October 01, 2008

The Last Supper - now with eels. Once thought to be bread or lamb, a new theory has it that the Last Supper shows the (supposedly super trendy for the time) combination of eels and orange slices on the table.

Those so inclined can have a look for themselves.

posted by polychrome 16 years ago
  • Eels on a plate! Jesus needs some moisturizer.
  • Ummm...they do realize DaVinci wasn't actually there, right?
  • Well, yeah, I imagine they do. Why?
  • And just why would they be eating eels when they're supposed to be one of the unclean foods of the bible? Of course, so are sturgeon (eggs=caviar) And I lubs me some pork chops!
  • Because it's fish and it's Friday? Besides, Jesus has to be given a little leeway when it comes to overriding the Bible.
  • "I didn't say that I couldn't eat it, I said that you couldn't eat it..."
  • Maybe they were pet eels.
  • Don't you see? Da Vinci was trying to tell us something... a secret message, encoded in the picture... maybe it's a hidden anagram of "eels and orange slices". Something to do with Stonehenge and the brew of the heathens... maybe it's... "God silence sarsen ale". Quick - let's write a best seller and make a movie about it.
  • *ties rope around horsehead and throws it into the lake, hoping to catch some secret revelation*
  • Why thanks for reminding me of that film, Capt. *stares at ceiling, clutches bedspread*
  • Or "Decease Sol's Learning." Jesus's real plan was to do away with the wisdom of Solomon. Flagons and apples, my ass.
  • Well, one of Jesus' main points was that he was breaking the old covenant and bringing in a new one. That's often said to mean that he was abolishing Jewish law (based on the covenant, or promise, from God that he'd take care of the Jewish people) and starting a new one (that was more inclusive of Jews and Gentiles). So it would be ok for him to eat eels.
  • No, one of Jesus' main points was that he was *not* breaking the old covenant: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Matthew 5:17 The law being the Mosaic law of the Old Testament, the Torah. Of course, you can also interpret that passage the exact opposite way, that as Jesus is completing the law, it is now no longer applicable (which imho is not logical given the passage in question) - but let's not lose sight of the fact that the Bible is pure horseshit, and the New Testament in particular contradicts itself constantly and makes less sense than the average schizo babbling in a psych ward. You can find other passages to bolster whatever other interpretation you like - as does every pastor and priest in existence, so YMMV. The point is that Leonardo knew this, and it was he that painted the Last Supper, not some religious fundie, and he just happened to be a gay genius from Renaissance Italy who couldn't give two shits what Leviticus says, or, indeed, about historical accuracy (clue: 1st century observant Galilee Jews did not wear classical Roman costume), he was gonna paint that thing any way he wanted, and he just loved him some motherfuckin' eels & oranges, yum yum, and that's goin' on the Jesus menu. Splosh.
  • I'm confused. Was he Jewish, or didn't dig on on swine?
  • I don't think the Mosaic laws said anything about eels being unclean. They're just fish.
  • It's only bottom feeders that are supposed to be unclean, like lobsters, sea cucumbers and middleclasstool. I don't think that includes eels, or at least not all eels.
  • I though eels would be considered non-kosher because of their lack of significant fins, but apparently it's the scales, according to this site: The scales on eels are not like fish scales which are removable. They are part of the eel's skin and therefore eels are not kosher.
  • Eely? I'm shocked.
  • Monkeyfilter: motherfuckin' eels & oranges, yum yum
  • I'm finding different answers as to whether eels are Halal or not. It seems not, on the basis of being seen as a "sea snake". All creatures of the sea are pretty much Halal, as Allah wanted to make it easy on everyone, but it gets dicey when they spend part of their time out of the water. Ask your local Imam.
  • Vile creatures anyway. Eels, not Imams
  • Monkeyfilter: makes less sense than the average schizo babbling in a psych ward Monkeyfilter: considered non-kosher
  • Monkeyfilter: Vile creatures anyway.
  • Thank you, boys. I can see you've been paying attention in class.
  • How is he going to eel the lame and eel the blind if he hasn't got any eels?
  • No eels means He has to save their soles.
  • Just for the hallibut.
  • No need to be so Koi.
  • Glad you cod that.
  • Punny! Just repeating what we were always told in Sunday school about why we didn't have to keep Kosher. We often referred to Christ as the "Second Covenant." Return to your regularly scheduled program.
  • Regularly scheduled pogrom?
  • I actually made that typo in a letter to a donor with a Jewish-sounding name. I only caught it at the last minute.
  • I can see oranges in the image (to the right of Teh Jebus, on the table, below the outstretched arm of the dude in blue). No eels though, at least nothing I recognize as an eel. Of course all of the eels I have ever seen have been wrapped in rice. Mmmm. Unagi.
  • What's wrong with a nice pot roast?
  • I'd like to see a modern interpetation with delivery pizza and wine in a box. "These pizza crusts are my bones, and this white zinf... errr...".