An Upper Room

An Upper Room Commentary by Amina Wright Cite Share Show Bible Passage Paul leaves the third storey where he is preaching and goes down to rescue Eutychus. Here, the whole narrative is compressed into a single space: a crowded, fuggy room packed with people; the newborn church of Troas. Eutychus, imagined here as a child, is stretched out on the floor, surrounded by anxious adults and curious children. Paul bends over him, pressing his hand to the boy’s heart. The open window that caused the accident gapes darkly above their heads and the air is filled with the smoke of hanging lamps. To the right is the focal point of the room: Paul’s preaching chair raised up on a dais. In his designs for engravings Jan van der Straet (a Flemish artist mainly active in Italy) interpreted scripture for a society in which discourse on the nature and purpose of the church was tearing Europe apart. This inward-looking composition may reflect the religious chaos of the artist’s times. In the Netherlands, the idea of a community worshipping secretly in the loft of a private house was no longer confined to stories from the New Testament, but was a daily reality for many. This retelling of the story of Eutychus offers many points for meditation. Paul has stepped down from his throne-like seat and laid aside his book, showing how the authority of the Word reaches its full expression in acts of what St Bede called ‘loving help’ (Martin 1989: 160). The peaceful nursing mother seated near Paul recalls the ancient Roman personification of Charity, and scriptural images likening God’s people to infants nurtured with maternal care (Isaiah 66:5–13; 1 Peter 2:2). Eutychus is healed not outside the meeting house where his fall cast him down, but within the upper room, raised up from below by the strong arms and silent prayers of concerned believers and the apostle’s loving kindness. He is saved within the heart of the church. References Baroni Vannucci, Alessandra. 1997. Jan Van Der Straet detto Giovanni Stradano (Milan: Janda Sapi Editori) Martin, Lawrence T. (ed.). 1989. Bede: Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles (Kalamazoo, Michigan: Cistercian Publications) See full exhibition for Acts of the Apostles 20:1–12 More Exhibitions Joseph Sold into Slavery, Bad Blood, False Accusations and Portents of the Future, from The Crusader Bible (The Morgan Picture Bible) by Unknown French artist Zulaykha Seizing the Skirt of Yusuf's Robe, from a Yusuf and Zulaykha of Jami by Unknown Bukharan artist Joseph and Potiphar's Wife and Scenes from the life of Joseph, from the Golden Haggadah by Unknown artist Genesis 39 Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife Christ and the Samaritan Woman by Lavinia Fontana Christ and the Samaritan Woman by Unknown artist The Woman at the Well by Diego Rivera John 4:1–42 The Woman at the Well Jali Lattice Window by Mughal artists from Gujurat Self Portrait in a Fur-Trimmed Robe by Albrecht Dürer Still Life with Vessels by Francisco de Zurbarán 2 Corinthians 3:12–4:18 From Glory to Glory Advancing