Groups of People in New Testament Art


Groups of People in New Testament Art


Overview


Most of the crowds mentioned in the New Testament are following Jesus Christ. This is true in the Gospels, in the Letters, and in the Acts of the Apostles. Some are close followers, like the 12 Apostles and the other disciples in the circle Jesus traveled with, and others are just regular people who were interested in what Jesus had to say. In some scenes, we see only Apostles and close followers (e.g., the Last Supper). In other scenes, we see a combination of close followers and people who were just getting to know Jesus (e.g., the crowded house where several men lowered their paralyzed friend through the roof so Jesus could heal him, or the 5,000 people who came to the Sermon on the Mount). In Paul’s Letters and in the Book of Acts, the crowds tend to be more just plain followers. Occasionally the art tradition includes the followers of John the Baptist in scenes of Jesus’ Baptism.


The 12 Apostles and other close disciples (Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha of Bethany, etc.) are often depicted as the high aspiration of Christian discipleship. The regular, average, everyday follower is often depicted in such a way to make average Christians feel at home and to offer a more attainable goal of Christian discipleship.


Those opposed to Jesus’ teachings are also sometimes mentioned collectively in the Gospels. These include scribes (lawyers), Pharisees, and Sadducees. In a way, Pharisees and Sadducees were Jewish sub-groups in the Second Temple period. Both were Jewish, but they had very different understandings of what that meant. It was sort of like neo-cons and progressives within Christian denominations today. Some think that A, B, and C are most important, while others think that X, Y, and Z are most important, and both often forget that all of it is Christian. The Romans were oppressive regarding all Jews, including (especially?) Jesus and his followers. The chief priests were also aligned against Jesus, at least toward the end of his life; they thought he would disturb the uneasy peace they had established with the Romans. Often these challengers or enemies are depicted as repulsive in some way so that the viewer will not want to imitate them.


Historical Notes


Anti-Semitism (prejudice against Jewish people) has often been deeply entrenched in Christianity. Christian art has not been immune from this disease. Artworks depicting Jewish people in New Testament stories often depict them as evil or ignorant. But in Old Testament stories, Christian artists tend to treat Jewish people with respect, considering them the ancestors of Christians.



Artworks portraying the following subtopics often depict groups of people. Click a link to explore more fully:





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