Mathon Church, An Historical Tour

The South Chancel Window - Right Panel

The right panel of the south chancel window depicts a section of Matthew, chapter three, which tells of Jesus coming from Galilee to Jordan to be baptised by John the Baptist. Matthew’s account tells of John the Baptist saying to Jesus that it is not John who should be baptising Jesus, but Jesus that should be baptising John, however as told in Matthew, chapter three, verse fifteen, “Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”, then John the Baptist baptised Jesus. It is the text “for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” that is quoted in the lowest section of this panel.

John the Baptist is depicted in the window carrying a banner and bearing the Latin words “Agnus Dei” which in English reads “Lamb of God”. The use of the title “Lamb of God” in liturgy is based in part on John, chapter one, verse twenty nine, in which John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus, proclaims “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”.

The South Chancel Window - Right Panel

The South Chancel Window - Right Panel map