Da Vinci's painting of the Last Supper illustrates the power of sin to defile souls and the power of Jesus' blood to cleanse sin.
The following is reported as a true story: When Leonardo Da Vinci painted his picture of the Last Supper, he began by searching for a model for the face of Jesus. Finally he found a young man with a pure and noble face suitable for Jesus.
More than ten years later, the last face he needed was Judas: a face with the curse of sin, suitable for a traitor. Finally, he found a man in the most disreputable part of the city, but the man vigorously refused. When Da Vinci asked why, the man said, “Twelve years ago, I sat here in this very room. You copied my face on that wall to represent the face of Jesus, and now you want it to represent the face of Judas.” *
A few years of living in sin can change a person from the likeness of Jesus to that of Judas. This may not always be true in physical appearance, but it is definitely true spiritually.
Each Person Is Born Pure and Sinless.
Many denominations teach that we inherit the sin of Adam so we are born sinners. But like the face of Da Vinci’s model, all of us at first are born pure and clean in the sight of God.
Ezekiel 18:20 – “The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.” So, we do not inherit guilt from Adam or other ancestors.
Matthew 18:3 – Jesus said we must be converted and become like little children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. So little children are innocent and pure just like those who are converted and enter God’s kingdom.
(Matthew 19:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Psalm 106:37,38)
Sin Defiles a Person’s Character and Soul.
Just as sin changed the face of Da Vinci’s model from one that was pure enough to represent Jesus and turned it into a face evil enough to represent Judas, so sin defiles our soul in the sight of God. Consider some descriptions of people in sin.
Isaiah 1:6 – “From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up ….” Imagine the most disgusting cancer or leprosy or gangrene you can think of. That is how God sees our souls in sin.
Psalm 38:3-6 – “There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. … like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.”
Like sin changed the appearance of Da Vinci’s model, so sin makes our soul corrupt and defiled before God.
Jesus Can Cleanse the Most Defiled Soul.
Isaiah 1:18 – The Lord says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Hebrews 7:25 – Jesus is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him.
1 Timothy 1:15,16 – Paul considered himself the chief of sinners because he had persecuted the church. But Jesus showed mercy to Paul as an example for others who seek eternal life.
Paul was the opposite of Da Vinci’s model. Although the young man at first was pure and innocent, a few years of sin made him corrupt and defiled. On the other hand in his early years, Paul was evil, even persecuting Christians. But after his conversion, he was saved to the uttermost.
You and I have a choice. If we allow sin to fester in our lives, we become corrupt and abominable in the sight of God. But if we trust God enough to seek forgiveness according to the gospel, we can be forgiven of our sins and be pure and upright. Which one do you choose?
* Thomson, Short Talks Around the Lord’s Table, page 33,34
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2025; gospelway.com
