Today's Gospel in Art - Jesus got into a boat and told them many things

Jesus Preaching by the Sea of Galilee by Adam Willaerts © Lempertz Cologne

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 21st July 2021 - Matthew 13:1-9

Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the beach, and he told them many things in parables.

He said, 'Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up.

Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!'

Reflection on the Painting

Our Gospel reading today tells us that Jesus went into a boat to preach, which our painting depicts. Our artist, Adam Willaerts, was born in London in 1577 from Flemish parents who had fled from Antwerp to London for religious reasons. Later they settled in Leiden in Holland, where Willaerts then became one of the foremost maritime painters. Not only a brilliant colourist as we can see here, he was also an imaginative narrator, setting biblical scenes within maritime landscapes. We see Jesus standing up in a red cloak, holding one of the mast cables for balance. People have gathered around Him to listen. Although Jesus is the main figure in our composition, our eyes move all over the painting, wanting to discover who else is depicted. We see in the bottom left corner fishermen sorting out their catch, then to their right three Arab men (they almost look like the three magi), and a kneeling young man in the foreground who is the largest figure in the whole scene. On behalf of the viewer, he genuflects to what he is witnessing.

The most interesting aspect of the painting in my view is the fact that some figures are dressed in classical dress from the time of Jesus, and others are in 17th-century dress. The boat Jesus is standing in is from His time, but the naval ship in the background again is 17th century. A juxtaposition of elements from different times. As such the artist teaches us that the biblical story is relevant for all times.

Throughout the Gospel readings, the boat often represents the Church or our Christian community from which Jesus continues to speak his message to the world… still today…

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/874
Christian Art - www.christian.art