Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are considered kindred religions–holding ancestral heritages and monotheistic belief in common–but there are definitive distinctions between these ‘Abrahamic’ peoples. The early exchanges of Jews, Christians, and Muslims were dominated by debates over the meanings of certain stories sacred to all three groups. In addition to the verbal tales, art played a significant role in the interpretations, often competitive, of the sacred stories they had in common. In mosaics, in stone carvings, and in paintings, we consistently encounter what artists of the three communities wished to emphasize as especially important.
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"Aqedah ('binding') scene from the Beth Alpha synagogue".
This mosaic floor decoration in a 6th century CE synagogue captures the moment in which Abraham, about to place his son Isaac onto the fiery altar as commanded, is stopped by God (who speaks, and shows his hand, from above). He then provides a ram as a substitute sacrifice. Abraham’s faithfulness in the “binding of Isaac,” and God’s reward of his obedience, is one Judaism’s foundational narratives.
Figure 4.7 “Aqedah (‘binding’) scene from the Beth Alpha synagogue.” 6th century CE. Photo courtesy of the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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"Abraham extends hospitality to messengers, prepares to sacrifice Isaac".
Standing above the space where 6th century Christians celebrate their eucharistic meal in one of Ravenna’s grand churches, a celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection, this mosaic combines themes. Abraham and Sarah welcome and entertain the angels who foretell the birth of Isaac to them in their old age; and here, in this setting, the near sacrifice of Isaac signals the future sacrifice of Christ, with its powers for salvation.
Figure 4.4 “Abraham extends hospitality to messengers, prepares to sacrifice Isaac.” Mid-6th century CE. Mosaic in San Vitale, Ravenna. © Art History Images.
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"The hospitality of Abraham".
In the great Roman church dedicated to Mary, another fine mosaic shows the angels’ visit to Abraham and Sarah in two scenes. The cross atop the door behind Sarah is only one indicator of the Christianization of the story in Genesis 18, for high above, in the church’s triumphal arch, another announcement of a child to be born is made to Mary.
Figure 5.3 “The hospitality of Abraham.” A mid-5th century CE mosaic. Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome © Art History Images.
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"The angel Jabril visits Ibrahim’s family"
An image placed in a Muslim book of “stories of the prophets,” this fine Persian painting depicts Abraham’s gathering of his two women and his son Ishmael at “God’s house” in Mecca, where Jabril (Gabriel) announces the miracle of the coming pregnancy of Sarah, and her birth-giving to Isaac.
Figure 6.1 “The angel Jabril visits Ibrahim’s family.” From a 1577 copy of Nisaburi’s Qisas al-Anbiya. © The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. Spencer Collection, Persian Ms. 1, folio 33b.
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"Joseph runs from Potiphar’s wife, and other scenes"
The concluding chapters of the Book of Genesis recount the story of Jacob’s son, Joseph, whose brothers were responsible for his enslavement in Egypt. The wife of his owner, Potiphar, attempted to seduce the handsome young man—an episode that became a favorite for Jewish, Christian and Muslim interpreters.
Two paintings from a 6th century Christian book show Joseph’s escape from the bed of Potiphar’s wife and a scene in which she prepares to convince her husband that Joseph, whose garment she holds, accosted her. We are left to wonder what the artist intended in placing a cross above the cloak.Figure 7.2 “Joseph runs from Potiphar’s wife, and other scenes.” The Vienna Genesis. 6th century C.E. Painting: 16 x 26 cm. © Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Bildarchiv und Grafiksammlung, Vienna. Nationalbibliothek, cod. theol. gr. 31. Page 31.
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"Potiphar’s wife displays Joseph’s garment"
The concluding chapters of the Book of Genesis recount the story of Jacob’s son, Joseph, whose brothers were responsible for his enslavement in Egypt. The wife of his owner, Potiphar, attempted to seduce the handsome young man—an episode that became a favorite for Jewish, Christian and Muslim interpreters.
Two paintings from a 6th century Christian book show Joseph’s escape from the bed of Potiphar’s wife and a scene in which she prepares to convince her husband that Joseph, whose garment she holds, accosted her. We are left to wonder what the artist intended in placing a cross above the cloak.Figure 7.3 “Potiphar’s wife displays Joseph’s garment.” The Vienna Genesis. 6th century C.E. Painting: 16 x 26 cm. © Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Bildarchiv und Grafiksammlung, Vienna. Nationalbibliothek, cod. theol. gr. 31. Pages 31 and 32.
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"Yusuf appearing at Zulaykha’s gathering of Egyptian ladies"
Zulaykha (as the temptress of Yusuf (Joseph) is known in Muslim tradition) holds a tea for women who have gossiped about her dalliance with her slave boy. Stunned by his beauty when he appears, the guests are so overwhelmed that they slice their hands with the small knives supplied for cutting fruit.
Figure 9.1 “Yusuf appearing at Zulaykha’s gathering of Egyptian ladies.” From a Nisaburi Qisas ms. Ca. 1580. © The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. Spencer Collection, Persian Ms. 46, fol. 48b.
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"The opening column of Jonah"
A medieval Jewish Bible marks the beginning of the Book of Jonah (the enlarged first word can be translated “It happened that…”), by an illustration of the resistant prophet emerging from “the great fish” God sent to swallow him. The cap he wears suggests the head-covering worn for prayers, and the note in the margin indicates that this book is to be read at Yom Kippur.
Figure 10.1 “The opening column of Jonah.” Xanten Bible, Germany. 1294. © The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. Spencer Collection.
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"Gem incised with cycle of Jonah scenes"
This polished piece of carnelian features incisions of the several events of Jonah’s captivity in, and release from, the sea monster God sent to him. It is difficult to determine whether this is a Jewish or Christian product.
Figure 10.3 “Gem incised with cycle of Jonah scenes.” Ca. 300 CE. Width 1.9 cm. Photo courtesy of Christian Schmid and Dr. Jeffrey Spier.
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"Jonah and the whale, from a page of the Melk Missal"
A Christian hymn text for Easter shows Jonah, not capped, but haloed, as a Jesus-figure, likening the prophet’s three days in the fish to Christ’s three days “in the heart of the earth” (Gospel of Matthew 12:40).
Figure 11.l “Jonah and the whale, from a page of the Melk Missal.” Late 12th century. Photo: 17 x 26.5 cm. © The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland. The Walters Museum Ms. W 33, folio 9r.
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"Sarcophagus depicting Selene and Endymion"
Artistic representations of Jonah lounging beneath the leaves of a gourd plant (see the image above, and Jonah 4:6) are thought to have been influenced by the popular Greek and Roman depictions of the handsome young man, Endymion. The goddess Selene famously kept him from dying, so that she might descend to him for amorous visits.
Figure 11.4 “Sarcophagus depicting Selene and Endymion.” Detail. Ca. 210 CE. Photo: courtesy of the Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California. Getty Museum 76.AA8.
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"Yunus emerging from the fish"
One of many intriguing Muslim paintings of Yunus (Jonah) exiting the fish, this one presents the prophet in the guise of an ecstatic mystic, his arms raised in the manner of a Sufi dervish.
Figure 12.4 “Yunus emerging from the fish.” From a copy of Juwayri’s Qisas al-anbiya, ca. 1574-1575. Painting: 23.4 x 13 cm. © Columbia University Library, New York. Smith collection, MS X 892.8 Q1/Q.
All images reprinted in Shared Stories, Rival Tellings: Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims by Robert Gregg.
Featured image credit: “Sarcophagus depicting Selene and Endymion.” Detail. Ca. 210 CE. Image used courtesy of the Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California. Getty Museum 76.AA8.
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