The Image of Jesus

The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple, Holman Hunt

January 20th and 27th from 9:45-10:45 I have been asked to speak about the "Image of Jesus" at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair, PA and I am anxiously anticipating guiding the examination of many intriguing works of art.

The Bible doesn't tell us what Jesus looked like. So, how did our image of Jesus develop? Fairly early in history, he was shown as a man on the threshold of middle age, with brown to black hair and a beard, and an facade of sorrow and compassion. Beyond this, each age has produced its own deviation of the Jesus image to meet its own needs, projections and beliefs. The following is a little hint of what we'll look at...

The Gospels give us only one glimpse to satisy--or to pique--our curiosity about the childhood of Jesus. In Holman Hunt's Finding of the Saviour in the Temple, the incident narrated in Luke 2:41-52 epitomizes the ambivalance of his relation to the Jewish tradition. His parents find him seated among the teachers of the Mosiac law and confounding them with his questions and answers; but he gently rebukes the reproof of his parents by asking, "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"--referring to the Jewish temple in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area please feel free to attend. Additionally, worship at Westminster is at 8:30 or 11:00.