Biblical Magi

Throughout history the Bible, one of the oldest and longest lasting books in history (Akin et al., 2014), has undergone extreme scrutiny and diligent study. The efforts are usually to determine the validity of the claim that the Bible is inspired God. Scholars are seeking to determine the historicity of the stories, miracles and people interactions with the goal of asserting or denying the self-witnessing nature of the Scriptures. First and foremost, Christians believe and trust in the Bible as…

The story “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant has it's similarities and differences when compared to “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. In both of these stories it is apparent that both couples see material things as values because their situation is related to poverty in some way. The endings in each story show what the true importance is in their lives. “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant is about a middle class couple that is invited to a fancy ball. The wife sees them as poor compared…

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke have been the topic of conversation and dispute in biblical scholarship throughout the years, because although they are covering the same event the authors present their ideas in different ways. Each author have different styles, vocabulary, theological themes and intentions which vary from gospel to gospel. In this essay, I will establish Jesus’ lineage and significance as exemplified in the Gospel of Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2. In the Gospel of Matthew,…

"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry is a great story which talks about sacrifices for your loved ones and one of the best cases of irony there is. It is one of those classic "Christmas stories" couples read during the holidays, and it might even make you think more carefully just what "love" means. You should read the wondrous story, because it demonstrates the true meaning of Christmas in three words: love, sacrifice, and gratefulness. One reason you should interpret the story is because of…

Even as an ardent non-Christian/Atheist, I’m a big fan of the whole Christmas phenomenon. Staff and students get time off to spend with their friends and family. Many people get the opportunity to travel. And there’s a definite magic associated with being a child (or man-child in my case) opening presents on Christmas morning. It’s been a while since I was forced to attend church, but I think I can cover the gist of the story of Christmas for those who may rusty on their ancient history. Mary…

“Annunciation,” considered one of Fra Angelico’s most splendid works of art, was initially painted for the church San Domenico outside of Florence. Currently, the painting is located at Museo Diocesano in Cortona. According to Vasari, this painting could not be created by a mortal hand, and such glorification attributes to the painting a very divine and peculiar touch. Angel Gabriel’s profile is so delicate and devout that it looks like it was directly painted in Paradise. The incredible…

with a man inside both a square and a circle. In 1495, da Vinci was asked to paint "The Last Supper" on the back wall of a dining hall inside the monastery of the Santa Maria delle Grazie. It took him 3 years to complete. This painting shows the biblical moment when Jesus informs the 12 disciples that one of them would soon betray him. The painting shows the appalled facial expressions of the figures around the…

The short story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is filled with many layers of symbolism that include both characters, such a Faith, and objects, such as the staffs. These symbols are used in various events to create a structure for deeper meaning in the novel. Such events include Young Goodman Brown’s constant turning back towards his wife and his acceptance of the staff. The final culmination of these events is a moral theme that accounts for both the literal and symbolic angles…

Both John Pope-Hennessy's The Portrait in the Renaissance and Patricia Simons's Women in Frames: The Gaze, the Eye, the Profile in Renaissance Portraiture discuss the ways in which portraiture during the Quattrocento was used to inform the public. Portraiture during this time was used to inform and educate the public, establishing both political and social standing. Simons responds to Pope-Hennessy's article with a strong argument: portraits of women had different connotations than those of men.…

artistic growth and development. No longer restricted to just one area of expertise, the perfect Renaissance (wo)man was skilled in a multitude of subjects. No body of work better exemplifies this Early Renaissance convention than,The Adoration of the Magi/ Feast d’Magi by Fra Angelico and Fra Lippi. The two seemingly polar opposite painters were anything but incompatible with the styling and creation of this piece. Angelico and Lippi were able to utilize two, new and innovative art techniques.…