Jesus Calls the Disciples by Duccio
What did Jesus do? In the fourth century, pilgrims to Jerusalem obsessed about this question. They wanted to not only see, but experience the places where Jesus lived and died. Devout pilgrims wanted to “walk in the footsteps of the Master” and respond with emotion and devotion.
In the fourth century Paula of Nola explained, “No other sentiment draws men to Jerusalem than the desire to see and touch the places where Christ was physically present, and to be able to say from our very own experience ‘we have gone into his tabernacle and adored in the very places where his feet have stood.’”
Every week Christians gathered to reenact the Thursday through Sunday events of the Passion. Pilgrims wept, prostrated, worshiped, communed, and imagined themselves agonizing with Jesus as he prayed in the garden, stood before Pilate, and hung from the cross. These believers wanted to imitate Christ.
Realistically, a Holy Land pilgrimage offered a few Christians a once-in-a-lifetime itinerary and spiritual high point. Being like Christ required a daily commitment to his teachings. For this, faithful followers listened to stories about his life and the apostles’ letters to the earliest Christians. Each Sunday priests read pages that admonished them to emulate Christ in their spiritual devotion and everyday relationships.
In the same century as Paula’s pilgrimages, Church leaders collected these writings into a canon of approved Scripture, the New Testament. Artists enhanced people’s motivation to walk with Christ by illustrating the people and events of this newly formed Testament. During the eras when most Christians couldn’t read, these images acted as visual Scripture. Looking at Jesus pulling a fearful Peter from the water reminded them not to fear. Observing the prodigal son embracing his father taught them forgiveness.
Centuries later, as literacy expanded, visual interpretations of the New Testament increased, too. Word and image powerfully taught the imitation of Christ.
Read more about Christian art in Judith Couchman’s book, The Art of Faith: A Guide to Understanding Christian Images (Paraclete).
In the fourth century Paula of Nola explained, “No other sentiment draws men to Jerusalem than the desire to see and touch the places where Christ was physically present, and to be able to say from our very own experience ‘we have gone into his tabernacle and adored in the very places where his feet have stood.’”
Every week Christians gathered to reenact the Thursday through Sunday events of the Passion. Pilgrims wept, prostrated, worshiped, communed, and imagined themselves agonizing with Jesus as he prayed in the garden, stood before Pilate, and hung from the cross. These believers wanted to imitate Christ.
Realistically, a Holy Land pilgrimage offered a few Christians a once-in-a-lifetime itinerary and spiritual high point. Being like Christ required a daily commitment to his teachings. For this, faithful followers listened to stories about his life and the apostles’ letters to the earliest Christians. Each Sunday priests read pages that admonished them to emulate Christ in their spiritual devotion and everyday relationships.
In the same century as Paula’s pilgrimages, Church leaders collected these writings into a canon of approved Scripture, the New Testament. Artists enhanced people’s motivation to walk with Christ by illustrating the people and events of this newly formed Testament. During the eras when most Christians couldn’t read, these images acted as visual Scripture. Looking at Jesus pulling a fearful Peter from the water reminded them not to fear. Observing the prodigal son embracing his father taught them forgiveness.
Centuries later, as literacy expanded, visual interpretations of the New Testament increased, too. Word and image powerfully taught the imitation of Christ.
Read more about Christian art in Judith Couchman’s book, The Art of Faith: A Guide to Understanding Christian Images (Paraclete).
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