Christianity and Judaism was a big deal in Roman and Greek culture during the period of the New Testament. Religion seemed to be the center of many conflicts and separation between civilizations during this time. The birth of Jesus brought in a lot of controversies within Hellenistic cultures and therefore we see many influences of the new covenant in several of the sculptures and art work created by Greco-Roman artists. Going to the Getty Villa, I was able to find many connections between the collection of Greco-Roman antiquities—including the sculptures and even the general atmosphere of the museum—and the historicity of the New Testament.
Driving into the Getty Villa It is hard not to note the stone pavement which makes for a bumpy ride. …show more content…
One thing in particular that I found intriguing was a sculpture of Alexander the Great. The sculpture I found was miniature and all of the extremities were cut off, however it was beautifully sculpted and extremely detailed. Looking at it, it is obvious that this political leader was revered because of the depiction of his idealized features. Although Alexander the Great’s livelihood occurred several years before the birth of Christ, there are many attributes that bring the two together. A Gentile Roman citizen, would even compare Jesus’ miracles of walking on water with Alexander the Great’s crossing of the Red Sea to expand his empire. This parallel of the two, exemplifies Alexander’s his divine rule. Alexander the Great’s spreading of Hellenistic culture in turn contributed to the spread of Christianity due to his establishment centers like Alexandria that were used for education, literacy, and religious purposes. This sculpture is one of many that enhance understanding of Greco-Roman views of …show more content…
There was mention the lion as a symbol for God in the Gospel of Mark. “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” (Mark 1:3) The lion is believed to be signal of strength and the many lion art pieces show the influence of God in Greco-Roman culture. The sculptures of the lions caught my eyes immediately and made me think of the Gospel of Mark and how God’s power was paralleled to that of a lion’s. I saw other animals too, but the lion’s stood out to me and enhanced my understanding of the role of religion in western society.
The Getty Villa has many wonderful items in its collection of Greco-Roman antiquities. Walking through and spending time analyzing several of its aspects allowed me to carve a deeper understanding for myself of the time of Jesus Christ. I was able to see the Jewish influences and also map out the spread of Christian culture by looking at the different art pieces and their
Driving into the Getty Villa It is hard not to note the stone pavement which makes for a bumpy ride. …show more content…
One thing in particular that I found intriguing was a sculpture of Alexander the Great. The sculpture I found was miniature and all of the extremities were cut off, however it was beautifully sculpted and extremely detailed. Looking at it, it is obvious that this political leader was revered because of the depiction of his idealized features. Although Alexander the Great’s livelihood occurred several years before the birth of Christ, there are many attributes that bring the two together. A Gentile Roman citizen, would even compare Jesus’ miracles of walking on water with Alexander the Great’s crossing of the Red Sea to expand his empire. This parallel of the two, exemplifies Alexander’s his divine rule. Alexander the Great’s spreading of Hellenistic culture in turn contributed to the spread of Christianity due to his establishment centers like Alexandria that were used for education, literacy, and religious purposes. This sculpture is one of many that enhance understanding of Greco-Roman views of …show more content…
There was mention the lion as a symbol for God in the Gospel of Mark. “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” (Mark 1:3) The lion is believed to be signal of strength and the many lion art pieces show the influence of God in Greco-Roman culture. The sculptures of the lions caught my eyes immediately and made me think of the Gospel of Mark and how God’s power was paralleled to that of a lion’s. I saw other animals too, but the lion’s stood out to me and enhanced my understanding of the role of religion in western society.
The Getty Villa has many wonderful items in its collection of Greco-Roman antiquities. Walking through and spending time analyzing several of its aspects allowed me to carve a deeper understanding for myself of the time of Jesus Christ. I was able to see the Jewish influences and also map out the spread of Christian culture by looking at the different art pieces and their