Today's Gospel in Art - The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah

Jonah being Devoured by the Whale, from Bible of St John XXII 14C © Musée Atger, Montpellier, France

Gospel of 12th October 2020 - Luke 11:29-32

The crowds got even bigger, and Jesus addressed them:

'This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

On Judgement day the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.

On Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.'

Reflection on the Illuminated Manuscript Page

Our illuminated manuscript page, depicting Jonah being devoured by the whale, is taken from the Bible of St John XXII. He was the second and longest-reigning pope in Avignon (1316-1336). He is the pope who canonised Saint Thomas Aquinas. We see Jonah depicted in a prayerful pose being swallowed by the whale, in front a medieval city, probably representing Nineveh.

During the 14th century, we see many such illuminated manuscripts being produced. The production of lavishly illustrated copies of the Bible did not end with the advent of printing. These illuminated manuscripts are beautiful, as they symbolise so vividly the textual literacy, spiritual devotion and rise of the material culture during the Middle Ages. These manuscripts using natural materials, such as gold leaf, silverpoint, vellum, and bright, mineral-derived paints, required a high degree of craftsmanship. As the materials used were fragile and war-torn medieval Europe destroyed a lot of copies, only few good examples have survived.

Jonah prayed inside the whale for help, repented, and praised God… for three days. Jesus in our Gospel reading today mentions Jonah, to foreshadow His own death and Resurrection. Jonah emerging from the fish after three days is a parallel for Jesus emerging from the tomb after three days... Jesus compares himself to Jonah, another sign, calling for our conversion.

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/572

Christian Art - www.christian.art