Das New Testament / Testamentum novum

Das New Testament / Testamentum Novum

By Lusine Hambardzumyan and Anna Maria Hermann

Title
Testamentum novum / Das New Testament
Author
L. Emser
Date
1528
Place
Leipzig, Germany
Language(s)
German
Sources
Available on Münchener digitaliserungs Zentrum Digitale Bibliothek: https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb00085747?q=%28new+testament%29&page=920,921
Format
In-4 or in-2

Historical Context

  • Persecution of Christians by the Romans: The Book of Revelation was composed in the latter part of the first century, between AD 81 and AD 96, under the reign of Emperor Domitian. His rule is typically linked to Christian persecution and is characterized as a time of great anti-Christian sentiment. Christians were socially excluded as a result of regional persecution as well as frequent accusations of atheism, which was seen as a contempt for the Roman gods. The idea of suffering and salvation is the main takeaway from the Book of Revelation, which was written in this environment.
  • Roman-Jewish relations during the Jewish revolts: Roman-Jewish relations were quite tense in the second half of the 1st century. The consequences of the First Jewish-Roman War (66-73 AD) and the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (70 AD) had a profound impact on the socio-political context. The tension created between the Roman authorities and the Jewish communities also had an impact on the Christian community since the latter was initially considered an offshoot of Judaism.
  • Eschatological views and Christianity: The socio-politically tense period in which the Book of Revelation was written also had its impact on the ideas of the Christian community. In this situation, many early Christians believed in the imminent destruction of the world and the second coming of Christ. In the Book of Revelation, written in conditions of eschatological expectation, this was reinterpreted and figuratively presented in the context of beasts, dragons, and cosmic conflicts, which in turn were presented within the framework of the battle between good and evil. The latter, on the one hand, was metaphorically attributed to the spiritual struggle of the individual, and on the other hand, it was a depiction of the socio-political difficulties faced by the early Christian church.

Purpose of the book

This book’s printing (1528) occurred in political and religious upheaval and is closely linked to the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation began in 1517 with Martin Luther’s (Sofia, L. 2024)Ninety-Five Theses, which quickly developed into a movement that challenged the Catholic Church’s authority (Keen, R. 2019) and transformed Europe’s social, religious, and political fabric. The publication of Luther’s German translation of the New Testament (Vasey, F. 2018) in 1522 was the watershed moment after which a return to the old world order was no longer possible. Translating the Holy Scriptures into German made them accessible to a broader audience, enabling working people to read the Bible in their language. As a result, the Holy Scriptures were freed from the church’s monopoly.

Contrastive analysis of text and image

This woodcut image is an illustration of the passage from Revelation 13, capturing the vision of a monstrous beast rising from the sea, as described in the Bible. Here is a detailed analysis and description of the illustration, comparing it with the text:

Visual Analysis

1. The Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns: The right part of the image is dominated by the image of a multi-headed creature, which, according to the description of Revelation 13:1-2 has “seven heads and ten horns.” According to the description, its body consisted of a lion, a bear, and a dragon, and its horns were crowned with a crown. On its body were written names of blasphemy. The entire image of this grotesque beast depicted its power and blasphemous nature. Its crowning was a reference to its authority over unbelievers and apostates.

2. Diabolical and Animalistic Features: The depicted beast was a reference in its appearance to the Chimera. A mythical creature described in various mythologies and medieval bestiaries whose body consisted of the bodies of various animals and whose appearance, especially in medieval literature, symbolized death and disaster. The author engraved this image freely, merging the various animal parts of the creature. Its crude, scaly image tried to reproduce a grotesque composite creature, sometimes exaggerating and sharpening certain features, which would metaphorically represent the latter’s chaotic and evil nature.

3. Heavenly Clouds and Divine Wrath: The entire upper part of the engraving’s composition is occupied by clouds moving from left to right toward the Seven-Headed Beast. These clouds represent the Heavenly realm and the wrath of God, which will be poured out on humanity in the form of thunderbolts as a result of worshiping the beast. The appearance of the Seven-Headed Beast is a turning point in the Book of Revelation, as it is given authority and power to make war and blaspheme against the saints. On the other hand, the clouds also serve as a boundary between the “pure” heavenly and the “corrupted” earthly realms.

4. Human Figures in Worship or Fear: In the lower left part of the image, human figures are depicted kneeling towards the Seven-Headed Beast. The compositional position of these figures and the depiction of the chosen movements place them in a subordinate, adoring, and supplicating position. This passage coincides with the lines of Revelation 13:8, “all who dwell on the earth will worship him,” which refers to the followers of evil and blasphemy who will deny their God and surrender to the power of the Beast. Some will be forced to bow down to this terrifying force, while others will be willing to do so in awe or fear.

5. Imagery of Blasphemy and Idolatry: In Revelation 13, the Beast is described several times with “names of blasphemy” on its head and body, which directly refer to disobedience to God. Although these names are not explicitly shown in the image, they can be visually inferred from their heads, and on the other hand, the apparent awe and fear of the human figures also give some indication of their presence. This primarily references the worship and adoration of sinners and apostates, representing humanity. On the other hand, this combination sends the message that humanity is deceived and will be condemned if it honors anything contrary to the will of God.

6. The Second Beast and Dragon: Although the main focus of the carving is the Seven-Headed Beast and the figures of people worshipping him, in the middle ground of the composition on the left, between the clouds and the figures of people, is the second beast of Revelation 13. This serpent-like figure references the dragon of Revelation 12 and the dragon of Revelation 13. Its iconography is closer to the iconography of classical medieval demonic beasts. It emerges from a crack in the earth as if suggesting to the viewer that it has risen from Gehenna. In this carving, it is not given special attention, as if it were a mere supporter of the Seven-Headed Beast.

 Comparison to Revelation 13

This image dedicated to Revelation 13 presents several symbols and thematic elements specific to the chapter, which are:

– Power and Blasphemy: In contrast to the text that openly condemns the blasphemous nature of the Beast, its grotesque and sometimes exaggerated depiction is more intended to emphasize its authority and power.

– Human Adoration of Evil: As a sign of spiritual degradation, the adoring and fearful depiction of human figures is more a reference to the prophecy that humanity will worship the Beast.

– Divine Separation: In the image, clouds that seem to act as barriers emphasize the clear division between the Heavenly and the Earthly, further emphasizing the division of layers and humanity’s submission to evil forces and condemnation of them.

Meet the Beast

https://bibleacrossnations.rarebook-ubfc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/The-beast-1.html

Das New Testament

Bibliography

  1. Luther, M. (1517). The Ninety-Five Theses.
  2. Olin, J. C. (1999). Catholic Reform: From Cardinal Ximenes to the Council of Trent, 14951563
  3. Trent, Council of. (15451563). Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent.
  4. MacCulloch, D. (2004). The Reformation: A History
  5. Keen, R. (2019). Calvin’s Catholic Critics. Cambridge University Press EBooks. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108687447.041 
  6. Vasey, F. 2018. A critical translation of Charles Collé’s ‘Le Galant escroc’.
    https://core.ac.uk/download/157815893.pdf  
  7. Sofia, L. 2024 A Comprehensive Timeline History of the Church: From Its Origins to the Modern Era.
    https://www.lolaapp.com/timeline-history-of-the-church/