Interpretation of The Saint John's Bible: Genealogy of Jesus

By Joel Allen, Ph.D., Professor of Religion and Philosophy

This illumination stands as the first work Donald Jackson created for The Saint John’s Bible, and the first to receive the blessing of the Committee on Illumination and Text —Benedictine monks and nuns from Saint John’s Abbey who guided the project’s spiritual and artistic integrity. Jackson remarked that his aim was to evoke “the ultimate connectedness of all seekers of enlightenment,” and that radiant intention permeates every detail.

At once, the viewer is drawn to the profound affirmation of Jesus’ Jewish heritage. His genealogy rises in the unmistakable form of the menorah, one of Judaism’s most ancient and cherished symbols. The menorah signifies divine light — God’s luminous presence — and its seven branches recall the seven days of creation. Here, the Creator’s life-giving work finds fresh expression in the birth of Jesus, the light of the world.

A closer look reveals delicate strands of gold, suggestive of DNA, woven through the menorah’s outer arms. These shimmering filaments proclaim the full humanity of Christ. His body bore the same genetic code shared by all living beings; he was no ethereal apparition, but flesh of our flesh, bearing human DNA. From the base of the image, where the name Hagar appears in Arabic, to the burst of golden radiance at the top reminiscent of Qur’anic ornamentation, the genealogy honors both Jewish and Arab lineages with beauty and dignity.

Beneath the menorah, another striking element emerges: the mandala, a circular form often used in Buddhist and Hindu meditation. Here it symbolizes the harmonious ordering of creation — the meeting place of the human and the divine. Its presence widens the spiritual embrace of the illumination, suggesting a cosmos knit together in God’s wisdom.

In this frontispiece to Matthew’s Gospel, the Benedictine spirit of Saint John’s, marked by hospitality, reverence and ecumenical generosity, comes alive. All spiritual traditions are honored, yet the image unmistakably bears witness to Jesus Christ as the path of salvation. Through this luminous work, we too are invited to behold the world with such expansive grace.

What do you see in this image? Where does this image take you?

Genealogy of Jesus, Donald Jackson, © 2002 The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, USA. Used with permission. All rights reserved.