C Michael Patton
C. Michael Patton is the primary contributor to the Parchment and Pen/Credo Blog. He has been in ministry for nearly twenty years as a pastor, author, speaker, and blogger.
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Th.M. Dallas Theological Seminary (2001), president of Credo House Ministries and Credo Courses, author of Now that I'm a Christian (Crossway, 2014) Increase My Faith (Credo House, 2011), and The Theology Program (Reclaiming the Mind Ministries, 2001-2006), host of Theology Unplugged, and primary blogger here at Parchment and Pen. But, most importantly, husband to a beautiful wife and father to four awesome children. Michael is available for speaking engagements.
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28 replies to "Pop Quiz: What Does this Signify?"
Halos?
Perhaps you could explain it to us. That signs and wonders are somehow relevant to lighting? Or that we have to be sure the lighting is just right to be relevant in our ministries? Just wondering why that was such a big deal, and if so, why?
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Not sure what the different height of the first one means. Maybe Matthean priority? If so, I disagree, but yeah.
I know, I know! The five pictures on the wall are for the five books of the Law. The four shining lights are the Gospels, John being the one that is set apart. The opaque glass on the cabinets represent this shadowland we live in. The three stools signify Pauls Journeys and they face the coffee pots that represent our simmering, brewing desire to take the gospel to all mankind. While the pool table at our backs signify the games we need to leave behind. Wow! You guys are good. I’m sure the rock backsplash signifies the alters left to remember what our God has done.
Dave, now they do.
Something to do with the way they hold their fingers, although no matter which one or two I hold down with my thumb I can’t make them correspond to the lights… oh well.
Thanks Michael, alters for remembering are a good thing. So what is the significance of the lights?
Igthus! Each one has an igthus! That bacame a symbol of Christianity, reflected in early Christian art, before the cross was used as a symbol.
Did I get it?
Nope. That is an incidental 🙂
I’m no Greek scholar, but wasn’t the igthus formed from the first Greek letter of each of the following names: Jesus Christ God’s Son Saviour ? And, if I remember correctly, those five Greek letters together spell ‘fish’ in Greek, which is why the fish symbol was used.
I can see you perusing the light fixture catalogues now…….”Oh WOW!….a fish!…..that’s it! I’ve GOT to get these!”
Nice choice, Michael! They look good.
Oh…..darn. And here I was developing the thought further.
OK, we have a hint now: hypostatic union….. this may be a stretch, but the cylinder is that eternal, non-ending ring (deity of Christ)…..and He is light, as God is light (could be said of most light fixtures). As far as Christ’s humanity goes, hummm….
Something about the iron?
Another hint please!
Hypostatic Union and Trinity are both represented. Look at Chrysostom’s hand: http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/sjcof/chrysostom
There are four lights….two turned one way, and two the other way ?….Chrysostom’s hand shows four fingers, but one is cut short (?)
I have a friend at church who is an art prof. at Biola. I bet he would get it! I’m not there yet……
My what a big frontal lobe he has…
Dave, Dave, Dave… Your typology is deeply flawed. But fear not! I shall correct you in truth and love! The four lights represent the 4 directions of the compass. The three stools, when coupled with the three wood panels, are the six dispensations with the stone/tile wall “above” them is the millennial reign of Christ. You will notice the counter is an obvious type of the tabernacle. The blue can of spray in the left corner; a type of the aroma of the meat offering ascending to God. The sink is the brass laver for priestly washing. Paper towels; what does one “do” with paper towels??? You “clean up” or “cover up” a mess; so it’s a type of the covering of the priestly garments. Now notice closely that there are napkins on the bar.. “separated”, if you will from the other paper towels, so this is clearly a false priesthood like Korah, Dathan and Abiram that will be tossed away (presumably in a trash can) when the earth opens up. The paper cups; the utensils used in the temple rituals. The two white pieces of paper on the wall above the cabinets? Duh, the manna from heaven “coming down”. The three cabinets equal the three heavens that Paul speaks of. And, of course, the pictures on the wall are the “great cloud of witnesses”.
😉
Damian
four bounds to Orthodox Christology in the Chalcedonian definition.
The four lights represent the ground, hot, neutral and switchleg. The fish symbol above each lamp represent Michael’s commitment to Christ by not doing electrical wiring himself, but making sure he has a qualified electrician do it. We want you to stay alive so you can build more Credo Houses. Ha!
I think the four lights represent the Trinty and the hypostatic union in that the three lights at equal height are the Trinity, they are equal. The lowered light represents the humanity of Christ which cannot be separated from his deity because of the hypostatic union. So, through the person of Jesus Christ, humanity and deity will always be related (though humanity less than deity), and, in Him, inseparable.
That’s my story and I’m stickin’ with it.
Brian got it!
Yay, Brian! Did you go to seminary by any chance?
Susan,
Kinda. I went through the Theology Program!! 🙂
Yeah, but umm… none of them are at equal height. At least it doesn’t look like it in the picture. Perhaps you’re trying to tell us something of the monarchy of the Father as well. 😉
Um, It signifies your one sick pup 🙂 when theology designates how you hang light fixtures you might want to take a profile glimpse at yourself in the mirror, specifically looking for a enlarged frontal lobe..It’s a sign, yep, even a symptom…too much theology, ouch
There’s little fishies on the lights. Therefore, this is a legit, bona-fide Christian establishment. 😉
This is not the answer but they could represent the 4 Cappadocians. Basil, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, and Macrina.
Here is an interesting question. Is the humanity of Christ lower than his divinity? I guess in a sense it is but in a sense it should not be looked at in that way. The danger is becoming dualistic. Notice that I am speaking about Christ’s human nature and not our own.
It should have been Cappadocian, if anyone cares.
It appears to me that someone has trouble with eyeball measurements and should use a tape measure.