The chancel area houses the authentic grave slab of Lucas Cranach the Elder, who now rests at Jacobsfriedhof.

[2] As in almost all cases of Cranach Post-Reformation altarpieces, there is also a great deal of Christocentric Lutheran symbolism, Christian allegory and Protestant theological concept of Five solas depicted in the Weimar altarpiece, with each image referring to salvation alone in Jesus, emphasizing the sacrifice of Jesus in Solus Christus.

The altarpiece is Christ-centered with main focus on the crucified Christ with John the Baptist pointing up at Jesus and index finger from his other hand to the Agnus Dei, while Lucas Cranach the Elder and Martin Luther are standing on the right side.

In the background, the fallen nature of mankind is depicted through a scene of the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, along with the Old Testament narrative of the revelation of the Ten Commandments, the Brazen Serpent, Moses preaching to Israelites and Annunciation to the shepherds.

When the triptych is closed, the outer sides of the wings depict the Biblical scenes of Baptism of Jesus and Resurrection.The altarpiece also serves as a grave monument to John Frederick I, his wife Sibylle of Cleves and their descendants who were laid to rest beneath the vault in front of the altar, with their names carved on the predella in the form of an epitaph and their images depicted on the outer wings of the triptych.