Nailing the Feet of Christ

Jesus is shown at the moment of crucifixion, His foot pressed against the wooden cross as a soldier drives an iron nail through the flesh. The hammer, nails, rough ground, and first drops of blood focus the viewer on the physical cost of Calvary. The composition narrows attention to the piercing itself, echoing the Gospel accounts of Christ being fastened to the cross at Golgotha and the prophetic language of pierced hands and feet. For Christian teaching and ministry use, this artwork speaks to the suffering of the Messiah, the reality of human sin, and the sacrificial love at the center of Good Friday and Easter proclamation. by Erik Stenbakken