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Jewish and Christian Re-Imagining of the Seven-branched Lampstand in the Postilla litteralis of Nicholas of Lyra (d. 1349)

  • Lesley Smith
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The Menorah and the Seven-branched Candelabrum
This chapter is in the book The Menorah and the Seven-branched Candelabrum

Abstract

The vast Bible commentary by the Franciscan Nicholas of LyraNicholas of Lyra (d. 1349), known as the Postilla, was enormously influential in its day, as evidenced by its survival in some hundreds of manuscripts. Among its many important characteristics, two stand out: first, Nicholas’ knowledge of, and reliance on, Jewish biblical exegesis for his interpretation of the Old Testament / Hebrew Bible (in particular the work of Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac, known as RashiRashi (Solomon ben Isaac / Shlomo Yiṣḥaq)); and second, the presence or intended presence in his work of around fifty expository drawings reflecting Jewish and Christian views on how to interpret the text. These images focus on the descriptions of the Temple and TabernacleTabernacle and their fixtures and fittings; that is, they are concerned with places where God had promised to be present to his people. These images are not simply decorative but an important part of Nicholas’ exegetical scheme; he refers to their presence in his text and provides captions for them. Around a third of the drawings are meant to be read in pairs, providing a careful comparison of the Christian and Jewish traditions of understanding the scriptural text. The seven-branched lampstand is among these. Nicholas’ intention, however, is not so much to compare the readings of the two faiths, but to show that the Bible makes sense according to a literal reading of its text. Showing that not just the general outline but even the details of these biblical descriptions would have been practically possible to achieve in reality by depicting them on the page, is his way of proving that the word of God in Scripture can be relied on in a literal understanding. For Nicholas, the coherence of the literal meaning is a guarantee of the truth of God’s word, and he makes this clear by a visual exposition of the text.

Abstract

The vast Bible commentary by the Franciscan Nicholas of LyraNicholas of Lyra (d. 1349), known as the Postilla, was enormously influential in its day, as evidenced by its survival in some hundreds of manuscripts. Among its many important characteristics, two stand out: first, Nicholas’ knowledge of, and reliance on, Jewish biblical exegesis for his interpretation of the Old Testament / Hebrew Bible (in particular the work of Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac, known as RashiRashi (Solomon ben Isaac / Shlomo Yiṣḥaq)); and second, the presence or intended presence in his work of around fifty expository drawings reflecting Jewish and Christian views on how to interpret the text. These images focus on the descriptions of the Temple and TabernacleTabernacle and their fixtures and fittings; that is, they are concerned with places where God had promised to be present to his people. These images are not simply decorative but an important part of Nicholas’ exegetical scheme; he refers to their presence in his text and provides captions for them. Around a third of the drawings are meant to be read in pairs, providing a careful comparison of the Christian and Jewish traditions of understanding the scriptural text. The seven-branched lampstand is among these. Nicholas’ intention, however, is not so much to compare the readings of the two faiths, but to show that the Bible makes sense according to a literal reading of its text. Showing that not just the general outline but even the details of these biblical descriptions would have been practically possible to achieve in reality by depicting them on the page, is his way of proving that the word of God in Scripture can be relied on in a literal understanding. For Nicholas, the coherence of the literal meaning is a guarantee of the truth of God’s word, and he makes this clear by a visual exposition of the text.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. List of Contents V
  3. Introduction 1
  4. I. Tabernacle and Temple
  5. Das Schicksal des siebenarmigen Leuchters aus dem Jerusalemer Tempel im mittelalterlichen Rom 3
  6. Priest, Temple, Jewishness, Redemption? 37
  7. Articulating the geometricalia of Scripture 79
  8. Vasari and Giambullari on the Menorah, the Tabernacle, and Bezalel 97
  9. Die Menora in Raffaels Vertreibung des Heliodor und Garofalos Vertreibung der Wechsler aus dem Tempel 143
  10. II. Image and Exegesis
  11. tres gradus fidelium in ecclesia 169
  12. Jewish and Christian Re-Imagining of the Seven-branched Lampstand in the Postilla litteralis of Nicholas of Lyra (d. 1349) 217
  13. Der siebenarmige Leuchter im Speculum humanae salvationis 243
  14. The Sanctuary’s Implements 271
  15. “A Secret Particularly Obscure” 307
  16. III. Patronage and Memoria
  17. Aniane and Fulda 341
  18. Seven-branched Candelabra in Medieval England 365
  19. Marienwohlde oder Mölln? 415
  20. Siebenarmige Leuchter im 16. Jahrhundert 443
  21. IV. Context and (Re-)Use
  22. Der siebenarmige Leuchter im Heiligtum von Mentorella (Vulturella) in Latium 475
  23. „Madonna del Albero, dandole tal cognome quella gran pianta“ 503
  24. Der siebenarmige Leuchter in der Marienkirche in Frankfurt an der Oder 543
  25. „den store liusestaken af bronz med dess Siu lampor“ 577
  26. Survivals and Revivals of the Menorah in Medieval and Early Modern European Synagogues 613
  27. Figures and Charts 653
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111165219-008

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. List of Contents V
  3. Introduction 1
  4. I. Tabernacle and Temple
  5. Das Schicksal des siebenarmigen Leuchters aus dem Jerusalemer Tempel im mittelalterlichen Rom 3
  6. Priest, Temple, Jewishness, Redemption? 37
  7. Articulating the geometricalia of Scripture 79
  8. Vasari and Giambullari on the Menorah, the Tabernacle, and Bezalel 97
  9. Die Menora in Raffaels Vertreibung des Heliodor und Garofalos Vertreibung der Wechsler aus dem Tempel 143
  10. II. Image and Exegesis
  11. tres gradus fidelium in ecclesia 169
  12. Jewish and Christian Re-Imagining of the Seven-branched Lampstand in the Postilla litteralis of Nicholas of Lyra (d. 1349) 217
  13. Der siebenarmige Leuchter im Speculum humanae salvationis 243
  14. The Sanctuary’s Implements 271
  15. “A Secret Particularly Obscure” 307
  16. III. Patronage and Memoria
  17. Aniane and Fulda 341
  18. Seven-branched Candelabra in Medieval England 365
  19. Marienwohlde oder Mölln? 415
  20. Siebenarmige Leuchter im 16. Jahrhundert 443
  21. IV. Context and (Re-)Use
  22. Der siebenarmige Leuchter im Heiligtum von Mentorella (Vulturella) in Latium 475
  23. „Madonna del Albero, dandole tal cognome quella gran pianta“ 503
  24. Der siebenarmige Leuchter in der Marienkirche in Frankfurt an der Oder 543
  25. „den store liusestaken af bronz med dess Siu lampor“ 577
  26. Survivals and Revivals of the Menorah in Medieval and Early Modern European Synagogues 613
  27. Figures and Charts 653
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