Left vs. Right

George Lyons
George Lyons Member Posts: 2 ✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

The image on today's Logos 5 homepage is supposed to illustrate Isaiah 41:13, referring to God's holding our right hand. But it pictures two left hands. Puzzling?

george

Comments

  • Carmen Gauvin-O'Donnell
    Carmen Gauvin-O'Donnell Member Posts: 746 ✭✭✭

    Now that's hilarious... I hadn't noticed it!

    I saw a law firm's commercial yesterday depicting a guy slipping and falling and saying they could help you sue, etc.

    Of course, in court, my first question to the guy who fell (based on the commercial that the law firm filmed), would be "and why were you only wearing SHOES outside on a snowy and slippery day?" Ah... things people don't notice... [:D]

  • Bruce Dunning
    Bruce Dunning MVP Posts: 11,163

    That is kind of odd. I didn't actually notice it until you pointed it out.

    My guess is that it was just a stock photo that was used without deeper consideration.

    It is also interesting that the two are shaking hands using their left hands. In most cultures people use their right hand and in some cultures it is offensive to offer your left hand in a handshake.

    Using adventure and community to challenge young people to continually say "yes" to God

  • Randy W. Sims
    Randy W. Sims Member Posts: 2,272 ✭✭✭

    I think Bruce is right: It probably is stock art that has been mirrored.

  • George Somsel
    George Somsel Member Posts: 10,150 ✭✭✭

    The image on today's Logos 5 homepage is supposed to illustrate Isaiah 41:13, referring to God's holding our right hand. But it pictures two left hands. Puzzling?

    george

    Obviously a mistake, but puzzling?  No.  I think we all know our right hand from our left so who needs an illustration?

    george
    gfsomsel

    יְמֵי־שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְאִם בִּגְבוּרֹת שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְרָהְבָּם עָמָל וָאָוֶן

  • George Somsel
    George Somsel Member Posts: 10,150 ✭✭✭

    One thing about it is that it portrays shaking hands whereas I would imagine it more as two walking together with one holding the other's hand—therefore, a left hand holding a right hand.

    george
    gfsomsel

    יְמֵי־שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְאִם בִּגְבוּרֹת שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְרָהְבָּם עָמָל וָאָוֶן

  • David Paul
    David Paul Member Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭

    One thing about it is that it portrays shaking hands whereas I would imagine it more as two walking together with one holding the other's hand—therefore, a left hand holding a right hand.

    I admit that image is one that readily comes to mind, George. But since YHWH almost exclusively (I'm pretty sure--about 100%--that it's just "exclusively", not "almost" so, but I'm playing it safe [:)] ) makes explicit reference only to His right hand, I think something like the reversed image above of hands clasped in a "right hand of fellowship" fashion is what is intended. On a hunch, I checked the passage in question, and found what I expected to find...confirmation. Just three verses prior, Isa. 41:10 speaks of YHWH upholding Israel with His right hand. It seems an adult, face-to-face relationship is in view, as opposed to a parent and child perspective. Isa. 41:8 seems to support this because it mentions Abraham as YHWH's friend, a strong fellowship image. There is also the strong possibility that a husband taking the hand of his wife, right hand in right hand, is also in view.

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  • George Somsel
    George Somsel Member Posts: 10,150 ✭✭✭

    One thing about it is that it portrays shaking hands whereas I would imagine it more as two walking together with one holding the other's hand—therefore, a left hand holding a right hand.

    I admit that image is one that readily comes to mind, George. But since YHWH almost exclusively (I'm pretty sure--about 100%--that it's just "exclusively", not "almost" so, but I'm playing it safe Smile ) makes explicit reference only to His right hand, I think something like the reversed image above of hands clasped in a "right hand of fellowship" fashion is what is intended. On a hunch, I checked the passage in question, and found what I expected to find...confirmation. Just three verses prior, Isa. 41:10 speaks of YHWH upholding Israel with His right hand. It seems an adult, face-to-face relationship is in view, as opposed to a parent and child perspective. Isa. 41:8 seems to support this because it mentions Abraham as YHWH's friend, a strong fellowship image. There is also the strong possibility that a husband taking the hand of his wife, right hand in right hand, is also in view.

    Of course, we're talking about figurative speech, not a description of literal events.  In this case the mention in 41.13 of YHWH's assistance leads me to think that it references a left hand-right hand relationship where one helps another over rough terrain.  There are other references to YHWH's right hand which speak of his powerful assistance though this also is figurative speech.

    george
    gfsomsel

    יְמֵי־שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה וְאִם בִּגְבוּרֹת שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְרָהְבָּם עָמָל וָאָוֶן

  • Bruce Dunning
    Bruce Dunning MVP Posts: 11,163

    My twitter feed shows that the image has been changed. Now that's better!

    Embedded image permalink

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  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 55,560

    . It seems an adult, face-to-face relationship is in view, as opposed to a parent and child perspective.

    Holding hands when side by side is parent/child? Why do I associate it with courtship, love, affection, consolation ...???? And face-to-face is associated as much with confrontation as with .....

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • Stephen Miller
    Stephen Miller Member Posts: 432 ✭✭

    This reminds me of a Good News Bible that came out many years ago with photographs.

    The photograph about "Do not be tossed to and fro" was of an ocean wave smashing against rocks.

    But the photo was upside down!!

    Stephen Miller

    Sydney, Australia