Jonathon Neumann

ART 101
Image Interaction Journal
Icon of Christ
Phase 1: Selection
Image: The Sinai Pantokrator

Phase 2: Replication
 Phase 3: Saturation
I made the image the
background on my
laptop and phone.

And I put the image on my desk and on the bunk above my bed.
Phase 4: Research and Comparison
 The image I chose was the Icon of Christ from Saint Catherines Cathedral on Mount

Sinai. This is a very early icon of Christ, dating to c. AD 500-600 1 (which was unknown until the

1960s), and the painter is unknown to us today. Though it is an old icon, it is certainly still one of

the most awe-inspiring; according to Elizabeth Zelensky, a history professor at Georgetown

University and Lela Gilbert, an author of religious studies, the painting is difficult to put into

words: Some say that not mortal hand could have painted an image so exceptional and that this

icon is clearly the work of angels.2

One thing this painting displays is Christs human and divine nature. The viewer most likely

notices that the image is strange, especially the eyes of Jesus. That is because the image has the

two intentions split horizontally in the face: on the viewers left, there is the merciful Savior

Jesus that lives among us and sacrifices everything for us so we live, and to the viewers right,

there is the Lord Jesus who was a human who now reigns as the Judge. Both of these are needed

to have an image of the divine and incarnate Christ; however, that does not mean the image truly

captures the divinity of Christ because that is not possible. It is seeing his divine nature in the

flesh. Though this is an important theological concept, perhaps it was created for a specific

reason at that time in the history of the church.

In the 6th century AD, some Byzantine Christians were perplexed about who Jesus really

was. Decisions that leaders in the Church were making at the time told believers that

1 Robert Atchison, Ikons - Windows Into Heaven - A Collection of Sacred Images, Pallas Web,
accessed December 4, 2014, http://www.pallasweb.com/ikons/ikon-gallery/christ-pantokrator-
from-sinai.html.

2 Elizabeth Zelensky and Lela Gilbert, Windows into Heaven: Introducing Icons to Protestants
and Catholics (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press: 2005), 105. Print.
humanity and divinity were mingled in the nature of Christ 3 Therefore, this icon may help

people understand the complexity of the doctrine of the incarnation that was designed to defend

and attack heresies such as Gnosticism.

This divine and human nature also may connect to the location of the painting as it is a place

where the two intersect through the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19). And Jesus himself displayed

his glory to Peter, James and John in the transfiguration also on a high mountain (Matthew 17,

Mark 9, Luke 9). The point being, Saint Catherines monastery is a place where God is present

with those in the Church who desire to worship him.

There are a few others details to pay attention to when examining the icon. First, some

have suggested that the buildings behind Jesus signify the coming kingdom of God with a New

Jerusalem. This is sign of the resurrection and the life everlasting. Additionally, Jesus raising his

right hand is a sign of blessing to the viewer, yet in his left hand I think he may be holding the

book of life and judgment (Luke 10:20, Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5)

or, others suggest, the book may be the Gospels.4 Finally, some note

Jesus clothing is purple, a color of royalty.5

Now I will compare the Icon of Christ from Mount Sinai to images

similar to it. The first I wish to examine is the one that I found at the Art

Institute on my Chicagoland journey (to the right). It is from the Heaven

3 Elizabeth Zelensky and Lela Gilbert, Windows into Heaven: Introducing Icons to Protestants
and Catholics (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press: 2005), 108. Print

4 Don Schwager, Christ Ruler of All, Living Bulwark, published January 2009, accessed
December 7, 2014, http://www.swordofthespirit.net/bulwark/jan09p8.htm.

5 Don Schwager, Christ Ruler of All, Living Bulwark, published January 2009, accessed
December 7, 2014, http://www.swordofthespirit.net/bulwark/jan09p8.htm.
 and Earth collection from Thessaloniki and it is titled Icon of Christ Pantokrator. The image is

from the 1500s, thus during the time of iconoclasm, and as the viewer examines it he or she will

notice the similarities and contrasts of the two images. This image does still clothe Christ in the

colors of royalty, puts a halo around his head, has his right hand blessing the viewer, and puts a

book in his left hand. However, the book is open and facing the viewer, perhaps reminding the

spectator to remember the Gospels; additionally, the character of Christ has a different feel to it

as he looks quite different in comparison to the Icon of Mount

Sinai. The image has many similarities but also a number of

contrasts; therefore I think give it a 7/10.

The second image I have chosen is, in fact, not one of

Jesus. There are hundreds if not thousands of Icons of Christ;

however, during this season it seems appropriate to use this Icon

of Saint Nicholas that bears a striking similarity to my chosen

icon. Saint Nicholas is dressed in religious robes, holds the

Gospels in his left hand, blesses the observer with his right, has a

halo surrounding his head, and has a somewhat serious demeanor

on his face. Yet there is no cityscape behind him, and, of course, he is not Christ. Therefore, in

comparison I give this icon a 5/10 as it seems to be replicating Christs image but does not have

the same style or characteristics.

http://www.freeinternetpictures.com/st-nicholas-
icon.html

Phase 5: Meditation

Lord it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of my week. I pray that through this

assignment that I will be brought closer to you. I feel sick, weary, and overwhelmed. This
exegesis paper seems way beyond me there are so many ways to look at the words of John.

Please illumine this Scripture to me that I may see its context and interpret it with its true

meaning displayed. Christ, I see your hand of blessing, please bless me.

Jesus, I pray for everyone else at this time of madness and stress; I pray that peace will

come upon this campus through you. I pray for all the racial tensions that are not just national but

campus issues. I see the way people talk to each other on the forum wall and I really want the

split of political opinions to stop. It seems that everyone has something to say but no one is

listening to the other side which is how violence erupts. Lord we are not like the world, and I

see so many students following the pattern of it; yes, I do believe in righteous anger but I do not

believe in righteous hate that develops from stereotypes and generalizations. Give us wisdom,

love, and discernment as we promote your justice in this society.

As I look again to your prayer, I hope that it will mean all the more to me now. Our

Father who lives in Heaven, your name is holy, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth

as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, we need your provision. And forgive us of our

sins, I have already asked this today but I ask again for you to forgive me, I confess that I am a

sinner. I have considered other gods and I have put them before you. Have mercy on me; I

remember the communion bread and wine as your body and blood. My mediator, forgive me. As

I forgive those who have sinned against me. May this be true in my heart as it is in my speech.

Lead us not into temptation, lead us towards you. Deliver us from sin and evil desires. In the

name of Jesus, Amen.

As I read Hebrews 3, I am reminded of the Spirits work through my Adam at the

beginning of the year. You desired me to hear your voice and open my heart to you; I desire to

enter your rest for some time and to hear your words of comfort. I believe I live because I
believe. But why is it so hard to hear you? Why do I not sense you strengthening me as these

days grow hard? Why do I not have time for rest in you? How can I let all of this go for a small

time? Please teach me to meditate and listen to you rather than speak in this season of Advent.

Lord, illumine your Word to me. What is wrong with my heart? I need you are you

there? How can I be still with this chaos around me? My head aches, please give me peace or I

will fail. I cannot be present or listen anymore; this pile of work has taken over me because it is

too much. Why have you given me so much and yet you feel not near? Yesterday I called to you

laying in my bed with my anxieties. I give them to you; please take these burdens. Let me be in

your presence!

Why does dryness exist? I feel as though the fullness only lasts for a few days and then I

am in the desert again. I dont understand; it seems contrary to your message. Others tell me you

are close as your Word promises, but I do not feel you. I am breathing, considering this with

breath. I am angry and frustrated, this seems unfair. My body groans, Spirit interpret groans for I

am empty. I am inflated with pride still please my King deflate my pride and fill me with the

Spirit.

I pray, Jesus, that you come first, and that all other things fade into instruments to be used

for your kingdom. I am frustrated with this icon whenever I look at it all I see is an assignment

that must be completed. Oh may it be more Lord.

Lord I am looking forward to entering your rest; I hope that there will be time for it this

weekend in the midst of everything. God thank you for helping me every step of the way- though

this time has been hard and it will continue to be for a short time You have been good to me

and supportive of me. You have blessed me with people who surround me, pray for me, and

comfort me.
 I do not have hope in anything else; You have proven to me that other things are

worthless and that I do not need them. I barely have time be in silence. I hope there will be more

over this coming break so I can hear Your voice.

Jesus, it seems that I get one thing complete and a number of other things appear. I do not

know if I can continue; you have proven to me; however, that you are able to support me through

these very difficult circumstances over these past two weeks without rest. I am complaining a lot

today because of my circumstances. It is hard to look at the big picture at this time Jesus; I long

so much for your kingdom to come now. I want time with you but I feel forced into many things;

people expect so much from me.

I would say I am looking forward to Christmas break, but it really is not much of a break

for me; well, it hopefully has the opportunity to be one because if it is not I do not know what I

am going to do. Life has gotten harder, but I still enjoy it more than I did. You have blessed me

with many things: thank you for people who pray for me and help me overcome the stress of life

here at Wheaton. I think this is what life will be like from here on out, and it will require a strong

dependence on You.

Yahweh, thank you for people who care, you send people to my aid that are filled with

the Spirit; I feel like I complain to them but I am unashamed to tell people I trust how I feel right

now. I am not sad or depressed right now; if I were in the same state of mind that I was before

Thanksgiving break I would not have been able to push through this time. Thank you Jesus, I

know that you know what life is like here on earth, in the midst of chaos you are the Prince of

Peace. Be the peace of my life as I reflect on what you did and what you are doing. You are so

good to me, you have been, you are, and you will be. I trust in You, I receive You. Oh remind me

of what it is to be a son of the Father.

 That meeting was very helpful Lord, thank you for revealing some things to me about

myself; I hope that this information will not inflate me, or cause me to focus on myself, but I

praise you for making me who I am. I really like who I am, and I ask you to use me in any way

you can for the purpose of your kingdom. Lord what am I to do today? What am I to do in the

future? Continue to reveal to me these things.

Phase 6: Visual Audit

As a student at Wheaton College I am not as bombarded by advertisements and images as

I was in Champaign or while I am in Chicago (where the images overwhelm me at times).

However, the images I have seen here at Wheaton are usually posters about events on campus,

or, if not that, things I see on the internet.

First of all, I must say that even though I was immersing myself in the image, I did not

notice too much of a difference in my spiritual life with the image. I wish I could have conversed

more with God through this image but, in the end, it was difficult using it to focus on God. At

times I think it distracted me from meditation on Scripture. Perhaps I did not invest enough time

meditating on the image, but sometimes when I focused on the image I felt like I was doing it for

the sake of the assignment and could not move past that. Secondly, the image is wonderfully

created and I appreciate that, I enjoyed recreating it and I hope that doing as such will remind me

in the future to continue to be more like Christ.

However, the work I have done on the image has taken my focus off of many things that

could distract me. The posters around campus can be overwhelming as events, but not in the

same way that many advertising images affect me in more urban contexts. Netflix, I believe, was

almost an idol in my life prior to Thanksgiving break, but afterwards, I have invested my time in
other things such as this painting, which was a much better alternative as it brought me into a

time of meditation.
ChicaGOland Project

For my Chicagoland project I went to the Art Institute of

Chicago because I heard there was an exhibit on Byzantine art

called Heaven and Earth there temporarily, and I knew such a

section would contain Christian art. To my surprise, I found a

Byzantine replica of the Icon of Christ from the Monastery of

Saint Catherine. The painting did not connect with me like the one

I chose for my journal, which I have commented on in my comparison section. However, I

believe it had a different message that I am unaware of. Perhaps the most obvious thing to point

out is that Christ is holding open the Scriptures to the viewer, and I see some Greek letters in the

text but I am not sure if that is the language or if it is something similar to it. It most likely is

Greek because the Greek words translated: Jesus Christ the wisdom of God surround the body

of Jesus. These words beg the question: how is Jesus Christ the wisdom of God? I have heard it

before I do not know where Christ is referred to as wisdom per se. The halo around the head of

Christ, which illuminates the painting, has three sections coming out of it. Perhaps these three

sections represent the trinity or the cross on which Christ was crucified. As I look into the eyes of

the incarnate Jesus, I do not know where he is looking; I do not think he is looking at me. It is

almost as though he is looking right beside me or through me, and I do not like that.

Additionally, I do not see anything behind Jesus in this picture, he is the focus but there is no

landscape or cityscape behind him. Yet he is wearing earthly clothes so it is apparent that this is

Jesus incarnate. Finally, this Jesus seems less human to me than the icon I chose for my

interaction journal; perhaps I approach this painting with the desire of something that it does not

give.