the light of the world painting
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3:20
Look carefully at this beautiful painting by William Holman Hunt showing Jesus standing outside a door. You will see that there is no handle on the door - the handle is on the inside. The door is covered with weeds. Christ stands holding a lantern with a crown of thorns on his head.
In Pre-Raphaelitism and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Hunt explained points of symbolism in The Light of the World painting :
The closed door was the obstinately shut mind, the weeds the
cumber of daily neglect, the accumulated hindrances of sloth; the orchard the
garden of delectable fruit for the dainty feast of the soul. The music of the
still small voice was the summons to the sluggard to awaken and become a zealous
labourer under the Divine Master; the bat flitting about only in darkness was a
natural symbol of ignorance; the kingly and priestly dress of Christ, the sign
of His reign over the body and the soul, to them who could give their allegiance
to Him and acknowledge God's overrule. In making it a night scene, lit mainly by
the lantern carried by Christ, I had followed metaphorical explanation in the
Psalms, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,' with also
the accordant allusions by St. Paul to the sleeping soul, "The night is far
spent, the day is at hand ... "
Reader, have you opened the door to Jesus yet?
Revelation 3:20
Look carefully at this beautiful painting by William Holman Hunt showing Jesus standing outside a door. You will see that there is no handle on the door - the handle is on the inside. The door is covered with weeds. Christ stands holding a lantern with a crown of thorns on his head.
In Pre-Raphaelitism and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Hunt explained points of symbolism in The Light of the World painting :
The closed door was the obstinately shut mind, the weeds the
cumber of daily neglect, the accumulated hindrances of sloth; the orchard the
garden of delectable fruit for the dainty feast of the soul. The music of the
still small voice was the summons to the sluggard to awaken and become a zealous
labourer under the Divine Master; the bat flitting about only in darkness was a
natural symbol of ignorance; the kingly and priestly dress of Christ, the sign
of His reign over the body and the soul, to them who could give their allegiance
to Him and acknowledge God's overrule. In making it a night scene, lit mainly by
the lantern carried by Christ, I had followed metaphorical explanation in the
Psalms, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,' with also
the accordant allusions by St. Paul to the sleeping soul, "The night is far
spent, the day is at hand ... "
Reader, have you opened the door to Jesus yet?
