Chisel of Grace
Date: March 30th, 2025
Cost: $500
Canvas: 30” x 30”
Going on the theme of, ‘Pilate’s View of The Cross,’ I start to see images of Jesus towering 100 feet tall over a panicked Pilate with the sky darkening, the Earth quaking as it dawns on him Christ has become King forever. Later, as everyone begins singing at Hope Covenant Church, the image changes: in his enormous hands, Jesus gently holds Pilate, who stands defiantly to hammer in a nail to torture Jesus. Just at that moment, Doug says, ‘Jesus holds our destiny in his hands.’ (Check.) Then, just as I’m painting the figure of Pilate, Doug says something to the effect of–even Pilate will come to ‘bow the knee’ to Jesus. So, I paint Pilate collapsing into a kneeling position. (Check.)
Later, Doug says Pilate’s way mirrors our own whenever we place political or religious power above God, or use anything as a tool for power ‘over ‘others. But, Jesus tells Pilate, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above [John 19:11].” A newcomer to Hope, Mark, would later make a precise observation of the image: ‘Pilate thinks he can use Jesus as a tool, but it’s Pilate who ends up being the tool.’ To accomplish this, Jesus makes the ultimate sacrifice—he takes on our complete sin and pain, becoming the lowest human of all; the Creator puts himself ‘under all’ to earn his place as King over all creation. He scoops up everyone into his loving hands and sculpts us into his beautiful Bride. So, Jesus has turned his cross of torture into his chisel of grace.
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. –Colossians 2:15