This is one of my favorite Rembrandts. It's his depiction of the storm on the Sea of Galilee, recorded in Matthew 8:23-27. That's Jesus there in the back of the boat, lying down, just awakened by the panicked disciples.
Notice the two approaches to dealing with storms that Rembrandt captures in this painting. There are the disciples up at the bow of the boat, furiously trying to set the sails and right the vessel. And then there are the ones back at the stern. I think they realize just how hopeless their efforts will be against the storm - how absolutly futile it is to pull at those lines when you're up against the wind and the waves.
And they're almost certainly more afraid than they ought to be, what with the Son of God in their craft. But there they are, on their knees, looking to Him for help.
Where are you in this painting? Up at the bow, pulling and striving while the waves crash around you, threatening to sink your little boat? Or there with your Lord, crying out in whatever weak and broken way that you can that He alone is your rock, your refuge.
2 comments:
Amen brother. This is why art is such a gift from God. To relate the full meaning of that image in prose would be a substantial portion of text. But to grasp all of it in a moment, just by gazing with understanding, that is the power of art. Not only does it share the meaning of the text it portrays, it also bestows beauty in lines, textures, colors, etc., all of which deepen the already present meaning. This is why it is important for Christians to watch the sunset. God speaks to us through images. Both the image of language and the image of creation.
Yeah. I think that the lighting is telling, too. Almost as if Rembrandt is admitting that the self-sufficiency up at the front of the boat is the more common and natural approach to coping with trials. Dependancy remains elusively hidden in the shadows from our fallen instincts.
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