John K. Clark - Glasspainter
stained glass artist
Amberg-Ammersricht
New Testament - Texts

Background Information

The windows have been designed to follow in the same order as the events are related in the Bible and should be read from left to right.

On the North wall, the theme is the Old Testament and the New Testament on the East wall.

In each section of the window are clearly identifiable symbols. Although they are separate they are brought together through the drawing and use of colour which passes through the vertical mullions.

Christmas

The Nativity of Christ, The Word Made Flesh.

From the beginning of the Gospel of St.John.
4. In him was life, and that life was the light of mankind.
5. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness never mastered it.

The Star symbolizing the Birth of Christ which was seen by the Magi surrounded by normal stars.
Rev 22:16 Christ was referred to as the Bright Star of Dawn.
Below is the figure of the infant Jesus in the hands of God. The posture of the infant is like the crucifixion.
Underneath the figure are violets which are symbolic of humility.
Beneath is the lamb both representing Christ and the gift of the Shepherds.
There is also here a representation of the gifts from the Magi.
This window corresponds with the first window of the Old Testament series.
In the first window there is the creation of the physical light, here is the creation of the spiritual light.

John 12:46 "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness".

The Baptism of Christ.

This window represents the Baptism of Christ.
He was referred to by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God.
Christ was baptized in the river Jordan by John the Baptist, during a general baptism of the people so many would be present. The Holy Spirit descended on him "like a dove".

John 1:29...he saw Jesus coming towards him. "There is the Lamb of God".
John 1:8 He was not himself the light; he came to bear witness to the light.
Mark 1:10 "at the moment when he came up out of the water he saw the heavens open and the Spirit,
like a dove, descended upon him.
And a voice spoke from heaven saying "Thou art my Son, my Beloved; on thee my favour rests."
John 3:5 "I tell you the truth no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit...."

Miracles of Christ

This design represents the teachings and miracles of Christ during his ministry.

John 2: 1-11 The Wedding at Cana and the transformation of water into wine.
The five loaves and the two fishes. Luke 9:13-17
The miraculous draught of fishes. Luke 5:1-11

There are also representations of the I am sayings of Christ

Jn 15. "I am the true vine"
Jn 6.35 "I am the bread of life".
Jn 7:37 "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." "Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

The Last Supper

In the lower area of this panel is a representation of the table for the Last Supper with twelve small bowls surrounding the large central bowl which is in the centre of the shadow forming the shape of the cross. One of the bowls is out of alignment and therefore represents the betrayal of Christ by Judas. The hands above are offering the bread and wine to the apostles.

Mark 14
22 During the supper he took bread, and having said the blessing broke it and gave it to them,
with the words: "Take this; this is my body." 23. Then he took a cup, and having offered thanks to God he gave it to them; and they all drank from it.
24. And he said to them, "This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, shed for many."

At the base there is the lamb representing the Paschal Lamb which both represents Christ in his Sacrificial role and also marks the Last Supper as the Jewish Festival of Passover.

The Garden of Gethsemane

Central to this design are the hands clasped in prayer entwined with thorns as a symbol of the torment of this moment and also representing the crown of thorns.
There is a ghostly cup being offered from above. At the base is a cockerel representing the denial by St. Peter.
The flowers are passion flowers and the leaves are of olive trees.

Mark 14.36
"all things are possible to you; take this cup from me. Yet not my will but yours."

Supper at Emmaus

In the centre of this window are the wounded hands of Christ. Behind this the three crosses. Below is the hands breaking bread. This event occurred at Emmaus after the resurrection. Christ met with the disciples on the road to Emmaus but they did not recognize him.

Luke 24:
30 ...he broke the bread and offered it to them.
31. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; but he vanished from their sight.

Behind the crosses are the moon and the sun.
The new moon setting representing Judaism, the rising sun representing the dawning of Christianity.

Pentecost

Acts 2
1. The day of Pentecost had come and they were all together in one place.
2. Suddenly there came from the sky what sounded like a strong driving wind, a noise which
filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3. And there appeared to them flames like tongues of fire distributed amongst them and coming to rest on each of them.
4. They were all filled with the holy spirit.....

Jn 3:8 "The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes, so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit"

The Gospel and the Eucharist

Only after Pentecost and the Descent of the Holy Ghost was it possible to begin the formation of the Church. Central to this was the writing of the Gospels.
This window has the book representing the New Testament.
It should be compared with the representation of the Giving of the Law in the Old Testament windows. Light is again a theme here, this time representing the light of wisdom.
The very first window shows the creation of the Light. Here is the light of wisdom and understanding coming from the Gospel.
On the book are the letters, Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end.
Underneath are symbols for the Eucharist, wheat and grapes.

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