Latest posts by michael wilson (see all)
- JORDAN RIVER - February 5, 2019
- Inspired Art - August 2, 2018
- Waiting for Inspiration - July 31, 2018
- The Bridge between Painting and Photography - July 31, 2018
This is an oil painting on hardwood panel. Most of us are aware of the pivotal and historical moment when Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River. On the left is John symbolically holding a water jug. On the right is the brother of Jesus, James who holds a wonderful gold crown. Most of the apostles including James believed Jesus was in fact the Messiah who would be the new King, the new leader of the Jews. The crown is symbolic of the way they were thinking.
We know that the mission and purpose of Jesus was essentially two-fold: To proclaim the inheritance provided by His Father (our Heavenly Father) for every person – specifically sonship and daughtership in the Father’s Kingdom. This inheritance was all inclusive. The second was to declare the Father’s great and abiding love for all of Humanity…His infinite mercy to every soul, regardless of status. During His short ministry before and after the babtism these were the two essential messages he spoke about over and over and often in parables.
The diagonals and cubistic imagery is there to show how so often this is misunderstood – that we have a difficult time seeing through a long history of subterfuge, even today. We need to look more deeply into our own experience and our own true feelings to see the actual reasons for Christ coming to our earth when He did. By getting beyond our prejudices we can ‘know’ Jesus in a new and vital way. It is my hope that by contemplating the painting honestly our own hearts and minds will open more to His core message of love towards all men.