THE BABEL TOWER AND THE PENTECOST, The earth and the heavens

Monica A. Rivera College of Architecture and Urban Studies

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Estate University

M. Arch2

May 6, 2005

The Bible stories of the Tower of Babel and the Pentecost are

maybe one of the most opposite cases of how the hand of God may

interfere on the human’s willing. The two episodes represent contrary

cases of the human attitude towards God, and therefore, different

responses from Him. But,

certainly both of them

reveal the always present

human desire for

transcend from this world,

a desire for touching the

heavens; on the first case

through the reputation

that their name would

have, on the second,

because of the redemption

that would give them

eternal life.

The above image, which appears on an emblem book1, dated

1678, could well be the image that the builders of the Tower had on

their minds, a metaphor that they dare to make real2

“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach

unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the

face of the whole earth”

, a stairway to

the heavens that will put them at the same level of God.

3

The Tower of Babel, Babylon, “the Greek form of the Hebrew

word bavel, which is closely allied and probably derived from the

Akkadian babilu or "gate of God."

Gen 11, 4

4

1 Jakob Bornitz, Moralia Bornitiana Hoc est: Symbola Et Emblemata Politico-Sacra Et Historico-Politica, dated 1678.

Where is that door? Can it be on

any place where the man can build a tower? The figure on first plane

seems to be waiting for his turn to

ascend to the mountain that will lead

him to the heavens. The appearance of

his clothes, the cane he holds, the load

he carries, his position of being resting

only for a moment, give to the viewer

the impression that he is a pilgrim; then

such a stair to the heavens could not be

on any place, but on a particular one,

non-transferable to another.

2 Not as a translation from idea to building, as it is usual on architecture, but as the parallel of the idea on the building.

3 King James Version Study Bible, Red-letter Edition

4 Jim A. Cornwell, " The Tower of Babel and Babylon, Gilgamesh, Ningizzida, Gudea "

The New Testament brings a completely new conception of what

this door to the heavens mean. Jesus declares himself to be the only

way to the heaven,

“Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how

can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”5

Here there is the fundamental nature of the difference between

the two episodes, which can be testified the attitude of the people.

While on the Babel Tower, the people points out to obtain rewards

from the world (fame and power) through a material construction of a

Tower; the people of Pentecost episode point out to the spiritual

construction of the Church, for the propagation of the God’s kingdom.

Then the purpose of their endeavor would go from the terrestrial to

the celestial, and their understanding from the literal to the

metaphorical.

John 14, 5-6

On the

representations

of the Tower of

Babel, the

setting points to

stress is the

magnificence of

the tower on

comparison

with the

surrounding

world. The

5 King James Version Study Bible, Red-letter Edition

scenario is exterior, how many have painted the interior of the Tower?

On “The Construction of the Tower of Babel”, by Hendrick III van

Cleve (16th

Century), the colossal of the tower is amplified through the

effects of the perspective. The distortion where the tower starts

running into the sky, make us experience the colossal and tallness of

the tower. The background also contributes to strengthen this effect.

Among the mist, on the distant background on the right we catch a

glimpse of what seems to be the towers of castles, very important

buildings, but which presence only contributes to enhance the

importance of the Tower.

On the Pentecost

images, the scenario

is interior. Here is

the heavens whom

invade the interior

space, and not the

architecture that tries

to reach the sky; here

it is God who comes in

the human house, and

not the man who tries

to cross the threshold

of God’s dwellings.

The space that lodges

to the characters, is

further modest, or

lacks of importance at

all on other

representations, whereas on the representations of the Tower of

Babel, the magnificence of the scenario is of great importance in order

to represent the human pride.

“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar”. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth”6

Genesis, 11,1-9

.

The language that we speak is such a powerful weapon, because

it defines not only the understanding of one another, but furthermore

it determines the consolidation of a group as a nation. The way in

which our thinking is structured, and even the way in which we

understand the concepts and meaning of things is influenced by the

direct and related meaning that every language endow to each word.

The Babylonians had therefore a powerful weapon, let’s say a

“silent” weapon, the common language, which would allow them to

succeed on any venture they undertake. The “word” would be their

strategy, but it would be God’s too.

6 King James Version Study Bible, Red-letter Edition

The images on this page show us an endeavor under

construction. The people on them seem to be talking the same

language; not only a spoken language, but also a constructive

language. What the story tells about the materials they used may well

be extended also to a technique of their own, which they were proud

of, so they wanted boast it through their tower.

Conversely to what we saw on the van Cleve’s tower, the scale

operates here to emphasize the presence of the builders, their skills

and their apparent effortless communication. They work fluently, have

a constructive technique, and have developed a structured process to

operate, but they remain unaware of their fate. Only one worker –on

the left picture- seems to notice the angels that keep an eye on them,

as they approach to the confines of heavens -represented on the

arches that frame the picture. On the right image the scale has also

Construction of the Tower of Babel, Maciejowski

Bible, mid 1240

Babel, Unknown, German, Resensburg, about

1400-1410

being used to underline hierarchy between the King –the owner- and

the builders.

The builder’s

determination and

confidence on their

acts, is absent on the

case of the builders of

the Kingdom of God.

They are afraid, and

feel helpless because

Jesus has left. Again,

in opposition to what

would happen to the Tower’s builders, here they are about to receive

what would enable them to act with courage and determination,

whereas the builders will be deprived from it.

The above painting by the Portuguese Vasco Fernades (1853-

1932), depicts the moment in which the spirit of God Descent upon the

Apostles, and the languages are fussed again, allowing the

communication between the people of different nations.

Whereas on Vasco’s painting the apostles appear fearful and

don’t understand what is happening, on the next picture their eyes

seem to have been opened. They stretch their arms to the force that

encourages them; they want to be freed through the purifying fire.

Each painting captures very close moments on time; however huge

transformations have occurred on those of upper room. On the other

hand, notice how on Vasco’s painting not all of them seem to realize

what is happening. On the right side of the painting, a man writes

unaware of the miracle that is happening. This might stand on allusion

to the vesicle 13 on the same chapter, “Others mocking said, these men

are full of new wine”7

The same

unawareness seems

to take place on the

Tower of Babel on

the next picture.

While at the top the

angels have started

to execute what

must be the plan of

God, down at the

base of the Tower,

everybody remain

uninformed of the

change that is

taking place. The

chaos will come as a

domino, from top

downwards. See

how on the top of

the Tower, the

incapacity of

understanding one another, through their language, had initiate their

first disputes.

7 King James Version Study Bible, Red-letter Edition

The group that on

the beginning was one

unite body, has been

dispersed because of the

language; their endeavor

has ceased. For the

apostles, on the other

hand, Pentecost marks

the start point of a

common journey, the

conformation of a new

community, and the

Christian Church as an

only body. Their journey

is just to begin.

Which will be the

plan? To be witness of the God. Which will be the instrument? His

Word, represented on this icon through the scrolls hold by “Cosmos”,

the old man on rich clothes, who symbolizes the people of the world

awaiting the salvation brought by Christ.

The plans for the Tower

are on the tower, and

have changed as many

times the human

ambition has grown,

without measure, every

time higher and higher.

For each story the tower

gets, one more is wanted. The plans of the Tower are in constant

change, the plans of God never change.

However fascinating they are, the comparisons between the two

episodes can be inexhaustible, and they have material and studies for

unlimited discussion. After all, the relations between gods and

humans have always been controversial. Through a stair such as a

tower, or one such as the faith, what the human has always wanted is

to reach the heavens, maybe only to convince himself of his divine

origin, and of his transcendental final fate.