Bible Culture

Today in New Testament class we had a member of the faculty at the BYU Art Museum come and talk to us about some of the art in our museum on campus that has to do with the New Testament. Art is a very important tool for teaching and learning, especially things like the Bible, because most of us work better with visuals. When we hear a story, we picture the events in our mind. If we see a picture of the story, that makes it all the easier for us to form the image in our imagination!

The lady that visited us shared an interesting experience. She was at a seminar at another school some time ago, and the presenter showed a painting involving symbolism from the story of Jonah and the Whale. When she asked the large group of students/faculty there what the meaning of symbols in the painting was, not one of them could answer. Why? Because they weren't familiar with Biblical stories! These people were probably raised in homes where their parents weren't practicing Christians, and our schools today not only don't think it's important to teach the Bible, but that it's wrong to do so! This is a great tragedy not just from a religious standpoint, but because our society is losing its connection with a large part of our historical culture.

I was in the car once with a friend of mine, and we were listening to Cake on his CD player. In the chorus of one of the songs it says repeats the words, "sheep go to heaven, goats go to hell." My friend, hearing the lyrics, commented on how random that statement seemed. I looked at him in confusion for a moment, and then I realized that he had probably never heard the words of Christ to his disciples as stated in Matthew: "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left" (Matt 25:32-33).

I'm so grateful to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. Not only does it give us insight into the meaning of art and literature, but into the meaning of life itself. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and only in Him can we fine Life Eternal!