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Good Morning Dan, and good morning to all.

A story of divine courage; may we be as strong for our shared faith.

Wonderful paintings, glass, tile and relief; thank you Dan!

25 is a ery vivid portrayal of he angels surrounding Stephen as He demon driven enraged crowd takes their fury out on him. It seems it woild be hard for he angels to watch such a satanic attack take place on one of God’s chosen. I imagine it brought tears to their eyes seeing how far the enraged and fallen from God. Stephen’s response tO the stoners was one of true humility.

Good morning, Dan.
#5-6 Fra Angelico, the 15th c. Dominican monk whose artistic innovations and use of color inspired many Renaissance artists. Hid work is infused with vibrant luminosity, serenity, delicate execution.

#7 Fra Filippo Lippi, another 15th c. monk who was greatly influenced by Fra Angelico. His works have a distinctive clarity of expression.

#16 Juan de Juanes

#33 Fra Angelico

#41 Tacca, 17th c. bronze bas-relief by the 17th c. Italian sculptor.

Thank you also for the fenster!

Stephen’s Gate Jerusalem
Been there.

Stephen, as Jesus’ first martyr—first of incredibly many—set a noble example for us all.

It seems it woild be hard for he angels to watch

We have very little data on angelic reactions. I presume we will get to know the angels when we reach heaven--what stories they can tell!

I’ve warmed up to Fra Angelico recently—his work here is an excellent example why.

Ol’ Stephen is awaiting us in heaven.

heard a message once where the preacher said that when we are faced with moral decisions and temptations, the angels are ‘sitting on the edge of heaven watching to see how we will choose and erupt into singing and praise to God when we choose the moral choice”

I don’t know if it’s true- but i woudl imagine it could be-

That’s a pretty picture, Bob.

To God be the Glory!
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I’ve imagined watching Jesus entering at
The Golden Gate a few hundred yards south of Stephen’s Gate.
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Glorious Times ahead Brothers!

You and Bob set my imagination ablaze!

I’m trying to keep the Prize before us
Putting aside this present evil world and Proclaim a Coming King who is
Worthy of Praise who’s Return I anxiously Await !

That says it!

Great stuff. Thanks. I had to look up the Rembrandt because it really didn’t look like a Rembrandt. He was 19 when he painted it and the face under the armpit of one of the rock throwers is him. There are some who claim that at least seven of the faces in the crowd are self portraits. It may be a profound theological statement he is making along the lines of Paul’s I am foremost among sinners or it just could be that a possibly struggling young artist can’t afford to pay models to sit for him and has to use a mirror and paint himself. Either way thanks again for the Bible study and the great art.

Ol' Rembrandt certainly was not averse to including self-portraits in his works, nor in fact of making himself their focal point. Here the 31-year-old master paints himself as the Prodigal, and for added salacity he makes a harlot of the Missus:

A story of divine courage; may we be as strong for our shared faith.

Amen

I can think of a lot of verses in which Jesus is seated at the right hand of God
but this is the only account I can recall with Jesus standing to the right of God
this makes Stephen even more amazing, that he would bring our Lord to His feet

I pray everyday for the courage and the heart of Stephen

Bless you K.
There’s a guy who looks like an Old Testament prophet in my town. From time to time he stands on the busiest corner with a bullhorn, proclaiming the Gospel. He wears a large sign that says “Repent- Jesus Is Coming Soon”

I’ve spoken to him, and he’s the most soft spoken and gentle man...