THE FIRST BIBLE PICTURES
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Roman Scourge]
Those boys and girls who love their Bibles are fond of Bible pictures.
Even tiny children delight to see a picture of Jesus Christ holding the
little ones in His arms; and how sad children feel when they are shown
a painting or engraving of the Saviour led away to die!
We have learnt much now of the Bible, and of how the Old and New
Testaments were written, but who first thought of making pictures from
the Bible?
We shall see.
A few miles from the city of Rome, deep, deep underground, are those
wonderful networks of galleries and chambers called 'The Catacombs.'
'Catacomb' means 'scooped out.' Miles and miles of passages are there,
some low and narrow, others wide and lofty; they cross and re-cross
each other, like the streets of a town, and all are scooped out of the
solid earth.
On either side of every gallery are almost endless rows of spaces
hollowed out in the walls, one above another like the berths on board
ship. For the most part they are open and empty, but a few are still
closed. Above some of them words are faintly traced on stone slabs; a
man or woman's name perhaps, oftener still the Latin words, '_In
Pace_'--that is, 'In Peace.'
For all this great underground city is in reality one huge cemetery:
the quiet resting-place where the first Christians of heathen Rome
buried their dead, where the martyred bodies so cruelly tortured by
Nero were laid at last. In pace, in peace.
How wonderful to read the names of those who loved Christ and suffered
for His sake so long, long ago! Their very names speak to us of the
courage and joy which, in spite of torture, Christ had brought into
their lives.
[Illustration: TWO EMPTY TOMBS IN THE CATACOMBS, THE LOWER ONE SHOWING
PART OF THE COVERING SLAB WITH A ROUGH CARVING OF THE MARTYRS' PALM OF
VICTORY]
'Rest,' 'Constancy,' 'God's will.' Many names have meanings like
these. Sometimes a simple picture of a victor's crown or martyr's
palm-branch is placed beside them; sometimes a few words are added.
Latin is a dead language now, but in those days it was the everyday
language of Rome, so most of these inscriptions are in Latin.
Some of them are sorrowful, for the mourners grieve to think that the
loved one will open his eyes on earth no more; but in all the hope of
eternal life is sure and certain. Our beloved mother, our little
child, our dear brother is with Christ; the parting is only for a time.
Yonder, in our beautiful Heavenly Home, we shall meet once more.
How different from the words carved over heathen tombs! We know what
these were like, for not very far away is a heathen catacomb.
'_Valeria dormit in pace._' Valeria sleeps in peace. So the Christian
woman was laid to rest.
'I lift up my hands against God, who snatched me away.' We can still
read these despairing, rebellious words on a heathen tomb.
'Spare your tears, dear husband and daughter, and believe that it is
forbidden to weep for one who lives in God.' How beautiful to know
that we shall one day meet the woman in Heaven of whom these words are
written!
Now, about the time of Nero's cruel persecution, the Christians of Rome
began to use the Catacombs for meetings and services. Their heathen
tormentors had a horror of death, and therefore among the quiet dead
the Christians were safe for a while.
So they met deep underground in the dim galleries, their little
oil-lamps twinkling like stars, and there they listened to the Word of
God, and prayed and sang together.
Many touching stories are told of these days; and of the meetings held
underground in these Catacombs, where the living were surrounded by the
bodies of the martyred dead.
Now, these first Christians loved the Bible with all their hearts, and
just as you like to see hanging in your room the picture of the Good
Shepherd with the little lamb, so they began to long for pictures from
their Bible. Every heathen Roman had his house decorated with pictures
and carvings from his pagan religion, but it was in the dim underground
galleries that the first Bible pictures appeared.
Some of the subjects were taken from the Old Testament, some from the
New. Only Bible pictures interested the first Christians.
Noah and the Ark was a very favourite subject. 'Noah was safe in the
ark,' they said, 'although thousands perished. So will God keep safe
all those who trust in Him.'
There are many pictures of Jonah and the whale, and one of the three
children in the burning fiery furnace, for this had special messages
for the martyrs as we can well understand.
[Illustration: ONE OF THE FIRST PICTURES EVER MADE OF 'CHRIST, THE GOOD
SHEPHERD.' FOUND IN THE CATACOMBS, THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CEMETERY]
Another very touching picture is of the raising of Lazarus. The artist
who carved this had once been a heathen; perhaps in former days he had
made and sold idols, but now all his life and talents were consecrated
to God.
And here carved in stone, is the Good Shepherd, Christ bearing the lost
lamb on His shoulder, just as He does in the picture you love so well
at home; Christ, the Good Shepherd of your life, just as surely as He
was the Saviour and Friend of these men and women who fell asleep so
long ago!
Here is a picture of Jesus feeding the five thousand with the loaves
and fishes; in this carving He is changing the water into wine; here,
carved on a small panel, let into a tomb, is a Roman soldier crowning
our Lord in mockery; and here is Pilate washing his hands in the vain
hope that he could wash away his responsibility.
Now, there is one very wonderful thing about all these pictures:
although so many martyrs lie buried here, nearly all the pictures and
inscriptions are cheerful!
The heathen Roman writers tell a great deal about the dreadful
sufferings of the Christians, but there is very little said about it on
the tombs of the martyrs themselves. In peace; they are at peace: the
torture, the shame is over for ever; the life of love and joy and
victory is all before them.
How thoroughly these first Christians knew their Bible! How they loved
to picture its scenes. Had all the writings of the New Testament been
lost, we should have known the most important events of our Lord's life
on earth from these faded paintings and worn carvings alone.
Love, joy, peace; the love of Christ from which nothing can separate
us; the joy which even the fires of martyrdom cannot quench; the peace
which the world does not give, and cannot take away. This is the
message which these first Bible pictures bring to us all. For to the
early martyrs the Bible was what God intends it should be to us--a
living power, a Divine Voice, a constant source of strength and
inspiration on the heavenward journey.
STORIES FOR INTELLIGENT CHILDREN
A REALLY DELIGHTFUL SERIES, Charmingly Bound and Illustrated
Price 1s. each. Cloth Boards
By MILDRED DUFF and NOEL HOPE
Over 30,000 already in circulation
BIBLE STORIES! Who does not love Bible Stories? Even the words
themselves bring back memories of past years, when, as children, we
listened to stirring tales of those men and women of old whose names
are so familiar, and of whom we were then first taught. Crude in style
perhaps many of the stories were, but none the less interesting.
Perhaps there were things we could not quite understand, and knowledge
had not sufficiently advanced to explain, but we accepted them all.
Now great progress has been made in research; modern discoveries in
Egypt supply the details which were lacking, and the old stories can be
told again in a new style, in the light of fuller knowledge, with added
interest, and with a force which previously had been impossible. How
wonderful the result? Our Bibles become dearer to us than ever before;
we need have no fear of being asked the reason of our belief; what we
merely accepted before is now proved for us.
Let us take, for example, the story of Moses. In this, modern
discovery has done splendid service, supplying just those details most
needed, as though his sayings and doings had been preserved for our
reading. 'Where Moses went to School' is a fascinating title.
To be obtained from Marshall Brothers, Ltd., Paternoster Row, E.C., or
9 North Bank Street, Edinburgh.
The Campfield Press, St. Albans