The Four Holy Gospels
A beautiful Bible from Crossway and artist Makoto Fujimura that played an integral role in my relationship with my wife.
In early 2011, a friend sent me a link to a video from Crossway about a new project they had just released called The Four Holy Gospels with artist Makoto Fujimura. I was enraptured by what I saw in this video, which showed Fujimura in his New York studio creating paintings inspired by the gospels and illuminating the very pages of the text. I quickly shared the video with my girlfriend, Becca, who was a talented artist herself, and together we marveled at both the project and the incredible work of Makoto Fujimura.
A few days later, I opened the door to my condo and found a large box sitting on the ground outside. I opened it, and sure enough, it was a copy of The Four Holy Gospels, sent to me by Becca (I lived in Omaha at the time, and she was in Nashville). It was more beautiful in person than I could have imagined, and the fact that it was a gift from Becca made it even that more special.
Fast-forward a few months, and it way my turn to purchase something for Becca: an engagement ring.
We had plans to visit New York City for a few days, and I was planning to pop the question at some point while we there. I randomly reached out to Makoto Fujimura via Twitter and asked him if there was any chance that his original pieces from The Four Holy Gospels would be on display while we were there. He replied and let me know that, in fact, all of his work from that project was being exhibited at a tiny gallery called the Museum of Biblical Art (now closed).
It was a beautiful morning in New York, the last Sunday in September. We stepped into the gallery, the first of countless art museum visits that I would share with this incredible woman. I fidgeted with the ring box in my pocket and nervously followed Becca around the room. She was so enthralled with Mako’s work, and as much as I wanted to enjoy it with her, my heart was racing so fast that I could not focus on anything.
We were the only people in the gallery that morning – other than a security guard – and as Becca stepped up to look at “Consider The Lilies,” Fujimura’s large painting inspired by the Gospel of Matthew, I knew it was time. I inched up behind her, whispered a few clumsy yet sincere words into her ear, and then I got down on one knee.
Hearing her say “YES” was and always will be one of the greatest moments of life.
The Four Holy Gospels – Overview
The Four Holy Gospels is a special edition of the first four books of the New Testament in the English Standard Version, published in 2011 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Makoto Fujimura is a world-renowned contemporary artist whose work is rooted in the traditional Japanese art form called Nihonga. For this project, Fujimura created five large paintings (one for each gospel and a frontispiece for the entire project), illuminated initial letters for each chapter of the gospels, as well as hand-painted embellishments in the margins surrounding the text.
Originally released in leather as well as cloth-over-board editions, The Four Holy Gospels measures 10.75” x 15” and is about 1” thick. It is printed in full color on premium paper that is designed to showcase the artwork. The ESV text of scripture is presented in a generous 13pt font.
I encourage you watch my video review to get a better look at how all of this comes together.
FEATURES
• 13pt typeface
• 10.75” x 15” trim size
• 1” thick
• 168 pages
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Double-column, paragraph format
• Black letter text
• Full-color artwork by Makoto Fujimura
• High-quality art paper
• Permanent slipcase
A Cherished Heirloom
The Four Holy Gospels is a cherished heirloom in our family, and I have given it to others as a gift on many occasions. Despite the fact that it is now a decade old, you can still purchase new copies at the links below.
Cloth-Over-Board edition
• Amazon – $124
• Crossway – $105 (with free Crossway+ membership)
• ChristianBook.com – $76
Leather-Over-Board edition
• ChristianBook.com – $100
*Pricing and Availability subject to change.
The major works of The Four Holy Gospels on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
