The Focal Point

It is considered the world’s most recognizable painting. Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper was commissioned by the Duke of Milan in 1495 and covers the end wall of the dining hall at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. It portrays the reaction of the disciples after Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him.

There are many speculations about hidden secrets within the painting, but what is plainly seen, thanks to da Vinci’s use of lighting and perspective, is that the central figure is Christ. Not only is Jesus thehighlight of The Last Supper, He is literally the focal point of the painting. Indeed, Leonardo employed a perspective that made the Savior’s face the very center of the piece.

Just as da Vinci’s masterpiece has suffered over the centuries (once barely escaping total destruction by an Allied bomb in 1943), it reminds us of the life and scope of the Holy Scriptures. Over the centuries, the Bible has taken a beating, yet it survives today as the Book of all books—the most widely distributed piece of literature of all ages.

And as our text above reveals, the central figure, the focal point of all the Bible, is Jesus Christ. In every chapter, through every story and figure, the Savior is the center of attention. The Scriptures describe Christ as “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Revelation 22:13).

The central truth of the Bible is not the interesting stories, the history of Israel, or beautiful poetry. If we would rightly understand God’s Word, we must turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full into His wonderful face.

Apply It:

Study a copy of The Last Supper and then read John 13. Ask yourself, “Am I making Jesus the central figure of my life?”

Dig Deeper:

John 12:21; Romans 16:25–27; 2 Corinthians 3:14

Key Bible Texts

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: (Luke 24:25 KJV)