In the church of Santa Maria del Popolo stands a striking portrait of St Paul’s encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus:
http://www.artbible.info/art/large/426.html
St Paul lies in the foreground with his arms outstretched toward the light emanating from above, presumably from Jesus. Dominating the frame, however, is the figure of a horse from which, we infer, Paul fell when Christ appeared and spoke to him the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
One of my colleagues at the seminary delights in contending that there was no horse; and, indeed, none is mentioned in either of the accounts in the Acts of the Apostles. Though perhaps absent from the historical scene, the horse serves other purposes in the painting. In the Psalms the horse is a symbol of strength, especially in battle (Ps 33:17); and in a prayer for the king, the psalmist declares Israel’s trust in the power of the Lord, “Some rely on chariots, others on horses, but we on the name of the Lord our God.”
What the artist portrays, then, is the complete upheaval Paul experienced through meeting the risen Lord Jesus. He was knocked off of his prideful perch of reliance on what he would later call “a righteousness of my own based upon the law” (Phil 3:9) and offered a new foundation for his life: faith in Jesus Christ. Thus, from his new lowliness the soon-to-be apostle reaches out to the only strength he will rely on for the rest of his life: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2Cor 12:9)
As we travel to Rome in the next few days, we will hold these words in our hearts and pray for the on-going conversion necessary in the life of every Christian to reject self-reliance and self-sufficiency and to walk in the only authentic confidence available: “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13)
The painting from Santa Maria del Popolo
