Lifted Up

Antonello da Messina (Italian, ca. 1430–1479), Christ Crucified, 1475

This painting is striking for its strong verticality, which, by elevating Jesus so far above the ground, gives it a certain solitariness. Antonello composed the picture with a low viewpoint so that we, like John the apostle on the right, also have to look up to view the crucified Christ. 

LISTEN: “Staff” by Josh Compton, on Awake, Awake by A Ship at Sea (2012)

As they looked upon the staff

That Moses wrapped the snake around

So my eyes behold the cross

That my Lord is placed upon

Bring me healing, bring me sight

Bring me feeling, bring me light

Bring anointing to my head

Make alive what once was dead

This song is inspired by Jesus’ words in this Sunday's Gospel lesson, John 3:14–15: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” Jesus is, of course, referring not only forward to his crucifixion but also back to the episode in Numbers 21:4–9, in which the people of Israel were healed from fatal snake bites by looking up at a bronze serpent raised up on a pole.