Valley of the Shadow of Death

ACB

Word Made Flesh

ACB

Sodom and Gomorrah

ACB

The allusion for the story “Harden your Heart” in the bible is about a careless heart. The allusion is that a hardened heart does not feel compassion. It is related to the bible because in the story of the hardened heart, the pharaoh does not let the Israelites go. Th\is shows that he has a heart of stone, and does not show empathy for others. The allusion occurs in Exodus 9:12 when it says “But The lord Hardened the heart of the pharaoh...”and in Ephesians 4:18 “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” This allusion is represented as a serious matter, it shows that someone is careless or doesn't respect another person or thing. The richness of this allusion is supposed to be a hurtful thing, the phrase is telling the person that they have a stone heart that cares for no one. That is the allusion of “Harden Your Heart”.

I also found a book called Idolatry and the Hardening of the Heart and a music composition called Harden my Heart by Quarterflash. And an article called Harden your heart 

see here: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200402/dont-harden-your-heart

The allusions of the story “Manna from Heaven” in the bible is about receiving a gift that you were not expecting. It is used in the bible during Exodus 16:15 “When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?”. For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.” There are more examples of Manna from Heaven being used in the bible. This allusion would be described as an exciting or grateful thing. Receiving a gift that you didn’t expect is exciting, and grateful. This allusion could be used to represent a thankful attitude or ecstatic attitude towards the gift or thing that you received. The richness of the story “Manna from Heaven” shows that this allusion best represents how meaningful a gift from god 

Picture by : Jonathan Kania

can be. The Hebrews receive something they didn't expect, and they were extremely grateful for it. That is the allusion of “Manna from Heaven”

A movie called "Manna form Heaven" came out a while ago. This relates to the allusion because it is about a family that receives a large amount of money out of no where, but it turns out to be a loan.

A literary work related to the allusion is "Manna from Heaven" by Amber

There is also a food truck related to the allusion called "Manna from Heaven" meaning that their food is so good its like the Manna form heaven in the bible.

C.H

David and Goliath

In the original David and Goliath, David looks like the unlikely one to win, because he is weak, and Goliath looks stronger in his armor.  David manages to overcome his disadvantage and kills Goliath.

ACB

The allusion of “Parting Waters” occurs in Exodus 14:21 when its stated that “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” It does occur more than once in the bible. This allusion is best represented as something that gives relief. It’s telling people that someone is there for them, and it is god. The allusion has been used to best represent the compassion and love that god gives to his people. Its shows that he will save them, and do many things to keep them alive. The richness of this allusion indicates that this story is best described as more meaningful. Like explained before, it’s said that god does many things to help. Like helping the Hebrews out of Egypt. That is the allusion of “Parting Waters”.


Picture by T.C. Chiu
http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Parting-the-Waters-Posters_i969730_.htm

National geographic has a couple of articles with the allusion in its title. Both articles titled "Parting the Waters"
A book related to the allusion is “Parting the waters: MLK a civil rights movement” by Taylor Branch

C.H

In the last book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation, the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” are described in 6:1. Artist Sharlene Lindskog-Osorio has a painting titled “Four horses of the apocalypse” (Pictured to the left). This painting alludes to the four horsemen of the apocalypse because the four horses that the horsemen rode were red, black, white, and pale, like the ones in the picture. Denis Martindale wrote a poem about the four horsemen and how he sees them bringing the apocalypse. It is titled “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” and one line describes how the apocalypse would catch people by surprise. The line goes “And so they moved, one thought in mind, to bring the world despair, Until the time four horsemen find their victims unaware!” A popular underground rapper, tech n9ne, wrote a rap called unfair. Tech n9ne likes to talk himself up in his raps, and that is exactly what he does when he says “The four horsemen of course we forced to be coarse when you talkin’ taller when y’all gettin the short end!” Here he introduced himself and his friends as the four horsemen, attempting to make himself seem more intimidating to whoever he is talking to, and maybe suggesting he will bring some kind of pain or destruction, like the horsemen from the bible. Ross Ashcroft, a political activist from England, made a documentary called “Four Horsemen”. It is about how the way the western style of business and government is changing for the worse. The title infers that the change is somewhat like the apocalypse, or some type of end to the better style of government and business. The four horsemen allusion is generally used to instill fear or emphasize bad things happening in general.

BK

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust” is found in Genesis 3:19. It is part of a burial service, and the message is that we started with Adam who was made from dust and we end as dust when we die and get buried. In a song by Linkin Park called Skin to Bone, one line is repeated throughout the song: “Skin to bone, steel to rust, ash to ashes dust to dust, let tomorrow have its way with the promises we made, ash to ashes, dust to dust.” In the song, the allusion aids the message that you have to deal with your actions by emphasizing the ominous message of “ash to ashes, dust to dust.” The Cancer Society of Finland released an anti-smoking ad as part of their campaign (below left). 





The message here is emphasized by the allusion because it is saying that the ashes of the cigarette will make you turn into ashes, or die. In the poem “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust” Alfred Castner King writes about the reactions of different cultures to death and what death means. He writes “Nor silent lips disclose their trust; Ashes to ashes, dust to dust!" What he means here is that when someone dies they can’t tell secrets, and he reinforces the message by making an allusion to the bible. An oil painting artist, Fulvio Di Piazza, paints using inspiration from the bible.  This painting (shown below right), titled “Ashes to ashes”, utilizes the allusion it makes because it depicts both ashes and dust in the shape of a human head. This is because the passage is about humans and our death. This allusion is usually depicted very seriously.

BK

The phrase “Camel through the eye of a needle” appears in Matthew 19:24, but it is also in Mark 10:25 and Luke 18:25. It is used to compare the easiness of a rich man going to the realm of God to the easiness of a camel going through the eye of a needle, the latter being easier. Jade Weston, a blogger, writes “One cannot drive a camel through the eye of a needle. So we have to find some other means. The only way is to come back to the sheer simplicity of examining ourselves. That brings us to the practice of meditation.” She uses the bible phrase to express her opinion on how we should simplify our lives and relax by meditating. The rapper Shad has song titled “Remember to remember”. This song is about the hardships in his life, and part of it goes “This camel struggle to squeeze, through the eye of a needle, some eyes struggle to see, but we all struggle for freedom”. Here he uses the allusion to explain how his struggles and everyone’s struggles can almost seem like a camel trying to fit through a needle. Vladimir Kush depicts many bible scenes in his paintings, one of which is titled “Eye of the needle” (pictured above left). I like this painting a lot, and to me this painting is showing how if we are all united, and we give up greed and resentment, we can all get through the eye of the needle and enter the realm of God. In the poem “A Gloss on the Gospels, Concerning the Rich”, Henry George Fischer writes “With all of their boodle, the rich cannot wheedle, a camel to steal through the eye of a needle”. In this poem, Fischer is backing up the idea that it is harder for the rich to get into heaven. This allusion in general is depicted seriously but comically at the same time. It is depicted seriously because of the pondering of going or not going to heaven, but comically because it is almost funny to think about attempting to put a camel through the eye of a needle when comparing it to a rich man getting into heaven.

BK