forgive, Luke 23:34

Picture
Forgive, Luke 23:34
Acrylic Paint, Graphite, and Gold Leaf on Mylar
40"x25"
2017 – 2018
“Forgive, Luke 23:34” portrays the first moments of Christ’s Crucifixion. In this scene, at the height of His physical pain, He pleaded to God saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In Luke 9:22 Jesus explains to His disciples that all of this suffering would befall Him, knowing the horror and pain He would endure. Yet in an act of pure selflessness, when it would be so easy to do otherwise, Jesus prayed for His fellow man. Humanity’s sin is the reason for Christ’s crucifixion, but In the middle of enduring unimaginable agony, His concern was for those who were to blame for it.
 
To evoke this idea of misery and compassion a central octagon (representing Christ) is surrounded by a crowd of other shapes. Pointed lines are thrust towards Jesus; they are accusatory, guilty, and severe. The implied cross –with it’s sharp points– protrude into the Christ Octagon and also extend out to the crowd surrounding Him. All of these lines run throughout the crowd and connect each member to one another and the cross, a symbol that we are all guilty of Christ’s suffering, not just those who were physically present.
 
Within the Jesus Octagon the golden triangle signifies the Holy Trinity, and Christ’s place within it. This triangle is connected to another, larger triangle above with a gold implied circle surrounding it.
 
The connections between the symbols of Jesus, the crowd, and God urges the viewer to remember humanity’s relationship with Jesus Christ is through his sacrifice. As 1 Peter 3:18 reads, “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” This reveals that, because God sent His Son to make this sacrifice, we all have a kinship with and in God. If we were not sinful, Christ would not need to come; yet God sent Him to take hell for us, and His very first priority –while experiencing that hell– was to pray for those who were causing His awful pain.