DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44747#0045
The people are so beguiled by heretics
It does not bear any fruit.
They are already infected by the impure air
Of heresies, which are the worst of plagues.
Oh Christians, young and old beware!
Because the East and West are entirely in flames.
False prophets—the world comes to an end—
Are spitting new venom day after day,
Each one thinking his opinion to be the best.
Now is the time for good Christians that dare to disregard
Their bodies and property, their friends and relatives, to raise
Their hearts to God in prayer
And say with one voice:
Oh Lord, cast your light on all the blind in this New Year.
Blind they are and walking carelessly in the dark;
Those who pretend to see and wander without worry
Soon fall into the ditch.
Not understanding, they act as they do;
In the darkness they hold their secret schools
Because they walk in the dark.67'
Anna Bijns weaves the Biblical parable of “the blind leading the
blind” into the words of an elder in another poem.
They are wolves in sheep’s clothing,
blind leaders, by whom the blind fall into the ditch.
Noble and well-respected man of ability,
capture these small foxes trampling all the vineyards of God
in the net of your writings.68)
The first line is derived from Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they
are ravening wolves.” The last line comes from the Song of Solomon
2:15, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our
vines have tender grapes.” It is clear that the vines are meant as young
girls and the foxes as young men. Anna Bijns is warning naive people
to be wary of false prophets and heretics. These verses conclude with
a prayer for the people’s salvation, that they might find the true faith.
Anna Bijns lived near a Franciscan monastery and was taught by the
friars. In her poems, she criticizes Lutheranism with special harshness.
In a poem entitled, “I have the Willingness but not the Strength to
accomplish it,” she wrote,
When I cast my eyes over all the provinces,
I am so surprised
To find nowadays many a scholar
Hardly able to resist Luther’s cursed teachings.
Therefore I beg you, Do not, Lord, abandon us.
Show that you love .your faithful people
In this evil world that is almost totally blind.69)
The Duke of Alva’s soldiers, stationed in Antwerp during this
period, reported that there were more than one hundred religious
organizations and small sects in the same city.
Interestingly enough, metaphors for religious blindness were used
in writings published in Germany as well as in the Netherlands in the
latter half of the sixteenth century. A 21- page pamphlet entitled Ain
Spyegel Der Blindu1^^ mirror of the blind)(fig.32)was published
there by a theologian who, in contrast to Anna Bijns, believed in
Lutheranism. It carried this long title on the cover.
A Mirror of the Blind. As Christ the Lord has said,
“I shall hide my glory from the haughty scholars and
make it known to the poor, because, before my glory should
perish, stones and wood will learn to speak.” That is
why this mirror for the blind is set up to be noticed.
May God enlighten us and free us from all our
sins! Amen.
The woodcut illustration on the cover shows blindfolded scholars
in long robes, and one of them holds a large mirror with a piece of
cloth tied over it. They are unable to see and the mirror, which is
meant to reflect the teachings of God is covered. In the sky are angels
holding out a large mirror inscribed “IHS.” From it the light of the
gospel radiates like sunshine. The iconographic meaning of this print
is profound. The blind referred to in the print and the text below it
are obviously those who are blind to religious truth, just as in
Bruegel’s painting.
The content of the allegory of blindness contained in this pam-
phlet can be paraphrased as follows. The Holy Scripture requires us to
have an extensive understanding of God and sharp vision. Therefore
one should concentrate on only one single light, one single entity,
one single glory in this world. However, there are many divisions,
55
It does not bear any fruit.
They are already infected by the impure air
Of heresies, which are the worst of plagues.
Oh Christians, young and old beware!
Because the East and West are entirely in flames.
False prophets—the world comes to an end—
Are spitting new venom day after day,
Each one thinking his opinion to be the best.
Now is the time for good Christians that dare to disregard
Their bodies and property, their friends and relatives, to raise
Their hearts to God in prayer
And say with one voice:
Oh Lord, cast your light on all the blind in this New Year.
Blind they are and walking carelessly in the dark;
Those who pretend to see and wander without worry
Soon fall into the ditch.
Not understanding, they act as they do;
In the darkness they hold their secret schools
Because they walk in the dark.67'
Anna Bijns weaves the Biblical parable of “the blind leading the
blind” into the words of an elder in another poem.
They are wolves in sheep’s clothing,
blind leaders, by whom the blind fall into the ditch.
Noble and well-respected man of ability,
capture these small foxes trampling all the vineyards of God
in the net of your writings.68)
The first line is derived from Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they
are ravening wolves.” The last line comes from the Song of Solomon
2:15, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our
vines have tender grapes.” It is clear that the vines are meant as young
girls and the foxes as young men. Anna Bijns is warning naive people
to be wary of false prophets and heretics. These verses conclude with
a prayer for the people’s salvation, that they might find the true faith.
Anna Bijns lived near a Franciscan monastery and was taught by the
friars. In her poems, she criticizes Lutheranism with special harshness.
In a poem entitled, “I have the Willingness but not the Strength to
accomplish it,” she wrote,
When I cast my eyes over all the provinces,
I am so surprised
To find nowadays many a scholar
Hardly able to resist Luther’s cursed teachings.
Therefore I beg you, Do not, Lord, abandon us.
Show that you love .your faithful people
In this evil world that is almost totally blind.69)
The Duke of Alva’s soldiers, stationed in Antwerp during this
period, reported that there were more than one hundred religious
organizations and small sects in the same city.
Interestingly enough, metaphors for religious blindness were used
in writings published in Germany as well as in the Netherlands in the
latter half of the sixteenth century. A 21- page pamphlet entitled Ain
Spyegel Der Blindu1^^ mirror of the blind)(fig.32)was published
there by a theologian who, in contrast to Anna Bijns, believed in
Lutheranism. It carried this long title on the cover.
A Mirror of the Blind. As Christ the Lord has said,
“I shall hide my glory from the haughty scholars and
make it known to the poor, because, before my glory should
perish, stones and wood will learn to speak.” That is
why this mirror for the blind is set up to be noticed.
May God enlighten us and free us from all our
sins! Amen.
The woodcut illustration on the cover shows blindfolded scholars
in long robes, and one of them holds a large mirror with a piece of
cloth tied over it. They are unable to see and the mirror, which is
meant to reflect the teachings of God is covered. In the sky are angels
holding out a large mirror inscribed “IHS.” From it the light of the
gospel radiates like sunshine. The iconographic meaning of this print
is profound. The blind referred to in the print and the text below it
are obviously those who are blind to religious truth, just as in
Bruegel’s painting.
The content of the allegory of blindness contained in this pam-
phlet can be paraphrased as follows. The Holy Scripture requires us to
have an extensive understanding of God and sharp vision. Therefore
one should concentrate on only one single light, one single entity,
one single glory in this world. However, there are many divisions,
55