The Letter to the Hebrews

The painting of “The Seven Deadly Sins and Four Last Things” confronts believers in many ways. We have noted already the all-seeing eye of God. Related to that is the focal point of God’s vision, that is, the risen Savior.

The risen Savior is the focal point of God’s eye, or the apple of his eye. It is also the central figure of the painting itself. In fact, if one steadies his gaze on the risen Savior, he will have a difficult time seeing the sins which encircle him. Likewise, this is the central truth of the Letter to the Hebrews.

From the outside of the painting inward, Bosch presents to the viewer three reasons not to sin. First, to be afraid of punishment because of sin is good. Better is to see the wounds of Christ for our sins. For it is on account of Christ’s wounds that the believer receives forgiveness of sins. This is the argument of Hebrews 8-10.

The best motivation for not sinning, however, is that we do not have to. Our risen Savior is now our high priest. During the very moment of our temptation we flee to him so that he will deliver us from the temptation. We need not bring a sin offering to the priest after the fact, after it is too late. We boldly enter the Most Holy place and find refuge in the midst of a holy war.

“The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things,” offers much for the believer to contemplate. The painting reinforces the written word. As we contemplate the Letter to the Hebrews and its message for the Christian life, Bosch assists us with something more powerful than a mere visual aid. It strikes our moral imagination, which in turn shapes the way we think about sin, about Jesus Christ, and about our God.

The Letter to the Hebrews

Now that we have briefly discussed an interpretation of Bosch’s “Seven Deadly Sins and Four Last Things,” we need to consider how it assists us in understanding the letter to the Hebrews. I will focus on two: 1) the vision of God, and 2) the priestly ministry of Christ.

The first way is the depiction of the all-seeing eye of God. A common example is that a child never steals a cookie from the jar while mom is watching. How often, though, do we forget that God sees everything we do, we think, and we love? He says, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (3:12-13).

The vision of God works in two ways. Positively, it can become a motivation to do right because we love God and desire to please him. Alternatively, it may keep us from sin because God may chastise us accordingly. Later the author of Hebrews writes, “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (12:6).

Finally, in the painting, we see what God sees. Yes, A painful reminder of our sinful behavior confronts us. But there also stands the risen Savior in the center of the painting—as the very apple of God’s eye. God does not look at our sins without seeing the sacrifice of Christ which pacifies his just wrath toward us. “For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers” (2:11-12).

Dwelling on the omniscience of God sanctifies us and pushes us toward maturity. Indeed, it conforms us to the image of God’s dear son.