John the Baptist

Red Icon: St. John the Baptist (2005) (8" x 10")

collage and acrylic on canvas board

Sometimes John is more known for the lurid and gory story of his death than for his role as the forerunner of Christ. According to the angel Gabriel's words found at the start of Luke's Gospel, this role was prophesied centuries earlier.  There is still controversy whether John's coming is the total fulfillment of the prophecy that Elijah will come at the Last Days, but the best interpretation is to take Jesus and Gabriel at face value and assume that this event has already happened.

St. John at Patmos

Blue Icon: St. John at Patmos (2005) (8" x 10")

collage and acrylic on canvas board

I created several "icons" in this style. This one pictures the aging Apostle Paul in exile on the Island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. The image I used for John is one of Ezra Pound, the American visionary poet who lived part of his life in exile in Italy.

Hell

Homage to Bosch (2003 (16" x 20")

collage on canvas board

I have been especially taken by the surrealist artists, including their precursor Hieronymous Bosch. This is my attempt to use the technique of collage to duplicate the bizarre visions of Hell that Bosch conjured up, whether or not they portray in the least the actuality of that place.

Epistle to the Romans

Romans (1986) (5 1/2" x 8 1/4")

mixed media construction in wooden box

This is the most elaborate of the three similar assemblages based on Paul's letters. It is composed of wax, Plaster of Paris, epoxy resin, pen and ink, and various metallic inserts.  The third row from the top pictures Paul's enigmatic metaphor in the eleventh chapter comparing the church to a tree in which the branches of a cultivated olive tree are broken off, others from a wild variety are grafted in, and then perhaps branches from the original tree will be re-grafted.  This passage has been the subject of endless debate between two different schools of theology--the Successionists who feel that the Church has taken the place of Israel as the people of God and those who feel that God has entirely separate plans for Jewish and Gentile believers.

II Corinthians

II Corinthians (1986) (6 1/2" x 5 1/2")

mixed media construction in wooden box

This is the second piece I completed in a series of boxes with colored wax. I found that it is an interesting and challenging exercise to try to represent a sky with clouds using only crayon shavings and a wood-burning tool.  As far as the symbology employed, at this point I will have to say with Robert Frost, "When I originally made it, only God and I knew what it meant. Now, only God knows."

I Corinthians

I Corinthians (1986) (5 1/2" x 5 1/4")

mixed media construction

The 16 chapters of this letter are portrayed visually through the inscribed symbols in the circles above. The whole construction is formed of colored wax and (appropriately) communion cups in a wooden box frame. I realize that the symbols are faint, but you might be able to figure out what they stand for.

James 5:19-20

Cover-Up (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The subject in James' final words is the serious, and controversial, topic of apostasy. The most straightforward reading of this passage leads to the inescapable conclusion that it is possible for one of our Christian brothers or sisters to wander so far from the truth of the Gospel that the consequence is spiritual death (although a minority of commentators feel that only physical death is being referred to here).  However, it is still possible for that person to be turned back to the truth, and it is our duty to try to help.

James 5:13-18

Proper Responses (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

James outlines three situations when one should turn to God for help: when we are suffering, cheerful or sick. In addition, he appears to couple sickness with sinfulness in verses 15 and 16. But these are probably two separate thoughts in line with Jesus' teachings to his apostles that there is not necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship between the two.

James 5:12

Black and White (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

After all of the important teachings that have preceded this verse, James unexpectedly begins his warning against taking oaths by saying, "Above all..."  Although this is not a trivial subject by any means, this opening phrase should better be translated, "And in conclusion..."

Again, in these verses, James echoes the sayings of Christ, who explains that we should not swear by anything at all since whatever we swear by (whether by God or by the hairs on our chinny-chin-chin) is beyond our personal control.

James 5:7-11

Patience (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses give advice on how to live your life in light of the fact that Christ is coming again soon. Instead of selling your property and going to a mountain top or walking around with a sign "The End is Coming," one is to live patiently in the presence of trials and not complain about other Christians---in other words, live your life normally.

James 5:1-6

Hard Evidence (2009) (9" x 12")

In the Sermon on the Mount, one of Jesus' reasons for our not trusting in wealth is that it doesn't last. He even uses the same word "rust" that James employs in this passage--the word can stand for any sort of decay.

/There is nothing wrong with wealth itself, but it should be used for good (creating jobs, charity) and not just accumulated. One commentator has said, “Most all people who are able to save and invest experience the temptation to drastically overestimate their genuine needs and/or try to secure their futures against all calamity.”The result is stored resources that could have been used more wisely. Those excess resources will be used as evidence against us at the Judgment.

James 4:13-17

Misty (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses express a hard saying that seemingly discourages us from planning for the future (much as Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount). However, the real thrust of the passage is to remind us that our life is fleeting and totally in God's hands. We should keep this in mind whenever we make detailed plans for the future.

James 4:11-12

One and Only (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses sound a warning against those who choose to point a finger at others. James says, in effect, that we are judging ourselves when we do this. Ultimately, there is only one supreme judge who can condemn us or forgive us, and that is God.

James 4:1-10

Perfect Mayhem (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Again in these verses James echoes the thoughts of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He castigates those who are in love with material possessions and pray to God for more. Such people are double-minded in that they seek both God and Mammon and can't have both. This leads inevitably to conflicts with those around them.

James 3:13-18

Up and Down (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Paraphrasing C. S. Lewis: We should view each person we meet as either the most glorious angel or as the most hideous demon since one of the two will be the ultimate fate of each of us.

James 3:1-12

Out of Control (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The power of words is the subject of these verse, which echo the teachings in the Book of Proverbs. James highlights the uses of the tongue by employing both positive (steering ships, riding horses) and negative (wildfire, poison) images.

James 2:14-26

Faith is a Verb (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper



One confusing issue for many Christians is the seeming discrepancy between James and Paul concerning the question of faith versus works. This is especially true since both authors use Abraham as a prime example to prove their respective ideas.

The best solution I have found to resolve the issue is to consider a basic principle of hermeneutics (the science and art of interpretation). One should always let an author define his own words. So an instructive exercise is to go through the key passages in Paul and James and write down how each one of them defines the words faith, work and law. You will soon see that there is no contradiction between their teachings, just slight differences in how they define their terms.

James 2:8-13

Transgressors (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

This is an interesting passage in that James plays on the various meanings of the word "law."  First he states (as did Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount) that we are still liable for judgment under the laws of the Ten Commandments. However, we are to speak and act under the commands of a new law, the law of liberty (also mentioned in James 1:25). And if we do, then we will be judged mercifully by God.

James 2:1-7

Cross of Gold (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

James gives a powerful example in these verses that is still applicable today. The question is, "How to we view visitors to our church services?" Is it according to their socio-economic status or their status as someone that Christ died for?

James 1:26-27

Pure Religion (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses do a wonderful job of encapsulating the basics of Christian behavior in two areas that must both be embraced by the believer: maintaining purity in an impure world and entering into the world to help those in distress. Unfortunately, many Christian groups gravitate toward one or the other and thus become either exclusive separatists or those who preach the social gospel only.

James 1:22-25

Amnesia (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

In these verses, James compares those who are self-deceived (hearers of the word who refuse to follow through with concrete actions) to those who look in a mirror but soon afterward forget what they look like. This collage features a picture of Agatha Christie at her desk since she actually did suffer from an episode of amnesia once.



James 1:19-21

His Master's Voice (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper



James echoes Proverbs in the first part of this passage urging us to "be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger."  But, he continues, you must also rid yourself of all sordidness in order to hear God's word and plant it in your heart.

James 1:17-18

Shadowless (2009 (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses describe the unchangeable God as the Father of lights who "gave us birth by the word of truth. Note the contrast with verse 15, which described the process by which evil desire "gives birth to death."

James 1:12-16

Death's Life Cycle (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses form a sort of contrast to James 1:2-4, which describes the spiritual growth caused in a believer by the process of testing and trials. In verses 12-16, the final result of giving in to temptation is seen as spiritual death.

James 1:9-11

Ups and Downs (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

A reversal of fates is a common theme in the Bible. Living in central Texas, I especially like the image of the rich being compared to wildflowers in a field that bloom and then wither in the heat of the sun.

James 1:5-8

Wavering (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

James admonishes his readers to petition God in faith and not be double-minded. This last term is a very rare word appearing in the New Testament only here and in James 4:8 where he applies it to those Christians who are having trouble resisting temptation.

James 1:2-4

Topsy-Turvy Teaching (2010) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The result of trials, according to James is so that we can become "mature and perfect."  This seems like a high goal, but it is an echo of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount to "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." One commentator has explained that perfection means being all that we can become.

James 1:1

This is the first in a series of posts illustrating all of the Letter of James.

To the Tribes (2010) (9" x 12")

collage on paper



James addresses this letter to the "twelve tribes in the Dispersion (or diaspora)."  If taken literally, this would mean that he is writing exclusively to Jewish Christians. However, most commentators take this address to mean the Christian community (both Jewish and gentile) at large. This meaning is consistent with usage elsewhere in the NT epistles employing terms formerly designating the Jews as God's chosen people, but now enlarged to include gentile believers.

Isaiah 13:19-22

Mansion or Menagerie? (2011) (6" x 4")

collage on wood panel

In keeping with the recent spate of apocalyptic movies like World War Z, it is interesting to note that the Old Testament prophets similarly warned the people of their day that any civilization stands only if God allows it. Even Babylon was overthrown to become a place where "wild animals will lie down and its houses will be full of howling creatures." 

Matthew 12:38-40

Type (2009) (6 3/4" x 8" x 1 1/2")

collage in linotype box

I keep coming back to the interesting parallels between Jesus' life and that of Jonah. The most famous one, of course, is the three days and three nights in the belly of the whale compared to Jesus' time in the tomb. While scholars continue to debate the exact days of the week included in the latter event, it is interesting to note that there was an ancient belief that a dead person had to travel three days after death to reach Hades.

Mark 16:9-20

Dubious Denoument (2009) (32" x 16 3/4" x 1 1/4")

collage in type case



If most of you try to look up these verses in your Bible, they will be missing or given in small type. This is because they are not present in the earliest existing manuscripts of Mark that we possess. There are several theories to account for their appearance in later manuscripts. The most popular one is that Mark either intended to end his Gospel at verse 8 or that the original ending was lost early in the process of transmission. In either case, someone later on appended verses 9-20 to provide a "more appropriate" ending.

My own feeling, based on structural analysis, is that the last verses of Mark's original Gospel were lost, but that we can go to the ending of Luke's Gospel to get a good idea of how it originally read.

Leviathan

God's Plaything (2009) (32 1/4" x 16 1/2" x 1 3/8")

mixed media in type case

Many other ancient Near Eastern societies had myths involving sea monsters representing forces of chaos that were at war with the deities. However, Leviathan in the Bible (Psalm 104:26 and Job 40-41) is pictured as a sort of bath toy for God.

John 4

Living Water (2004) (9 3/4" x 2" x 8 1/2")

mixed media construction in wood box

 This strange piece is hard to picture since it was constructed in an antique sewing machine parts box with figures formed from the parts themselves. It shows Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well and trying to explain to her the concept of living water. As usual, even with his disciples, she takes his words literally instead of figuratively. Nevertheless, the words have their intended effect and result in others in the village coming to hear Jesus.

John 2

Transformed Water (2004) (9 3/4" x 2" x 8 1/2")

Construction in water testing kit

The first half of John's Gospel is arranged around seven "I am" sayings of Jesus, seven feasts of the Jews, and seven miracles. The turning of the water into wine at Cana is the first of the miracles, or "signs" as John prefers to call them. This sign not only shows Jesus' power over natural laws; it also points to his Father, who also changes water to wine using a slower process. 

Exodus 15

Bitter Waters (2004) (7 7/8" x 3 3/8" x 2 1/2")

mixed media construction in wood box

During the Israelites' wanderings in the wilderness they came upon a a source of water but it was too bitter to drink. God showed Moses a piece of (charred?) wood which was thrown into the water so that it became drinkable. As a scientist, I know that activated charcoal can be used to remove trace contaminants from water, which is possibly the "explanation" of this miracle.

However, the miracle consists of the proper knowledge imparted to Moses just when he needed it, and the existence of the very wood near at hand. It is somewhat the same as the coincidence of me happening to find an old medicine bottle which had an inscription containing the words "Moses," "formerly," "bitter," and "wood." 

Numbers 5

Waters of Testing (2004) (10 3/4" x 5" x 3 1/2")

mixed media construction

One of the strangest rituals in the Bible is this passage in which a woman accused of unfaithfulness by her husband is subjected to a trial in which she must drink a wierd concoction while holding two sheaves of wheat in her hands. Without going into all the details, it is obvious that the trial is weighted heavily in favor of the wife and was meant to discourage unfounded suspicions by her husband.

Numbers 19

Waters of Impurity (2004) (3 1/2" x 4 1/4" x 12 1/4")

mixed media construction in wood box

This chapter contains the regulations and rites concerning the purification of a person who has come into contact with a dead body. As with many of the other laws concerning ritual purity, the means of counteracting it may seem to be arbitrary. However, the major import of these rules was to stress the gap between man and God--a gap that was only removed by Jesus shedding his blood on the cross. This sacrifice is prefigured in Numbers 19 by the killing of a perfect heifer and sprinkling its blood toward the tent of meeting.

Amos 9:9

Shaken, Not Stirred (2011) (4" x 6")

collage on wood panel

God's revelation to Amos is one of separation. He will destroy the sinful kingdom of Israel, and all its sinners "shall die by the sword." However, God holds out hope for a remnant in verses 11-12. As the note in my NRSV Study Bible says, "Amos refutes the idea that Israel's relationship with God implies its superiority" or will protect them from God's righteous judgment. Something for Americans to keep in mind.

I Corinthians 10:31

Give Thanks (2011) (6" x 4")

collage on wood panel

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God."  It is hard for us to apply Paul's words to every activity in our daily life since much of it seems to have little or nothing to do with God. Paul, however, is exhorting us to consider God and his daily provision for us constantly in these very activities.

I Kings 7

The precious vessels of the Lord that are described in verses 48-50 of this chapter are a source of temptation for both Israel's leaders (who love to show them off to visitors as if they were their own possession) and for neighboring rulers (who later took them to be used for profane purposes, as described in a recent post).

The time, talents and treasures that God gives us are to be held in trust and used for the benefit of His kingdom.

 Vessels of the Lord (2011) (6" x 4")

collage on wood panel