Painting Luke's Gospel

The Hem of His Garment

This painting recreates the moment when a woman, desperate for healing physically and socially, seizes the moment at hand and reaches out to Jesus. Iain chose to paint this woman, not just meekly touching, but hanging on to Jesus.

The models for this painting all work in The Wild Olive Tree café, situated inside St George’s Tron Church of Scotland.  The model portraying the woman who was healed was chosen because of her story of restoration and her testimony of what Jesus has done for her.

Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

‘Who touched me?’ Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.’

But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’

Luke 8: 40-48 (NIVUK)

Downloads

Gospel Bible Study

This study considers both the Biblical text and the painting on which it is based, encouraging participants to think about how to apply the Biblical text to their context.

The Hem of His Garment: Bible Study Download

The Portrait Gospel

The Gospel of Luke uniquely illustrated by Iain Campbell

The Portrait Gospel is uniquely illustrated by Iain Campbell. By using modern day Glaswegians as his models, Iain’s compelling paintings bring 21st century life to the words of a first century disciple.

Copies of The Portrait Gospel are available to buy in person from St George’s Tron Church, Glasgow.

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