Reading the Sacred Scroll

A Jewish reader stands over an opened scroll, his head covered in reverence as candlelight and a menorah-like lampstand rise behind him. The setting evokes a synagogue or place of instruction where the words of the Lord are read, studied, and proclaimed before the people. The unrolled parchment on the wooden table emphasizes the central place of Scripture in covenant life: God’s people are called not only to possess the written word, but to hear it, read it, and obey it. This artwork is suited for teaching themes of Torah reading, biblical literacy, public worship, and the faithful transmission of God’s Word from generation to generation. by Jeff Preston