Original Drawing
The initial drawings for this mandala were done by yet another member of our small group. They are inspired by Jesus’ I AM statement: “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” located within John 14:4-6. Again, I’ve cleaned up the original drawing and added color to get the final image (the one at the top). The individual created three mandalas for Jesus’ I am statement over a period of three days. The progression of the individual’s mandalas from day one to day three (day three shown above) is interesting.
Day 1: Straight forward interpretation of the way, the truth, and the life statement.
Day 2: As she studied more about this I AM Statement, she incorporated elements of the Last Supper into her mandala. This continued into Day 3.
Day 3: There are multiple elements, making this mandala an intriguing piece of Christian Art. Elements include a:
- Central Cross
- Dove
- Burning Bush
- Table
- Number of People
We’ll cover these in more detail below.
Central Cross. The cross is at the center of the mandala, and spans to the edges of the circle. It kind of looks like the crosshairs of a targeting device. The crosshairs are aimed at heaven, indicating the cross is The Way.
Dove. Representing the Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Truth. He convicts us of our sins, and moves us into being more like Christ.
Burning Bush. This iconic Old Testament Image is to remind us of:
- The Creator God who gave us Life
- The God who told us who he was by saying: “I Am who I AM.”
- (God used I Am statements even in the Old Testament!)
Table. The table is used to depict the setting of the Last Supper. The disciples are represented by maroon semicircles. Notice that there are only 11. Judas has already left. His place at the table is occupied by wine and bread.
Number of People. At the bottom of the circle, just below the table, we see people wandering about, searching.
Jesus’ statement that He is the way, the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him is intense. Ravi Zacharias in his book, Jesus among Other Gods states: “Just look at the implicit claims in that statement. First and foremost, He asserted that there is only one way to God. That shocks postmodern moods and mind-sets. Hinduism and Baha’ism have long challenged the concept of a single way to God. The Hindu religion, with its multifaceted belief system, vociferously attacks such exclusivity. Jesus also unequivocally stated that God is the Author of life and that meaning in life lies in coming to Him. This assertion would be categorically denied by Buddhism, which is a nontheistic if not atheistic religion. Jesus revealed Himself as the Son of God who led the way to the Father.”
Look through the crosshairs.