Art to Heart Praise

Rembrandt van Rijn: The Jewish Bride

©2002 by Jeff Dugan

At one level, this is a commissioned portrait, painted by Rembrandt for a Jewish couple to commemorate their wedding.  On another level, it’s a Biblical history painting, because Rembrandt added interest and meaning by casting the couple as Isaac and Rebecca.  But on a third, and most important level, it’s a universally beloved portrait of the tender intimacy shared between a man and a woman who are deeply in love.  The man’s arm behind her back supports her and connects her with him, but it does not confine or dominate her.  His right hand comforts her gently as he adorns her with a golden chain.  Her touch is delicate and intimate, but almost instinctual, as is their corporate posture, leaning tenderly toward one another without even having to establish eye contact.  They need not look at each other because their hearts and minds are so intimately joined that they are truly of a single flesh.  They communicate most eloquently, as does Rembrandt’s magical painting, without words.

Since this portrait was painted, generations of museum visitors have cherished it.  Vincent van Gogh once said that he’d exchange ten years of his life for the opportunity to gaze at this masterpiece for two weeks[1].  The thing that charmed him and all the admirers before us is the same thing that captivates us: the knowledge in our own hearts of the treasure of this deep, tender, loving intimacy between a man and a woman.

But there’s an even more touching portrait of deep, tender, loving intimacy than this one.  It doesn’t hang in any museum, but resides in the words of God to His beloved people, as recorded in the Bible by His prophets.  In Hosea and Song of Solomon, and even in the Messianic prophecies, God reaches out tenderly for us, the bride of Christ, and calls us to a deeply intimate and loving relationship.  And when God’s beloved people spurn His entreaty, the emotion in His laments betrays the passion that fills His love for us.

The prophets saw the beauty of God’s tender, intimate love for mankind, and like van Gogh, they wanted all of us to be able to gaze upon it as long as we had eyes to see.

(At this point the worship leader may choose to lead the congregation in the following litany.)

Congregation: What love is more sincere, more faithful, more passionate than the love of our Lord?

Leader: You have ravished my heart, my bride!  With a glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.  How sweet is your love, my bride!*

Congregation: Oh, that his left hand were under my head, and that his right hand embraced me!*

Leader: Set me as a seal upon your heart, for love is strong as death, passion as unyielding as the grave.  It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame.*

Congregation:  Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.*

Leader and Congregation: My beloved is mine and I am his.*

(At this point the worship leader may choose to lead a hymn or other musical performance of a love-themed hymn, such as O Love that Wilt not Let Me Go, by Matheson and Peace.)

* from Song 4:9-10, Song 8:3, Song 8:6-7, Song 2:16