Gospel in Art: Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel

Jesus sending out the Eleven Apostles by Duccio. 1308-1311 © Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 26 April 2025
Mark 16:9-15

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Afterwards he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'

Reflection on the painting

In today's Gospel reading, we hear how the risen Christ appears to his disciples and commissions them to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. It is a powerful moment of trust and sending, where the disciples are no longer simply followers, but are now made the very bearers of the message of Salvation. This passage marks a turning point: from the sorrow of the crucifixion to the joy and responsibility of mission. The command to go out and preach is not just a practical instruction, but a deeply theological statement: the Gospel is not meant to remain hidden; it is meant to be shared with the world!

This moment is captured beautifully in one of the panels of the Maestà, a large altarpiece commissioned by the city of Siena in 1308 from the artist Duccio di Buoninsegna. The panel in question is located on the reverse side of the altarpiece, which features 34 small scenes from the life of Christ. Painted on wood (a common medium before canvas became popular in the late 16th century) the work is set against a background of shimmering gold leaf, a technique known as fond' oro, which was typical of 14th-century Italian art. The gold background evokes a sense of heavenly glory and timelessness, reminding the viewer that the scene depicted is not merely historical, but eternal in its significance.

In the panel, Christ is shown standing with his eleven apostles, entrusting them with the mission of spreading the faith. His hands are outstretched in a gesture of commission, and two of the disciples hold books, symbolising the Word they are called to preach. Strikingly, these books are placed along the same horizontal axis as Christ's hands, visually reinforcing the link between his command and their mission. The composition subtly yet clearly conveys the theology of apostolic succession: the message of Christ continues through the preaching of Saint Peter and the apostles. Duccio's use of line, gesture, and symbolism invites us to reflect not only on the task given to the first disciples, but on the Church's ongoing responsibility to proclaim the Gospel in every time and place.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-16-9-15-2025/ (with audio)