Carl Bloch: CHRIST HEALING AT THE WELL OF BETHESDA

THE STORY:

This painting shows the waters of Bethesda, where the sick and injured waited for an angel to trouble the waters and heal the first person to enter. John writes, "And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.  When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked.”

ANALYSIS: 

This painting hangs at the BYU Museum of Art, and I found that viewing it in person illuminated a variety of details that I can't really see in copies, including the man with shoes on his hands in the lower left-hand corner. The painting is divided into three sections. On the left, Peter holds the judgmental Pharisees back. They don't like Christ healing on the Sabbath. In the center, Christ lifts the blanket covering the lame man. And on the right, we see three generations of women and other onlookers.

The two points of emphasis in this painting are Jesus Christ's head and arms in the upper left-hand corner and the man in the red hat at the bottom. He is the only figure who is looking our of the painting, making eye contact with the viewer, and drawing us into the painting. The curved steps of the pool also stretch forth to include the viewer.

With the red, the eye contact, and the curving steps, Bloch invites the viewer to put ourselves in the man's shoes--the onlooker, not the man about to experience the miracle. If we witnessed a miracle, what would our reaction be? What IS our reaction to the miracles of Jesus Christ?

PERSONAL IMPACT:

My favorite part of this painting is its sheer size. I feel like its life-size scale really contributes to the invitation to put myself at this scene at the waters of Bethesda.

This is another painting that is acted out in the Finding Faith in Christ video. Here is a still:

I really love the video come to life, especially how it develops Bloch's themes. It begins with a close-up of the man in red turban turning his head, like this:

I love it.