How does Genesis and the OT (Old Testament) speak to you in terms of a Christian faith? Does the Old Testament have a significant place in a Christian life? Does our church include OT readings in the lectionary to rebut Marcion, or is there meaning there just as in the NT?
One of our reformers, Calvin, loved to write about the unity of the Bible, the unity of the message of the Bible to Christians. “There is a continuity of God’s world” (Birch, 33).
The greatest painter of Reformed Protestantism was Rembrandt. Rembrandt painted a scene from Genesis 18.2-15 entitled, Abraham Entertaining the Lord and the Two Angels. http://www.nga.gov/feature/artnation/rembrandt/thestory_1.shtm.
His representation was excellent in all regards, except one. It becomes readily apparent that Rembrandt did the unthinkable; he deliberately chose to alter a key detail in the scene as described in Genesis 18.2-15. Why would Rembrandt choose to alter a key piece of information that is described in the Bible? To do so was very unusual, especially for a Protestant Dutch artist working in a predominantly Protestant land.
Having read the text, you will note no mention of the small boy in the background playing with his bow. That’s Ishmael, but what is he doing in this Rembrandt scene?
Scholars say that this is a Rembrandt/Calvin sign of unity and inclusiveness; a sign of God’s universality; a God of many nations; a God who blessed Ishmael and Isaac; a God of an Old Covenant and a God of a New Covenant.
“The God of Israel is the same God seen as incarnate in Jesus Christ, and it is our recognition of God’s grace in creation, promise, deliverance, covenant making, judgment, and redemption in Israel’s story that allows us to understand more fully the divine grace we see in Jesus Christ” (Birch, 32).
How do you find Christianity in the OT?
No comments:
Post a Comment