Jack Fenwick
Graceviews, March 2005
Over the years, Graceviews’ covers have featured the many significant aspects of Easter, Christianity’s most sacred celebration, from the utter despair of the Crucifixion to the eternal promise of the Resurrection. The art world, especially during the Renaissance period (roughly the 14th through the 16th century) saw a veritable flood of paintings depicting the grim dark time leading to the final day and the aftermath of salvation. While their art techniques in oil and gesso can only be described as awesome, their imaginative and striking depictions of the many notable events of Easter can be overly stylized. Wealthy patrons and authoritarian churchmen often dictated the content of the artists’ religious work. The result was some very strange and excessive tidiness into sombre scenes. Oddities such as highly ornate Grecian columns and lavish buildings provided unreal backgrounds, and often poor peasants were exceptionally well dressed. The only major artist who painted Luke’s Emmaus account was constantly badgered by strict authorities.
His name was Caravaggio, an independent and reckless man whose life was a series of confrontations with Church and State because of his natural approach to religious themes. His vivid portrait of Christ having supper in the village of Emmaus with his disciples before he finally blesses them and is carried to heaven, roused the ire of prominent churchmen. They railed against his portrayal of the disciples in peasant like clothing, tattered and worn, as demeaning and irreligious. Though he sometimes yielded and made appeasing changes he generally resisted and caused much controversy. Other less talented and subservient painters received more commissions but his striking portraits using chiaroscuro (strong light and shade) inspired future generations of artists.
Some theologians and religious historians have divided opinions of the origins of the Gospels, surmising that Matthew and Luke took much of their information from the Gospel of St. Mark. They reason that Mark actually wrote his accounts based on the memories of Peter shortly before the disciple’s death under Nero’s persecution and that his writing was earlier than the others. Researchers contend that the other two gospels contain similar incidents obtained from Mark. In those days it was not considered plagiarism but rather a mark of respect for the other author. All speculation aside, Luke’s Gospel does contain many of Jesus’ inspiring parables and the lapse of faith of two followers walking to the village of Emmaus.
On the third day after the Crucifixion they are expressing doubt after the discovery of the empty tomb and the apostles’ rejection of the women’s (Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary) astounding encounter with the two men in shining garments. While they are grumbling to each other, they are approached by Jesus in human form. Somehow, they do not recognize him. When asked what is troubling them, they voice their despair and disappointment because the prophecy that Jesus of Nazareth would set Israel free will not be fulfilled. Jesus chides them for being foolish in not believing the prophets. He then declares, ” Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” It is then that they know who he is. Later in the village he rebukes the disciples for their lack of faith, then after a final blessing He is carried to heaven. The account can be interpreted in various ways, but Luke’s message is surely one of redeemed belief in salvation despite the lapse of faith as a human frailty when confronted by the miracle of the Resurrection…