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Holy Trinity Shanghai - Old and New Testament Windows
This index shows the second phase of the project for the Holy Trinity Church in Shanghai.
The first phase, the transept behind the altar, was to illustrate three scenes from the life of Christ. These two transepts are concerned with the other two persons of the Trinity. God the Father and scenes from the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit, and scenes from the New Testament and the apostles.
image set
Holy Trinity Shanghai
Material - Lamberts Mouthblown Flashed Glass
Technique - Traditional stained glass, multi-layered etching, glasspainting and silverstaining
Dimensions -
This is place where I can add thre technical information
such as dimensions and architect
windows explanation
The Project
The project is to create a series of appropriate figurative stained glass windows both in style and content to pay homage to the original architecture and function of the building.
The name of the church is the Holy Trinity and was therefore deemed appropriate that the windows in the three front locations should be based on the theme of the Trinity.
It is logical therefore, that the windows behind the altar on the South Wall should be based on the Life of Christ and three themes were selected appropriate to this concept.
These three windows were designed first and were completed in 2011???
The project to date is a collaboration between the artist, John Kenneth Clark and the studio, The Derix Studio in Germany. The glass used throughout the project is mouth blown antique glass from the Lamberts Glass Company in Germany.
The windows depicting the life of Christ show the themes of: The Baptism of Christ, The Garden of Gethsemane and The Ascension.
The second part of the project was to create a series of windows for the two transepts. The theme of the transepts were to be God the Father on the East Wall and the Holy Spirit on the West Wall.
Both of these sets of windows are traditionally laid out.
The first stage of such a project is to produce designs showing the composition and some suggestion of colour. In this case the designs were very detailed. These designs form the basis of a discussion with the clients and following consultations and any alterations the project is approved and the full scale work can begin.
As the shapes and sizes of the windows are clearly defined, a template is made for the shape of each window. The windows are then made to this size enabling the windows to be easily installed on completion.
The project to date is a collaboration between the artist, John Kenneth Clark and the studio, The Derix Studio in Germany. The glass used throughout the project is mouth blown antique glass from the Lamberts Glass Company in Germany.
The windows depicting the life of Christ show the themes of: The Baptism of Christ, The Garden of Gethsemane and The Ascension.
The second part of the project was to create a series of windows for the two transepts. The theme of the transepts were to be God the Father on the East Wall and the Holy Spirit on the West Wall.
Both of these sets of windows are traditionally laid out.
The first stage of such a project is to produce designs showing the composition and some suggestion of colour. In this case the designs were very detailed. These designs form the basis of a discussion with the clients and following consultations and any alterations the project is approved and the full scale work can begin.
As the shapes and sizes of the windows are clearly defined, a template is made for the shape of each window. The windows are then made to this size enabling the windows to be easily installed on completion.
My involvement in the project
I first saw the building in the early stages of the renovation as I had been requested to come to Shanghai and look at possibly designing for the project. Several years later, in collaboration with the studio, I designed the first series of windows.
The Second Phase
The second phase of the project began in 2012 when I began designing for the transept windows.
God the Father is the theme for the East Transept.
There are representations of themes from the Old Testament characters who had direct contact with God the Father: Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Moses. These windows are in the upper row. The lower row of windows contain what are known as the Four Major Prophets. These are: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.
God the Father is the theme for the East Transept.
There are representations of themes from the Old Testament characters who had direct contact with God the Father: Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Moses. These windows are in the upper row. The lower row of windows contain what are known as the Four Major Prophets. These are: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.
The Holy Spirit - The West Transept.
In the Holy Spirit windows, the themes in the upper row are taken from the time following the death and Ascension of Christ. They depict: Mary, Peter, Paul and Stephen.
The lower row of windows have depictions of the Four Evangelists: Matthew Mark, Luke and John.
In both transepts there is a traditional rose window at the top, these have a theme relating to the main narrative of the windows below.
The East Rose is taken from the theme of Creation and depicts the Six Days of Creation.
The West Rose shows the descent of the Holy Spirit first manifested at the Baptism of Christ but the promised helper to the apostles following the death of Jesus. The lamps represent the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:15-17
Jesus Promises Another Helper
15 “If you love Me, keep[a] My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
In this description of the windows, I will include quotations where relevant to explain my thinking and to clarify the images created within the windows.
The Rose window
Theme : Old Testament - Six Days of Creation
The description of creation is at the very beginning of the Bible and describes how God created the universe. As the space in each of these petals of the rose is very small, only a token
interpretation can be attempted to symbolise each day of creation.
The central image is the hand of God holding a pair of dividers made of light symbolising God as the Architect of Creation. There is also included here a subtle image of the Spirit hovering over the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:2
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
There is a single blue circle separating the center from the petals in the East Rose, this represents the firmament, the sky, but also the single representation of God the Father. In the West rose, this becomes three circles indicating the Trinity.
The Themes of the Six Days of Creation begin in the upper Right hand side in the East Rose window and flow clockwise.
The separation of Light from Darkness
The separation of water from dry land
The creation of vegetation, what is used here to denote the vegetation are mainly wheat and grapes, later to become the symbols if the Eucharist.
The creation of the sun and moon and stars
The creation of the birds and the fishes
The creation of the animals and mankind
The central image is the hand of God holding a pair of dividers made of light symbolising God as the Architect of Creation. There is also included here a subtle image of the Spirit hovering over the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:2
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
There is a single blue circle separating the center from the petals in the East Rose, this represents the firmament, the sky, but also the single representation of God the Father. In the West rose, this becomes three circles indicating the Trinity.
The Themes of the Six Days of Creation begin in the upper Right hand side in the East Rose window and flow clockwise.
The separation of Light from Darkness
The separation of water from dry land
The creation of vegetation, what is used here to denote the vegetation are mainly wheat and grapes, later to become the symbols if the Eucharist.
The creation of the sun and moon and stars
The creation of the birds and the fishes
The creation of the animals and mankind
Adam and Eve
The scene represented here is the traditional moment of Eve picking the forbidden fruit from the tree of Knowledge of good and evil.
The last of the images in the Rose window above alludes to this scene.
In the tree above the figures the serpent can be seen. Traditionally, the serpent tempted Eve to pick and eat the fruit, telling her that then she and Adam would have the knowledge of good and evil and be like God.
“. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”
The Sun and moon and stars can be seen through the many leaves of the tree and a dove is seated on one branch giving a suggestion of the Holy Spirit whose presence would become apparent in the time of Christ. There are wheat and grapes in this scene symbolizing the elements of the Eucharist.
The last of the images in the Rose window above alludes to this scene.
In the tree above the figures the serpent can be seen. Traditionally, the serpent tempted Eve to pick and eat the fruit, telling her that then she and Adam would have the knowledge of good and evil and be like God.
“. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”
The Sun and moon and stars can be seen through the many leaves of the tree and a dove is seated on one branch giving a suggestion of the Holy Spirit whose presence would become apparent in the time of Christ. There are wheat and grapes in this scene symbolizing the elements of the Eucharist.
Noah
This window shows the moment that Noah catches the dove with the olive twig in its beak indicating that the flood was abating. The scene shows the earth still
covered with water with only the peaks of the mountains showing through. The rainbow is in the sky as the symbol of the covenant between God and Humanity that the earth would never again be destroyed.
There are representations of vegetation and animals and one in particularly that is not typically seen in traditional stained glass windows.
“Make thee an ark of gopher wood...”
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons 'wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female chapter 10: And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth… for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth
There are representations of vegetation and animals and one in particularly that is not typically seen in traditional stained glass windows.
“Make thee an ark of gopher wood...”
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons 'wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female chapter 10: And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth… for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth
Abraham and Isaac.
God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his only son. They sat off taking everything they needed to make the offering, the knife, the fire and Isaac carried the wood, everything except
the offering, Abraham told Isaac that God would provide the offering. When they reached the place of the sacrifice, Abraham built an altar and bound Isaac and laid him on the altar.
When the moment came to strike, an Angel appeared praising Abraham for being a faithful servent to the point of even being willing to sacrifice his only son. Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket and sacrificed and made a burnt offering of that. The angel spoke for a second time saying " I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,... "
A parallel is drawn between this theme and the crucifixion. Isaac carried the wood intended for his sacrifice, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son and the thicket where the ram was held fast is an analogy for the crown of thorns.
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,...
A parallel is drawn between this theme and the crucifixion. Isaac carried the wood intended for his sacrifice, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son and the thicket where the ram was held fast is an analogy for the crown of thorns.
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,...
Moses
Moses is seen as the most important figure in the Old Testament as a prefiguration of Christ. The great leader of the Jewish peoples bringing them out of slavery in Egypt and receiving the ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai.
This scene can be interpreted in several ways. The figure of Moses holding up the the two stone tablets on which were written the ten Commandments, for the people to see, or the moment before throwing down and smashing the first tablets in a rage as he saw that the Israelites had made a golden calf and were worshipping that. Later Moses returned to the mountain and received the commandments again.
Mount Saini is seen in the background.
chapter24 :12
And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God…
…And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
Chapter 32 . 19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses 'anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
Chapter 34 And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount. And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.
This scene can be interpreted in several ways. The figure of Moses holding up the the two stone tablets on which were written the ten Commandments, for the people to see, or the moment before throwing down and smashing the first tablets in a rage as he saw that the Israelites had made a golden calf and were worshipping that. Later Moses returned to the mountain and received the commandments again.
Mount Saini is seen in the background.
chapter24 :12
And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God…
…And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
Chapter 32 . 19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses 'anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
Chapter 34 And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount. And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.
lower row
Isaiah
Isaiah
There are several elements included in this window taken from the writings of Isaiah.
The tree is a reference to his quotation about the Tree of Jesse referring to the lineage of Jesus.
'A shoot shall grow from the stock of Jesse' (11:1)
He also predicted the birth of a child to a virgin.
'Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium', - 'A young woman is with child and she will bear a son' (7:14)
One of his widely quoted refernces is that the Wolf shall lie down with the lamb.
11 : 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
He owes his place in Christian art chiefly to two famous prophecies.
'Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium', - 'A young woman is with child and she will bear a son' (7:14), which may appear as his inscription on a scroll, is the source of Isaiah's association in art with the theme of the ANNUNCIATION. 'A shoot shall grow from the stock of Jesse' (11 : 1)
7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
The tree is a reference to his quotation about the Tree of Jesse referring to the lineage of Jesus.
'A shoot shall grow from the stock of Jesse' (11:1)
He also predicted the birth of a child to a virgin.
'Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium', - 'A young woman is with child and she will bear a son' (7:14)
One of his widely quoted refernces is that the Wolf shall lie down with the lamb.
11 : 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
He owes his place in Christian art chiefly to two famous prophecies.
'Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium', - 'A young woman is with child and she will bear a son' (7:14), which may appear as his inscription on a scroll, is the source of Isaiah's association in art with the theme of the ANNUNCIATION. 'A shoot shall grow from the stock of Jesse' (11 : 1)
7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Jeremiah
One of the four 'greater prophets'. (The others are ISAIAH, EZEKIEL and DANIEL.) He taught that the spiritual salvation of the Hebrews would come about
only through oppression and suffering, a view that led to .his persecution, and eventual retirement to Egypt where it is said he died by stoning. A late tradition
made him the author of the book of Lamentations, from which come his
inscriptions, 'Spiritus oris nostri, Christus Dominus, captus est in peccatis of life to us, was nostr!s', _ 'The Lord's anointed, the breath
. caught !n their machinations' (4:20); and 'O vos omnes qui transitls per viam...' - 'Is It of no concern to you who pass by?' (1:12). The work is a lament over the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in 586 a.c. at the hands of the Chaldeans. Jeremmh is depicted sorrowing while the city burns in the background
6:25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
7:29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
30 For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
8: 13 I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
9: 10 For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.
11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
18: 15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
34: 2 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
3 And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.
22 Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.
.
inscriptions, 'Spiritus oris nostri, Christus Dominus, captus est in peccatis of life to us, was nostr!s', _ 'The Lord's anointed, the breath
. caught !n their machinations' (4:20); and 'O vos omnes qui transitls per viam...' - 'Is It of no concern to you who pass by?' (1:12). The work is a lament over the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in 586 a.c. at the hands of the Chaldeans. Jeremmh is depicted sorrowing while the city burns in the background
6:25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
7:29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
30 For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
8: 13 I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
9: 10 For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.
11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
18: 15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
34: 2 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
3 And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.
22 Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.
Ezekiel
He was among the Hebrews exiled to Babylon in 579 B.C. where, beside the River Kebar, he experienced visions of an apocalyptic kind. His call to prophesy (ch. 1) came about through a vision of God enthroned among four " creatures that had the faces of a man, lion, ox and eagle, each with four wings the Tetramorph, or 'apocalyptic beasts' that recur in the book of Revelation and that the medieval Church made into symbols of the EOUR EVANGELISTS. Each had a wheel beside it that 'sparkled like topaz' and had a rim full of eyes, an image sometimes adopted in the representation of angels in Byzantine and Gothic art. His literary style is thought to have been influenced by the images of the Babylonian myths that surrounded the Jews in captivity. Ezekiel as portrayed by Michelangelo (Sistine chapel) is old with a flowing white beard. He sometimes has for attribute a double wheel symbolizing the Old and New Testaments.
His inscriptions are, 'Et dabo vobis cor novum ...' - 'I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you' (36:26); and 'Porta haec clausa erit; non aperietur,' - 'This gate shall be kept shut; it must not be opened' (44:2). The latter became a well-known metap, hor of virginity (see vm~IN MARY, 4). Ezekiel's poetic allegory of the valley of dry bones that were reclothed in
Ezekiel Chapter 1
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
His inscriptions are, 'Et dabo vobis cor novum ...' - 'I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you' (36:26); and 'Porta haec clausa erit; non aperietur,' - 'This gate shall be kept shut; it must not be opened' (44:2). The latter became a well-known metap, hor of virginity (see vm~IN MARY, 4). Ezekiel's poetic allegory of the valley of dry bones that were reclothed in
Ezekiel Chapter 1
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
Daniel
2. Daniel in the lions' den. (Dan. Ch. 6)
Daniel was thrown into the lions' den for disobeying a religious edict of the Persian king Darius, or, according to the more colourful apocryphal account, for causing the death of a sacred dragon, or serpent, by feeding it with cakes made from an indigestible mixture of pitch, fat and hair. The prophet Habakkuk was informed by an angel, traditionally the archangel MICHAEL, of Daniel's plight. The angel directed Habakkuk to take food and then, lifting him by the hair of his head, carried him to the lions' den. Daniel saw this as a sign that God had not forsaken him. After seven days the king returned and, finding Daniel alive and well, was convinced of the power of the Jewish God. The courtiers who had attempted to bring about Daniel's downfall were themselves thrown to the l!ons and immediately devoured. Like the fiery furnace, the subject is predominantly medieval. It is rare in the Renaissance but recurs in the 17th cent. Daniel, seated or standing in a kind of sunken courtyard or pit, is surrounded by lions.
Daniel Chapter 6 : 10
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Nowthe king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel was thrown into the lions' den for disobeying a religious edict of the Persian king Darius, or, according to the more colourful apocryphal account, for causing the death of a sacred dragon, or serpent, by feeding it with cakes made from an indigestible mixture of pitch, fat and hair. The prophet Habakkuk was informed by an angel, traditionally the archangel MICHAEL, of Daniel's plight. The angel directed Habakkuk to take food and then, lifting him by the hair of his head, carried him to the lions' den. Daniel saw this as a sign that God had not forsaken him. After seven days the king returned and, finding Daniel alive and well, was convinced of the power of the Jewish God. The courtiers who had attempted to bring about Daniel's downfall were themselves thrown to the l!ons and immediately devoured. Like the fiery furnace, the subject is predominantly medieval. It is rare in the Renaissance but recurs in the 17th cent. Daniel, seated or standing in a kind of sunken courtyard or pit, is surrounded by lions.
Daniel Chapter 6 : 10
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Nowthe king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
New Testament Windows - The Holy Spirit
Rose Window : Theme The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Upper Row
Mary
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Peter
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
raising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all [ye] that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
raising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all [ye] that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Paul
acts 13: 9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
30 But God raised him from the dead:
31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
acts 14:6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
7 And there they preached the gospel.
8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
Acts 17: 14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereofhe hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
33 So Paul departed from among them.
Acts 19: 1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.
8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
Acts21: 39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,
Acts22: 1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24 The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30 On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
Stephan
Acts 7
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Lower Row the four Evangelists.
The four evangelsts are the people who wrote the Gospels, the first four books of the New Testament.
EXPLANATION OF THE EVANGELIST WINDOWS
Following our discussions in Shanghai in February, I have completely reworked the concept for the Evangelist windows drawing new figures and developing a new concept.
I based the first designs for the Evangelists on the windows I had designed for the side chapel. These were placed in a formal background. Since designing the other sections of the transept windows and following our last discussion, I have now set the figures in a specific and relevant location. Elder Fu wanted to have some kind of symbolism within each of the windows making the figures more recognizable to the viewers as individuals.. With this considerations in mind, I have set each of the figures in an appropriate setting:
St Matthew in Jerusalem, a part of the Temple is shown in the background.
St. Mark is seen in Alexandria with a representation of the ancient lighthouse and the sea behind.
St Luke is seen with some Greek architecture, as he travelled to Greece to preach.
St. John is seen on an island representing Patmos, where he was exiled and is reputed to have written the book of revelation.
Each of the figures is accompanied by a representation of the Evangelical symbol.
As these are winged creatures, it seems still appropriate to me that they should be in flight and not on the ground. Again as requested by Elder Fu, I have made them smaller and am very happy with the result. The inclusion of these symbols also allows for a much better use of the space of the window creating a much more interesting and rich composition.
Also included is a small symbol for each of the figures apart from the book and pen indicating that they are the authors of the Gospels.
Matthew is holding a small purse, a reference to his time before he was called by Christ, as a tax collector.
Mark is holding a rope, a symbol of his martyrdom.
At St. Mark's feet is the Rod of Asclepius a Greek symbol of the physician. Mark was referred to as the Physician by St Paul.
At the base of the St. John window, there is a snake emerging from a goblet, an allusion to the miracle of St. John drinking poisoned wine.
There is also an interesting situation in the placing of the windows. Although I have placed them in the standard order of Matthew Mark Luke and John, the Mark window is situated below the St Peter window. Mark was said to have been the scribe of St. Peter. and similarly, St Luke travelled widely with St Paul and he is located directly beneath the St. Paul Window.
The Rod of Asclepius takes its name from the god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicinal arts in Greek mythology. Asclepius's attributes, the snake and the staff, sometimes depicted separately in antiquity, are combined in this symbol.[2]
Concept for the Transept Windows.
John Kenneth Clark October 1 2011
As I have illustrated in the elevation, I have made a complete concept for both transepts that I would like to propose for your consideration.
It was when thinking about what should be the most important figures and scenes in relation to the overall theme of the Trinity that I came to the idea that the 4 Evangelists should probably be represented here within the scope of the workings of the Holy Spirit.
The LH Transept.
I see this as beginning in the rose above with a symbol for God the Father surrounded by small symbols of the Six Days of Creation.
In the top row of windows, I see the possibility of representing Figures who “Knew” God the Father directly.
I suggest here, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Moses.
In the lower row of windows, I suggest the major Old Testament Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.
The RH Transept
In the Rose, the symbol of the Holy Spirit
The upper row of windows could be Pentecost (2 windows) and the Calling of St. Paul (2 windows)
The lower row of 4 windows, I would suggest, should be the 4 Evangelists. St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St .John
As I have already said, these are suggestions for themes. I will be pleased to discuss these further and to make suggestions for the 6 small chapel windows if we decide that the Holy Spirit Window is an appropriate location for the Evangelists.
If this concept is approved, then I will be pleased to begin working on the design itself.
With best wishes.
John
Transept Upper Windows
the upper row of four windows contain the figures of St. Mary, St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Stephen.
It seems appropriate in this set of windows to have the presence of the Holy Spirit within each scene.
in some way they can be read as two pairs of windows. The Mary and Peter window sharing an architectural space, the Cenacle in Jerusalem where, by tradition, the events of the last supper and Pentecost and other events surrounding the beginnings of Christianity reputedly took place.
The St. Mary window shows the time of Pentecost .She is part of a group seem here being encircled by tongues of fire as described in Acts.
St. Peter is seen here holding The Keys.
In the background there is a window opening with the structure forming a cross. A passion flower is represented on this side. On the right hand side are palm branches, symbolizing victory over death. These symbols located behind Peter are referring to the Passion of Christ and the Resurrection. There is a cockerel crowing in the foreground as a reminder of the denial of Peter.
The St Paul and St Stephen windows are also in some way linked. Paul, as Saul, was an instigator and was possibly present at the Martyrdom of St Stephen.
The St. Paul window shows Paul preaching. In his hand he holds the sword of his martyrdom.
The Stoning of St Stephen shows the saint at the moment when he is about to be put to death.
In his hand, he holds the martyr’s palm. There is a passion flower and a thorn bush in the foreground, references to the Passion of Christ.
Behind is a growing palm, a common symbol throughout this series depicting the victory over death.
The theme of the Rose window is the Holy Spirit surrounded by 7 lamps representing the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. I have tried to find some way of developing the idea further symbolically, but apart from creating different representations of light within some of the petals of the rose, the design seems complete to me.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
3 And He will delight in the fear of the LORD,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;
he seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are a medieval enumeration of seven spiritual gifts probably encodified by Thomas Aquinas along with five intellectual virtues and four other groups of ethical characteristics.[1][2] They are: wisdom, understanding, wonder and awe, right judgement, knowledge, courage, and reverence. While many Roman Catholics and some other Christians accept these as a definitive list of specific attributes, others understand them merely as examples of the Holy Spirit's work through the faithful, or consider that there is no such thing as seven gifts of the Spirit in the Bible.
Matthew
In Jerusalem
Mark
preached in Alexandria in Egypt
Luke
preached in Greece
John
Wrote the book f Revelation on the Greek island of Patmos.
The symbol of the serpent emerging from the chalice.