Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist

The Four Evangelists, by Pieter Paul Rubens, 1614 © Sanssouci Picture Gallery, Potsdam

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 25 April 2023
Mark 16:15-20

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:

'Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned.

These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.'

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

Reflection on the painting

Today we celebrate Saint Mark, the Evangelist. Rather than just showing a painting of Saint Mark, I am sharing with you a painting by Rubens, showing all four evangelists together. An angel is hovering above them giving divine inspiration to compose their gospels. Of course this actual event where the four of them meet, did not occur in reality, but it makes for a fascinating scene. It is sometimes called the Sacra Conversazione (sacred conversation). While the Sacra Conversazione paintings typically features the Virgin Mary and various saints, there are also examples of a Sacra Conversazione among the four Evangelists, such as is the case here.

Each of the four evangelists is shown with his attributes:

Mark is flanked by a winged lion at his feet, a sign of courage and monarchy (Christ the King). The lion also represents Jesus' resurrection, as lions were believed to sleep with open eyes, a comparison with Christ in the tomb. The lion signifies that Christians should be courageous on the path of salvation.

Luke is depicted with a winged ox or bull by his side. Bulls were symbolic of sacrifice, service and strength. It thus represents Jesus' sacrifice in his Passion and Crucifixion. We as Christians should also be prepared to sacrifice ourselves in following Christ.

John is symbolised by an eagle, a figure of the sky and believed to be able to look straight into the sun. It thus represents Jesus' Ascension into Heaven, and Christ's divine nature. We as Christians are also called to remain focussed on heaven and our union with God.

Matthew is symbolised by a winged man or an angel. Matthew's gospel starts with Joseph's genealogy from Abraham onwards, and thus stresses the Incarnation and Christ's human nature.

Mark's Gospel is generally accepted as being the first of the four gospels. Mark begins his gospel with a simple declarative statement: "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God". There is no ambiguity about who Mark believes Jesus is, and that simple phrase sets the tone for what is to follow in his gospel. Our painting by Rubens is characterised by his vivid use of colour, energetic brushstrokes, and strong sense of movement. It reflects the energy and drive to which Jesus is calling us in today's Gospel reading to 'go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation'.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-16-15-20-2023/