EMML 2046, fol. 89b — Miniatures

F. 89b: Illustrating the interpretation of Ps. 94,11: "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity." There were two men (their end is illustrated here) whose thoughts were vanity: one of them feared death and so he always prayed to be saved from it. The other feared burial and so he told his students that his flesh was medicine for knowledge. They were not to bury his body when he died but eat it if they wished to be wise men. In response to his prayers, God revealed the water of life to the one who feared death and told him that whoever was baptized with it would never die. He straightway carried a jar full of it to be baptized with it in a place where no one else might benefit from it. God, who did not approve the plan of the man, broke the jar (in this miniature, an ange~ who is sitting in the clouds, reaches down with a long stick) over the head of the man (here the man is depicted carrying it on his back). The water, unfortunately for the man, poured down thus baptizing only half of his body! As for the man who told lies because he feared burial, his students could not wait until he died to take their medicine.