"Behind the 8-Ball" Assemblage

I admit, this one is a bit different... maybe that's why I kind of like it? I still want to add something to it before it's finished ...Since it's nearing the time of Holy Week, and we remember the events that led to Jesus' death, and celebrate His resurrection, this is how I was reflecting on that, through this assemblage.

I call it "Behind the 8 Ball", which often refers to the game of pool known as 8 ball (where the object is to clear the table of all of your balls and then shoot the 8 ball). Because shooting the 8 ball into a pocket before all of your balls have been cleared causes you to lose, any time the 8 ball is in front of or around one of your balls it is considered hazardous at best. Thus "behind the 8 ball" is to be in a set of circumstances where there are great hazards and problems, where care need be taken lest one lose the game.

Jesus certainly was in a hazardous circumstance when he was brought before the authorities, whipped, beaten and then crucified, and died a horrible death. Jesus being God incarnate, could have come down off the cross, could have avoided that suffering altogether, but it was His love for us (denoted by the framed heart as the body) that kept him there, so that through His death, we could have life.

In this piece He holds the nails that were pounded into his hands/wrists to hold him to the cross. At the foot of the cross are a pile of dice... scripture tells us that the soldiers cast lots for Jesus's robe while he hung there. It seemed they wanted what Jesus had without accepting what Jesus freely gave... His all... His life, the gift of Grace. How many of us do something similar, do I do that, do I just want the externals of what Jesus has for me without caring about the free gift of Grace Jesus gives to all who will accept it?
On the necklace around His neck there is a pendant that says, "This is the first day of the rest of our lives." As Jesus died on the cross, He said, "It is finished." He broke the chains of bondage, which keeps me separated from God and opened the door to spending eternity with God in heaven.... Jesus death and resurrection was the beginning of life for me,and for all who accept it.


There are two dice that stand a bit separate, they are "snake eyes" In gambling, snake eyes is the outcome of rolling the dice in a game of craps and getting only one pip on each die. The pair of pips resembles a pair of eyes, which is appended to the term 'snake' because of the long-standing association of this word with treachery and betrayal. The dictionary of etymology traces that use of the term back to 1929, although it may be traced all the way back to the ancient Roman dice games, where 'Dogs' represented two ones. They referred to this as "the dog throw". I thought it fit in with the symbolism of this assemblage since Jesus was betrayed.

So, that's what I have so far... I'll let it sit for now and look around for something to fit the idea I have in mind to finish it.

*EDIT-ADDITION*
Here's the Behind The 8-Ball with the addition to it... a red frame... this could symbolize several things... It could relate to a time frame...or perhaps the question, Was Jesus framed?...it could be a decorative addition to the piece to bring more attention to it as well, or something totally different than these things... I'll leave that up to the viewer.