The Synchronic elements of El Greco’s Painting: [Christ driving the traders from the temple].

• Christ is angrily forcing the merchants out of the temple.
• The emotional expressions and gestures of everyone in the temple in response of Christ’s action.
• The temple is clearly visualised.
• Clothing style is illustrative of  Jewish customs and Roman styles.

Jesus Christ’s disciples are seen on the righthand side consoling some traders. Jesus Christ is set as the central theme of the picture dividing it into two, the right side being the redemptive side with the sacrifice of  Abraham’s son Isaac foretelling the sacrifice of Christ himself and the left side shows the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise, signalling expulsion of merchants from the temple because of Sin.

The Diachronic elements of Christ driving traders from the temple.

• Jesus Christ is physically elongated, towering everyone with an expressive pose.
• The use of contrasts of light and shadow creates a sense of tension and drama.
• The merchants on the left hand side are stripped of their clothing as Adam and Eve after they sinned, represents moral outrage and divine action.
• The painting composition is dynamic, engaging and drawing the viewer into the scene with its energy.
• The Red and blue colours enhances the painting’s emotional impact.

Positive elements of Synchronic message:

• Jesus Christ is depicted as divine figure taking control and reflecting the desire for moral leadership and divine justice in a world plagued by religious and political turmoil.
• The painting presents a strong stance of moral clarity and spiritual integrity within sacred spaces reinforcing the idea that faith and morality should remain untainted by materialism.
• The painting shows human emotions, accountability and consequences of unethical behaviour.
• Dramatic emphasis and righteous action of Jesus Christ highlights the necessity of taking bold action in the face of injustice for sacred values.

Negative elements of Synchronic message:

• The aggressive action of Christ could be interpreted as justifying harsh or violent enforcement of religious values.
• The painting’s imagery could be misused by religious authorities to justify purging dissent.
• Ambiguity in moral judgement of the merchant traders, doesn’t explore the systematic reasons for their presence in the temple.
• By focusing on Christ’s authority and the condemnation of the traders, the message can be seen as marginalising those perceived as impure or corrupt.

Positive elements of Diachronic message:

• The painting is timeless and calls for justice and purity. It speaks to universal values of honesty, integrity, and spiritual authenticity.
• The image of Christ cleansing the temple continues to inspire movements for reform in political, religious and social spheres and also it’s a symbol of courage to challenge entrenched powers.
• Christ’s assertive action has served as a model for ethical leadership.
• The painting invites viewers from different times to reflect on how religious institutions should behave.

Negative elements of Diachronic message:

• Risk of justifying intolerance as a method of cleansing or reform in religious and political setting.
• The message might be used to reinforce exclusion of certain groups seen as unholy, echoing historical religious persecution or moral gatekeeping.
• Over simplification and judgement of complex societal issues.
• The panting can be misused by religious and political authorities to justify their own agenda.