Making old pictures new

IN FOCUS

Second of three parts

Film photography can be digitalized. Old pictures can be revived with modern technology. We often see achromatic still photos and movies from long ago on TV. Precious memories captured on slides or 8 mm film can be transferred to DVD or memorystick and watched on TV, tablet, computer or smartphone. It saves the trouble of putting up projectors, and the images are brighter on screen than on a wall.

In digital format, pictures can be improved (brightness, contrast and colour), and with the crop function one can make two or more pictures of the old one. There is one inescapable condition: the old photo must be in focus.

I once took a picture of an impressive lion, resting on the far side of the enclosure. Because of the limited depth of

field of the zoom lens, the chain-link fence in the foreground became invisible, and I could take a sharp picture. Years later, I took close-ups of my colour slides with a digital camera. High density allowed me to crop the lion’s head, giving a zoom-in effect when watching the pictures on TV. (View it at: www.messiahstudy.net/photo_tips).

As old photos can be transferred to new formats, old values can be transferred to new generations. The condition in both cases is: the old must be in focus to ensure the new will be so too.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus started with the old (Mosaic Law), and showed the true meaning of it in a new form. “You shall not murder” covers hostile attitudes in the heart as well. “You shall not commit adultery” includes the lustful eye and desire, too. He also showed new perspectives on prayer, fasting, charity, enemies, worries, judging and sincerity.

The Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah had to be reinterpreted by the early church of the New Testament. In the past, they had interpreted the prophecies about the Messiah’s suffering as a description of Israel’s suffering; but then, after Christ had died, those prophecies came into focus for them, realizing they were literally fulfilled in Jesus.

“They pierced my hands and my feet… they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots… my tongue clings to my jaws, you have brought me to the dust of the earth” (Ps. 22, in focus 10 centuries BC)

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed” (Is. 53, in focus 8 centuries BC)

“Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool” (Ps. 110, the present and future in focus).