SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
The Cranach’s Lukas the Elder and Lukas the Younger both worked on this beautiful Reformation altar piece that is actually a triptych in St. Peter & St. Paul Ev. Church in Weimar Germany and it was completed in 1555. The work focuses on what Jesus the Christ has done for us in His death and resurrection. What many find unique in the painting is how Lukas Cranach the Elder has Christ’s blood flowing on his head as the three men that stand at the right hand side of the cross. The first is John the Baptist who points to Christ as to where we are to find our salvation and in no other. Next is Cranach the Elder with the blood flowing on his head from the wound of Jesus’ side. This is to represent that the artist is like all believers in Christ. He looks at the those coming to the altar for the Lord’s Supper and in doing so they can see his confession. The importance of this action comes from Luther who reminded us that we are not required to pray to the saints that have gone before us but that we can pray directly to Christ Jesus because of what He has done for you! This was a radical change in the Reformation. Martin Luther in the painting has open Bible with the verses St. John 1:7 and Hebrews 4:16 which invite us to the seat of grace and to the Lord’s Supper for Jesus the Christ will help us in His grace and mercy through His purifying blood. Christ’s sacrifice and victory over sin, death and the devil are evident in this painting for all to see but there is so much more in the Altar Triptych but that in itself would be long sermon!
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