Cursten Branden Lewis

The Wisdom of Youth vs. the Foolishness of Age

Frans Francken the Younger (1581–1642), Mankind’s Eternal Dilemma – The Choice Between Virtue and Vice (1633), oil on panel, 142 x 210.8 cm, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Boston, MA. Wikimedia Commons.
2–3 minutes

Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.  The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.

Ecclesiastes 4:13-14

I explained to them to swear by the Lord Omniscience in his presence, “I stand that I myself will present the king with wisdom this very day.” So, the priest went to tell the king that I had arrived, and the king went up to meet me. When the king saw me he exclaimed, “So is it really you the troublemaker of creation?”

“I have made no trouble for creation.” I replied, “you and your family are troublemakers. You have refused to honor the law of the Lord and have worshiped the manifestations of evil instead. Now summon creation to join me in the garden along with the 450 servants of evil, and the 400 prophets of perversion, who are supported by wickedness.” So, the king summoned all the congregation of creation and the servants to the garden.

What is Within the Fiery Altar?

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Jacopo Tintoretto (c 1518-1594), Dream of Saint Mark (Pax Tibi Marce) (E&I 305) (c 1591), oil on canvas, dimensions not known, Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice, Italy. Image by Didier Descouens, via Wikimedia Commons.

My Deific Instruction

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Frans Francken the Younger (1581–1642), Mankind’s Eternal Dilemma – The Choice Between Virtue and Vice (1633), oil on panel, 142 x 210.8 cm, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Boston, MA. Wikimedia Commons.

The War of Ancients

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Jacopo Tintoretto (c 1518-1594), The Last Supper (E&I 310) (1592-94), media and dimensions not known, Duomo, Lucca, Italy. Image by Mongolo1984, via Wikimedia Commons.

Arte e Spiritualità: Sant’Antonio Abate

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Frans Francken the Younger (1581–1642), Mankind’s Eternal Dilemma – The Choice Between Virtue and Vice (1633), oil on panel, 142 x 210.8 cm, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Boston, MA. Wikimedia Commons.

The Wisdom of Understanding

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Jacopo Tintoretto (c 1518-1594), The Last Supper (E&I 309) (1592-94), oil on canvas, 365 x 568 cm, Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, Italy. Wikimedia Commons.

La Omnipotencia

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The Paradise by the Italian Renaissance painter Tintoretto (1518-1594 CE), commissioned for the Doge’s Palace n Venice. Completed 1588 CE.

Llamamiento de Realidad

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Hans Memling (c 1433–1494), The Last Judgment (panel from triptych) (1467-1471), oil on panel, 223 x 72 cm, Muzeum Narodowe w Gdańsku, Gdańsk. Wikimedia Commons.

The Eternal Truths: Insights from Scripture

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Jacopo Tintoretto (c 1518-1594), The Archangel Michael in Combat with Lucifer (E&I 287) (1580s or early 1590s), oil on canvas, 318 x 220 cm, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Dresden, Germany. Wikimedia Commons.

Then, I stood in front of them and explained that they needed to hurry, for their wavering between two opinions; if the Lord is omniscient, follow me, but if evil is wise, then follow him. But the congregation was completely silent, and I said to them, “I am the only servant of the Lord who remains; evil has 450 servants. Now bring goats. The servants of evil may choose which ever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of the altar, but without setting fire. I will prepare the other goat and lay it on the wood of the altar, but not set fire to it. You then call the name of your God, and I will call on the name of the Lord. the God who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God.” And all the congregation agreed.

Who is like the wise?
    Who knows the explanation of things?
A person’s wisdom brightens their face
    and changes its hard appearance.

Ecclesiastes 8:1

The Great Deceiver

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Featured image: Peter Paul Rubens – The Fall of Phaeton, c. 1604-1605. Oil on canvas, 98.4 x 131.2 cm (38.7 x 51.6 in). The National Gallery of Art. Image via Creative Commons

Preparing to Conquest

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Unrecorded artist, Virgin of The Rosary of Pomata, c. 1730–60, oil on canvas with gold leaf applications (Pedro y Angélica de Osma Foundation)
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