He Shall Grow Up As a Tender Plant

 

This piece was an entry in the 2019 Book of Mormon Central Art Contest.

 

"This piece is inspired by Mosiah 14:2 'For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.' Jesus grew up in humble circumstances, with no special honors or privilege, working every day by the sweat of his brow. In the painting,  Jesus is shown as a youth learning the trade of a carpenter from his Father Joseph, constructing a yoke, which forshadows his future mission of bearing the burdens and sins of all mankind, (also mentioned in Mosiah 14:4 'Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.') James, the younger brother of Jesus, is also shown following the example of his older brother Jesus, just as we follow the example of our Savior and work with Him (Jacob 5:72). The figures are pictured in a limestone cave or grotto, common to the area of Nazareth, and outside an orchard of olive trees is shown, symbolizing the house of Israel (see Jacob 5) who benefit most from the Savior's work upon the earth."