Et Resurrexit Tertia Die
Secundum Scripturas
G.D.O'Bradovich III
July 13, 2013
Orthodox iconography is not innovative and the tradition is very conservative. Icons can not be dated as the artist's name or year of creation is not found on the artwork. Icons can only be dated indirectly. Therefore, the following paintings from the Western Church will be used to demonstrate the evolution of the their understanding of the Resurrection.
Memling, c 1490
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Llanos, active 1500-16
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In the earliest paintings, Jesus is covered in a white cloak or burial shroud, while in later paintings, he is wearing a red cloak. Since the iconography is changing, there must not be an agreed upon standard, even after 1,500 years, to depict the resurrection in the Western Church.
These artists are consistent with one element of the Resurrection: all paintings show Jesus coming forth from what we would call today a mausoleum. Although, these mausoleums are not large or imposing, they can not be described as a tomb or grave without other qualifications.
We will attempt to understand why these artists incorrectly show Jesus resurrecting from a stone coffin and not from a cave. Unfortunately, we can not bring an accusation of impiety against these painters. If these works were deemed to be impious, then they would have been condemned and destroyed. Therefore, we must conclude that these works were acceptable to the painters and to the public at large.
All four Gospels use the word "mnemeion" meaning "1) any visible object for preserving or recalling the memory of any person or thing, a) a memorial, monument, specifically, a sepulchral monument or 2) a sepulchre, a tomb". In the Gospel of Matthew, the Greek word "taphos" is also used and the word means "burial, a grave or a sepulchre". These definitions give no evidence if the "mnemeion" or "taphos" should be upright or at ground level.
In the Gospel of John (20:1), the Greek word "airo" is used to describe how the stone was moved. "Airo" means to "lift up", "raise up" or "elevate". "Airo" would be the word to describe the removal of lid from a horizontal tomb. One would not "lift up" or "raise up" a stone from the mouth of a cave. The Synoptic Gospels use the Greek word "apokylio" meaning to "roll off or away". "Apokylio" would be the word to describe the removal of a round stone from a cave entrance.
Judging by the paintings from Western Europe and the use of the word "airo", the oldest tradition must be Jesus rising from a horizontal tomb. Based on the readings of the Synoptic Gospels and the introduction of a cave in western iconography (Bellini, 1475-79), we are confident that the belief of a vertical tomb (cave) is a recent innovation. (See The Fourth Gospel Quiz for my reasons why John was the first Gospel, not the last Gospel, written.)
These artists are consistent with one element of the Resurrection: all paintings show Jesus coming forth from what we would call today a mausoleum. Although, these mausoleums are not large or imposing, they can not be described as a tomb or grave without other qualifications.
We will attempt to understand why these artists incorrectly show Jesus resurrecting from a stone coffin and not from a cave. Unfortunately, we can not bring an accusation of impiety against these painters. If these works were deemed to be impious, then they would have been condemned and destroyed. Therefore, we must conclude that these works were acceptable to the painters and to the public at large.
All four Gospels use the word "mnemeion" meaning "1) any visible object for preserving or recalling the memory of any person or thing, a) a memorial, monument, specifically, a sepulchral monument or 2) a sepulchre, a tomb". In the Gospel of Matthew, the Greek word "taphos" is also used and the word means "burial, a grave or a sepulchre". These definitions give no evidence if the "mnemeion" or "taphos" should be upright or at ground level.
In the Gospel of John (20:1), the Greek word "airo" is used to describe how the stone was moved. "Airo" means to "lift up", "raise up" or "elevate". "Airo" would be the word to describe the removal of lid from a horizontal tomb. One would not "lift up" or "raise up" a stone from the mouth of a cave. The Synoptic Gospels use the Greek word "apokylio" meaning to "roll off or away". "Apokylio" would be the word to describe the removal of a round stone from a cave entrance.
Judging by the paintings from Western Europe and the use of the word "airo", the oldest tradition must be Jesus rising from a horizontal tomb. Based on the readings of the Synoptic Gospels and the introduction of a cave in western iconography (Bellini, 1475-79), we are confident that the belief of a vertical tomb (cave) is a recent innovation. (See The Fourth Gospel Quiz for my reasons why John was the first Gospel, not the last Gospel, written.)
Appendix 1:
Noli Me Tangere
"Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" She, supposing him to be the gardener...",John 20:15
"Jesus said unto her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father"", John 20:17
"Jesus said unto her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father"", John 20:17
Orthodox Icon
Jesus is neither carrying a shovel or a garden hoe. |
Giotto, c 1304-c 1306.
This painting is described as both the Resurrection and Noli Me Tangere. Either art historians are confused on the title or, during Giotto's time, these occurrences were considered the same event. Jesus is holding a flag. |
As late as the 16th century, there is no standard depiction of Jesus when he meets Mary Magdalene.
Jesus can be shown with a shovel or holding a flag.
Jesus can be shown with a shovel or holding a flag.
Appendix 2:
Shrove Days
Lent is the 40 days before Easter, not including Sundays. Easter is the annual celebration of the Resurrection. The following dates are from the Oxford English Dictionary when the first use of the word is recorded.
Shrove Monday, the Monday before Lent
Shrove Sunday, the Sunday before Ash Wednesday Shrove Tuesday, the day before the commencement of Lent Shrove Thursday |
c1450
1463 a1500 1518-19 |
Allowing 100 years of the usage of a word before it is recorded places the "Shrove days" ranging from 1350 to 1419. Although Easter is an ancient tradition, we can reasonably concluded that the practice of Lent is a recent introduction into the Western Church.