The Manchester City Art Gallery houses a painting of Christ by Holman Hunt [shown in the image above]. It shows young Jesus standing inside his father's carpenter shop in Nazareth. He has momentarily put his saw down and is stripped down to a cloth around his waist.
A weary Jesus stretches his arms above his head, casting a shadow onto the wall -- a shadow in the shape of a person crucified. A long narrow tool rack hanging on the wall intersects perfectly with his shadow to give the impression of the crossbeam of the cross.
In the foreground of the painting, a woman kneels among the woodchips with her hands resting upon a chest that houses the gifts of the magi. It is Mary, startled by the cross-like shadow cast by her son.
Hunt shows us in art form what all of Scripture shows us with words. The shadow of the cross was cast over Christ's life from the beginning. During every moment of His life on earth, He knew the magnitude of the sacrifice that lay ahead, and yet He willingly came to save us and change our eternal destiny
His death lies at the heart of his story, and ours.
With Love,
Mike