them using rabbinical logic and (b) the populace was following him rather than them.

Mark 11

Downcast (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The last half of Mark 11 consists of a sandwich construction in which the story of the cursiing of the fig tree is interrupted in the middle with the account of Jesus driving out the moneychangers. Interestingly, both of these stories have been quoted by critics of Christianity to prove that Jesus was not in fact sinless. Both stories are indeed related in theme and demonstrate Jesus' righteous indignation. Unfortunately for us, we are not righteous like Jesus and need to be very hesitant before attempting to emulate Jesus' actions.

Matthew 15

Crumbs (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

I have been studying the Book of Acts recently, which reminded me that gentiles like myself are only allowed into the kingdom because we are receiving the "crumbs" discarded by the people in Jesus' day. We may be "dogs" as Jesus says in Matthew 15:21-28, but grace has been extended to us as well.

John 5

Troubling the Water (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

This miracle story is interesting in giving an insight into human nature. Apparently there was a tradition built up around the Pool of Bethsaida to the effect that an angel would disturb the water and heal whomever was the first into the pool. Thus, it was the ancient equivalent of Lourdes. It is probably safe to say that the pool's success rate was roughly equivalent to that of Lourdes also (about 60 confirmed cases out of many millions).
By contrast, Jesus heals the man by the pool without being sought out by him. Salvation is not accomplished by what we do, but by what God has already done for us through Christ.

Luke 14

From the Lesser to the Greater (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Luke 14:1-6 is a passage describing not an actual miracle, but a hypothetical one. Jesus asks the Pharisees whether it is permissible to heal on the Sabbath, knowing that they have criticized him for this very thing. They refuse to answer because they are well aware of the provisions in Leviticus allowing certain acts of mercy to be performed on the Sabbath.

Matthew 17

Clarias Macracanthus (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Matthew 17:24-27 records the miracle of Peter finding a coin in a fish's mouth. However, the main thrust of the story is Jesus' teaching regarding the need to pay the annual temple tax in order not to give offense to the Jews in Jerusalem. This is one of two teachings in Matthew on the subject of taxation, the other being in Matthew 22 regarding the question of paying taxes to Caesar.

These two issues were combined somewhat after a Jewish revolt in 66 AD when Rome demanded that Jews pay a tax to support the temple of Jupiter in Rome.

Luke 7

Raised in Nain (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The raising of the widow's son in Luke 7:11-15 is apparently so similar to the miracles of Elijah and Elisha that it prompts the people to say, "A great prophet has risen among us!"  This incident may also explain why many felt that Jesus was actually the reappearance of Elijah predicted in Malachi.

John 6: The Feeding of the 5,000

Every Little Bit Helps (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The feeding of the multitude is the only miracle of Christ that is recorded in all four gospels. The human hero of the story is perhaps Andrew, who identifies at least one person in the crowd who has brought food with him. Although Andrew knows that it is not enough to feed everyone, he nonetheless brings it to Jesus' attention believing in faith that Jesus might be able to use it.  

We shouldn't be afraid to bring our insignificant gifts to God since he can multiply them to further His kingdom.

Mark 4

Peace, Be Still (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Some people balk at accepting the nature miracles of Christ such as the stilling of the storm, found in Mark 4.  They accept the fact that God is able to do anything, but feel that it would be somehow cheating for him to disobey the very laws of nature that he set in place to begin with. As a PhD scientist, I can sympathize with these feelings; however, they are only feelings, not well thought-out logical deductions.

This is too large a subject to cover in a few sentences. For those interested in pursuing it, I would recommend reading C. S. Lewis' Miracles, C. John Collins' The God of Miracles, or Bernard Ramm's The Christian View of Science and Scripture.

John 2: The Miracle at Cana

Saving the Best for Last (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

This first miracle of Jesus, at the wedding in Cana, again reminds us that one of the main purposes for Jesus' coming was to bring joy and good news into the world, not a sense of doom and more onerous commands to follow.

Matthew 14

Stepping Out (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The story of Jesus walking on the water not only demonstrates his complete mastery over nature, but also the strengths and weaknesses of Peter's character. He is the fearless leader, charging out ahead while the other apostles are more hesitant. On the other hand, when he fails to keep his eye on Jesus and tries to go his own way, he fails miserably (as we all do).

John 11

Never Too Late (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Jesus is chided for being too late to save Lazarus, but actually it is his delay in arriving that is the cause of this most spectacular miracle of all. Appropriately, this event closes the first half of the Gospel of John and prepares for the Passion story that will culminate in a true resurrection.

Mark 5: Healing of the Demoniac

Decapolis News (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

This story of Jesus casting out the demons from a possessed man is loaded with images of uncleanliness, at least from a Jewish viewpoint: graves, nudity, and pigs. This emphasizes the demonic nature of the man's condition, in contrast to those who would simply label the man's problem as one of epilepsy.  As in other encounters with demons, there is no question that they recognize Jesus immediately for who he is and bow to his lordship, unlike many of the people Jesus interacts with.

Luke 5

Healing of the Paralytic (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Many of Jesus' miracles seem to necessitate the faith of the one being healed. In this case, the only faith in Jesus implied in the story is that of the paralytic's friends who bring him to Jesus.  Jesus' ultimate motive in healing was to demonstrate his love, not to test others' faith.

Luke 5

Gennesaret (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

This is the miraculous catch of fish recorded in Luke 5:1-11. It is also the story containing the famous phrase "fishers of men."  Peter's actions are interesting to observe. First he agrees to Jesus' suggestion on where to cast the net even though this is an area in which Peter is the recognized expert, not the son of a carpenter.  And then, when Jesus' advice proves fruitful, Peter's reaction is to declare his unworthiness to be in Jesus' presence.

Most of us in the same situation would probably have sneered at Jesus' advice to start with. And if we did follow it, it would be only to prove Jesus wrong. Then after his words proved true, we would probably have said, "I was just going to fish on that side of the boat anyway."

The Prodigal Son: Part 3

Earner (2010) (17" x 17")

collage on hardboard

The elder brother is perhaps the most interesting character in the parable; at least he is the one we can identify with the most.  His major problem is not jealousy of his brother, although that certainly comes out clearly in the story. His problem lies in thinking that he can only gain love and respect from his father by his hard work.  The concept of grace is foreign to him.

The Prodigal Son: Part 2

Giver (2010) (24" x 13")

collage on hard board

The return of the prodigal son and his acceptance by his father is one of the clearest examples in the Bible of the principle of pure grace extended by God to all those who repent and turn to Him as their only hope of salvation.

The Prodigal Son

Taker (2010) (17" x 17")

collage on hardboard

Our home Bible study group is going through the Sermon on the Mount. To comment on Matt. 27:9 ("Which of you, if your child asks for bread, will give him a stone?"), I read a quote from George MacDonald collected in an anthology by C. S. Lewis: "The Father will never give the child a stone that asks for bread, bt I am not sure that He will not give the child a stone that asks for a stone."

One of the people in our group noted that this was exactly what the father in the parable did; he gave the younger son what he asked for, knowing that it was not best for him but realizing that the son needed to learn his lesson first hand, the hard way.

Luke 24

Road to Emmaus (2010) (16" x 20")

collage on canvas

Just as the beginning of Luke's Gospel describes the various witnesses to the miraculous events surrounding Jesus' birth, the conclusion describes the witnesses to his resurrection--including the two travelers on their way to Emmaus.

Acts 9

Road to Damascus (2010) (16" x 20")

collage on canvas

The concept of "road" or "way" is especially important in the New Testament. One of the first names for Christianity was actually The Way.  One fateful road was that taken by Saul on the way to persecute Christians in Damascus. This four-panel "cartoon" describes what happened to him, as related in Acts 9, 22 and 26.

The Seven Deadly Sins

Prisoners (2010) (12" x 16" x 10 3/8"h)

mixed media construction in antique vending machine

The concept of seven deadly sins is not present in the Bible but arose in early Catholicism. These sins were said to lead to all other sins.  Each of the polymer clay figures in the above assemblage represents one of the sins.

Joseph in Prison

Dreamers (2008) (34 3/4" x 23")

collage and metal grate on hardboard

Genesis 39-41 describes Joseph's stay in prison before being released by Pharoah. While he was dreaming of freedom, his fellow-prisoners were literally dreaming. In fact, it was Joseph's interpretation of their dreams which eventually led to his release. This piece is in the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas.

Chiasms in the Gospel of Mark

"Come" (Mark) (2008)

mixed media in modified cigar mold

Mark's Gospel has a number of symmetrical word patterns (such as chiasms) hidden in it. A simple example is found in all the appearances of Satan:

                                                                         Tempts Jesus (1:13)

                                                                               Against himself (3:23-26)

                                                                               Against believer (4:15)

                                                                         Tempts Jesus (8:33)

The triptych above is based on the most elaborate pattern in the Gospel, a 22-part symmetrical pattern formed with all the occurrences of the Greek word aperchoma ("come").  This work is now housed in the Museum of Biblical Art-Dallas.

Uriah the Hittite

Uriah ((2007) (12" x 16")

collage on canvas

The sympathetic figure of Uriah is another personage whose character can be analyzed in one of two ways.  On the one hand, he is portrayed in the Bible as being a warrior fiercely devoted to David and his cause. Thus, his betrayal and death at the hand of David makes for a truly tragic story.  On the other hand, one wonders whether his total devotion to his work hasn't alienated his wife, in which case Uriah himself is partially to blame for the consequences.

Bathsheba

Bathsheba (2007) (12" x 16")

collage on canvas

Bathsheba, the original bathing beauty, remains a somewhat enigmatic character. One could accuse her of purposely seducing David so that she could trade up husbands. On the other hand, she appears to act  passively in other episodes such as when Nathan has to urge her to get assurances from David that Solomon will succeed him and when she agrees to Adonijah's  dubious proposal that he be allowed to marry Abishag, David's "concubine."

King David

David (2007) (12" x 18")

collage on canvas

In most of us there is a mixture of our carnal and spiritual lives, but these two are possessed by David in the extreme. His nobility of character and reliance on God are demonstrated by his psalms and by the way he treats his enemies. However, his lust and betrayal of his loyal supporter Uriah come to the forefront in the story of David with Bathsheba.

Job 38-39

 Hard Questions (2006( 24" x 24")

collage on canvas

More Questions (2006) (24" x 24")

collage on canvas

God's long speech to Job toward the end of the book seems at first to have little to do with Job's complaint. It is a list of rhetorical questions regarding the physical world. However, its pertinence is seen in Job's reply, given in Job 40:4: "See, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?"

It is only when we realize our smallness before God that we can stop trying to figure out what God is doing in any given situation in our life or the lives of others.

James 1:21

Rank Growth (2014) (18" x 14")

collage on canvas board

In this passage James describes quite a different garden through his imagery: "Therefore rid yourself of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls." (NRSV)

My wife and I have learned from sad experience that a plot of land must first be thoroughly weeded before introducing new plants. Otherwise, the weeds will grow up around them and be difficult to remove by spraying or digging up without also damaging the desirable growth.

The Song of Solomon

Garden of Delight (2014) (18" x 14")

collage on canvas board

All of the characters in the Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) are present in this canvas. Surprisingly, there are some parallels to the Garden of Eden, including (besides the similar settings) a loving couple, the presence of God, an evil force (the little foxes that spoil the grapes) and guards--not angelic this time but city officials who figure in the lovers' dreams.

The Garden of Eden

A Momentary Eden (2014) (18" x 14")

collage on canvas board

I recently completed three canvases featuring gardens in the Bible. The first of these, of course, concerned the Garden of Eden. This was only a momentary Eden, however, to which mankind will never return. The new heaven and earth are not pictured as a garden, as Jacques Ellul has perceptively pointed out; the future is instead portrayed as a city even though many of the themes found in the early chapters of Genesis are repeated in the Book of Revelation.

Balaam: Numbers 22-24

Two Asses (2005) (18" x 15")

collage and acrylic on canvas

The Old Testament contains another story in which money and religious power come together. In this case, the prophet Balaam who already has supposed religious gifts, as opposed to the story of Simon Magus.  The enemies of Israel approach Balaam to pray to God against that nation, but Balaam is compelled to bless them instead.  Again, the moral is that God's favor cannot be purchased.

Acts 8

The Power Called Great (2005) (24" x 18")

collage and acrylic on canvas

When Paul and his companions travel through Gentile territory, they encounter several people claiming to have supernatural powers. Simon Magus is a rare example of one of them who is convinced of the truth of the Gospel after hearing Philip speak and seeing miracles being performed. However, it is the power that the apostles have that really impresses Simon, and he steps over the line when he offers to purchase that ability from them.

This is a troubling story because it reminds us of Jesus' words that not all who call themselves Christians are so in reality.  As Peter tells Simon Magus, "your heart is not right before God" and "you are still in...the chains of wickedness."

Acts 16

Jailbreak (2005) (9" x 11" x 1.5")

collage and wax in shadow box

The apostles seemed to have spent a lot of time in prison, but managed to witness even there. In this case, Paul and Silas were thrown into jail at the request of some men who owned a slave girl who could divine the future. Paul exorcised the spirit out of her and thereby ruined a profitable business for her owners. Economic gain is just one of the underlying motives for persecution of Christians today.

Acts 2

Peter Stood Up (2005) (12" x 16")

collage on canvas

Reading the early speeches of Peter in the Book of Acts, such as the one he delivered on the Day of Pentacost, it is easy to get the idea that he is merely laying a guilt trip on the crowd for being responsible for the death of Jesus. However, the gist of the whole speech makes it clear that it is just one of several techniques Peter uses in order to try to save them. To look at someone laying on a real guilt trip, just read Stephen's speech a little later in Acts.

Matthew 6:19-21

Moth and Rust (2014) (14" x 14")

collage on canvas

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus advises his audience not to rely on material possessions that are subject to decay of one sort or another, but instead build up heavenly treasures. Interestingly, his brother James, whose epistle is almost a commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, states that these same rotten and rusted possessions will be used as evidence against the rich at the Last Judgment. This is probably because these material goods should not have been hoarded, but could have been used to help others, thus purchasing the "pearl of great price" that Jesus speaks about elsewhere (and is shown in the center of the above collage).

Jael

Partial Portrait: Jael (2014) (6" x 6")

acrylic on canvas

That muscular arm actually belongs to a woman, named Jael. Her daring deed is recorded in Judges 4. She lured the enemy general Sisera into her tent and drove a tent peg into his head with a hammer. All in all, it was not a good day for Sisera since he was fleeing for his life at the time after his army had been defeated through the help of another woman, Deborah.  Never underestimate the power of the "weaker" sex.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Departure (2006) (36" x 24")

mixed media

The aftermath of the disaster at Sodom and Gomorrah is pictured here surrounded by images from the similarly destroyed cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Lot and the Angels

Entrance (2006) (36" x 24")

mixed media on canvas

Lot greets the angels at the gates of Sodom while storm clouds gather overhead prior to the tragic events that happen next.

Samson

Samson (2014) (6" x 6")

acrylic on canvas

The flawed hero Samson is shown in repose just before his hair is cut, rendering him helpless.

Ehud

Ehud (2014) (6" x 6")

acrylic on canvas

Judge Ehud is not a judge by our definition; he is a lone assassin who daringly ventures into the palace of King Eglon of Moab. Since Ehud is left handed, he is apparently able to better conceal his sword from any guards who wish to frisk him. He then talks Eglon into letting him into his inner chamber, where Eglon is stabbed to death. How Ehud manages to escape is somewhat of a mystery. But it has been proposed that he actually may have dropped down the king's privy to a lower chamber and exited that way.

Gideon

Partial Portraits: Gideon (2014) (6" x 6")

acrylic on canvas

This is the first of four in a series featuring characters found in the Book of Judges. They are called partial portraits for two reasons. The descriptions of the judges in this book are very brief (for the most part) and do not give a three-dimensional picture of the people involved. They are usually known only for one main event in their lives, usually a violent event.

The other obvious reason they are partial portraits is that they are blown-up details from medieval paintings. For example, the above picture only shows Gideon's foot right before he picks up the fleece he cast on the ground earlier looking for a sign from God. Gideon's act is not one to be emulated since it shows his lack of faith in God's earlier words to him.

Provision

Provision (2005) ((16" x 20")

collage and acrylic on canvas

The clearest statement regarding God's provision is found in the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus first argues from the greater to the lesser and then from the lesser to the greater: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they." (Matt. 6:25-26)

Plague

Plague (2005) (16" x 20")

collage and acrylic on canvas

A surprising amount of art in the Middle Ages was preoccupied with the various plagues to which they were subject.  Our current-day plagues may be different in some ways but are still present. We should constantly remind ourselves that all things, even those we consider to be "bad," ultimately come from God and therefore can be used by Him for our purification and edification.

St. Paul

Gold Icon: St. Paul (2005) (11" x 14")

collage and acrylic on canvas

This piece captures two moments in career of Paul. The first is at the very start of his life as a Christian when he was still blind (both physically and spiritually) and being tested by Ananias.  The second event is found at the very end of Acts when Paul and his companions have been shipwrecked on their way to Rome and he suffers no ill effects from a presumably poisonous snake bite.  Paul's story is a truly amazing one from start to finish.

St. Peter

Black Icon: St. Peter (2005) (11" x 14")

collage and acrylic on canvas

This composition captures Peter's amazing transformation from a simple fisherman to one whom Jesus entrusted to "feed my sheep."  Whether you consider him the first pope or a leader among leaders, his example is certainly one to follow.