Gospel in Art: You place your hopes on Moses but Moses will be your accuser

The Children of Israel Crossing the Red Sea, by Frédéric Schopin, 1855 © Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 14 March 2024
John 5:31-47

'If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true.

'You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

'But I have a testimony greater than John's.

'The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.

'You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings. But I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?'

Reflection on the painting

Our painting depicts the moment when Moses became the most important Jewish prophet and leader in the Old Testament: when he led the children of Israel out of Egypt. We see Moses dominating the composition, extending his rod against the Egyptians, who are engulfed by the waves as the sea closes in on them. To the right, the reprieved Israelites, their children and animals, form an idealised chaos. The composition is diagonally (top right corner to the bottom left corner) cut in two: on the left is the old Egyptian life, where the composition is fairly empty, and on the right the newfound freedom, showing some Egyptian artefacts towards the front of the painting recalling the years of slavery they have now left behind.

Only the day before yesterday we heard about the miracle at the Pool of Bethesda. But in today's reading Jesus is frustrated by his listeners, pointing out that the miracles he performed should make them alert and have faith. His followers witness all these amazing miracles and yet still don't recognise that Jesus is the Messiah, sent by his Father. They seem unable to connect the dots and understand who Jesus really is. It is a difficult reading, especially when he says 'I know that you do not have the love of God in you'; how devastating that must have been for his followers to hear!

Jesus also speaks here of John the Baptist as a lamp alight and shining who gave out light that people were privileged to enjoy for a time. Whereas Jesus is the light of the world, John the Baptist is a lamp alight and shining. In a sense, John is to Jesus as the moon is to the sun: he reflects something of the light of Jesus to others, but he himself is not the light. When Jesus speaks of himself as the light of the world, he is calling us to reflect something of that divine love to others.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-5-31-47-2024/
Competition: The Laudamus Award 2024 for Sacred Art - www.indcatholicnews.com/news/49310