Images of Jesus, right or wrong?

Heavenhome

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I think it is wrong as we do not know what Jesus looked like and if God wanted us to know He would have told us. So where do all the ideas of what Jesus looks like, come from?
Certainly not from the Bible.
 
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faroukfarouk

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I think it is wrong as we do not know what Jesus looked like and if God wanted us to know He would have told us. So where do all the ideas of what Jesus looks like, come from?
Certainly not from the Bible.
So by extension I guess, what do you think of cross necklaces and cross earrings?
 
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Daniel9v9

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Historically, there has been a minority of radicals who firmly reject all kinds of Christian iconography. However, surely anything that points to Christ is good, and anything that distracts from Christ is evil. Providing it's adiaphora - things neither commanded nor forbidden in Scripture - judge for yourself.

What we can't do is deny or force adiaphora on others. Romans 14 explains this well.
 
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Quid est Veritas?

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You must keep in mind that Aaron declared "behold the God that brought you out of Egypt" when setting up the Golden Calf. They were intent to worship God, but rather set up a representation, a simulacrum of Him, instead of approaching the Living God.

So this is the danger of images. We might frame our understanding around it, create an image we think is how God is, instead of worshipping God. Having something concrete makes this easier to do, I think, like young children imagine a bearded man in the sky.
It doesn't mean there is inherently something wrong with an image or symbol, even God ordered the Brazen Serpent to be lifted up, but it mustn't become a Nehusthan Idol. We must take care to have a living relationship with God, rather than simply ritual and representation. The argument for aniconism is a strong one, I think, because humans are so weak and silly. Aniconism or Iconoclasm can become its own idolatry though, if we are so intent on smashing what we perceive as other's idols, we forget the God they are meant to represent and loving your neighbour as yourself.

So it very much depends. For some having no images is obviously better, for others, it might be an aid to help approach God. Either way, I think caution is advised.
 
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Chronel

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In my opinion, it is okay.

Creating an artwork is the way human ('the artist') to interpret something, his feelings, his understanding, what he adores, and his.. imagination.. (well, yes).

Creating an artwork is fine, as long as we do not worship it.

In old testament, the time when Israel making a molten calf while Moses in Mount Sinai, was the time that Israel created and worshiped it. Israel proclaimed that the molten calf to be their god, made an altar, and gave offering. To me, this is idolatry, it is when we created something and be our god, let alone we worship it.

So, i am totally fine looking at pictures and statues. They are only how the artist expressed their thought, their feeling, experiences, and so on, and i enjoy the artwork to the extent of the art itself, that God gave talent to the artist to create something beautiful and artistic. I do not worship the picture nor the sculpture, I worship the God who gives the ability to men to create those beautiful things.
 
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Tolworth John

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Why do you want an image of Jesus?
If it is to help one worship him, how does one avoid using an aid to worship that ends up being the object of worship?

In the screwtape letters, there is the account of how the senior devil taught his 'client' to imagine that God was in the top left corner of his room and to always pray to that corner. In time the 'client' believed that God was in that corner of his room.

What is being worshipped is really the question?
 
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zoidar

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You must keep in mind that Aaron declared "behold the God that brought you out of Egypt" when setting up the Golden Calf. They were intent to worship God, but rather set up a representation, a simulacrum of Him, instead of approaching the Living God.

So this is the danger of images. We might frame our understanding around it, create an image we think is how God is, instead of worshipping God. Having something concrete makes this easier to do, I think, like young children imagine a bearded man in the sky.
It doesn't mean there is inherently something wrong with an image or symbol, even God ordered the Brazen Serpent to be lifted up, but it mustn't become a Nehusthan Idol. We must take care to have a living relationship with God, rather than simply ritual and representation. The argument for aniconism is a strong one, I think, because humans are so weak and silly. Aniconism or Iconoclasm can become its own idolatry though, if we are so intent on smashing what we perceive as other's idols, we forget the God they are meant to represent and loving your neighbour as yourself.

So it very much depends. For some having no images is obviously better, for others, it might be an aid to help approach God. Either way, I think caution is advised.

Was it not so that the golden calf was created to be the "God" they wanted to have? They didn't want to have the living God, they wanted to make God into someone that met their standards. So they created the calf and worshipped it. Some people use this OT passages to show that we are not to make an image of Christ, but I think that is far-fetched.

Of course it's wrong to worship any image of God or Christ, but standing in front of an image of Christ as a reminder in the heart, and pray to him, why would that be wrong? Again, some people may say that then you are praying to the image, but how can that be? If you have an image in your head of Christ when you pray to him, are you then in danger of idol worship?
 
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zoidar

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I think it is wrong as we do not know what Jesus looked like and if God wanted us to know He would have told us. So where do all the ideas of what Jesus looks like, come from?
Certainly not from the Bible.

Christians probably talked about how he looked ... don't you think? So I believe it was well known before there were any paintings of him.

It's also so that Christ has appeared in visions.
 
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Eloy Craft

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Any image of a man that doesn't violate the image communicated by the Word of God is another Word of God if it commuicates Truth.

Images teach as well or better than words. Jesus is the Father made visible to man. God has sanctified His image and likeness on earth.
 
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I don't see anything wrong with religious images, including images of Jesus, as long as we don't bow down and worship them. That is the trust of the commandment about graven images - that they are not made to be worshiped.
 
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Quid est Veritas?

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Was it not so that the golden calf was created to be the "God" they wanted to have? They didn't want to have the living God, they wanted to make God into someone that met their standards. So they created the calf and worshipped it. Some people use this OT passages to show that we are not to make an image of Christ, but I think that is far-fetched.
How is this different from thinking of God in the manner you desire Him?
Of course it's wrong to worship any image of God or Christ, but standing in front of an image of Christ as a reminder in the heart, and pray to him, why would that be wrong? Again, some people may say that then you are praying to the image, but how can that be? If you have an image in your head of Christ when you pray to him, are you then in danger of idol worship?
Yes you are. CS Lewis mentions it in Letters to Malcolm and a Grief Observed. You can set up a mental idol as easily, but more surreptitiously, than an actual one. Every now and then, God needs to disabuse us of our complacent notions, lest we replaced the Living waters with a stagnant pool.
I think Cardinal Newman said something similar, but I am unsure where.
 
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Heavenhome

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So by extension I guess, what do you think of cross necklaces and cross earrings?

There is a massive difference there as the cross represents a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus endured for us. Some people like to wear this as a quiet witness to their faith.
A portrait of Jesus is something else altogether we do not know what He looked like so anything portrayed is going to be what someone imagines He looks like.
I still believe if God wanted us to know that He would have revealed that.
 
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faroukfarouk

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There is a massive difference there as the cross represents a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus endured for us. Some people like to wear this as a quiet witness to their faith.
A portrait of Jesus is something else altogether we do not know what He looked like so anything portrayed is going to be what someone imagines He looks like.
I still believe if God wanted us to know that He would have revealed that.
I can see what you are saying and would agree to a large extent.

(But then what about faith based tattoos? and faith based jewelry? some of these can be effective in conversation-starting, can't they?)
 
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Heavenhome

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Christians probably talked about how he looked ... don't you think? So I believe it was well known before there were any paintings of him.

It's also so that Christ has appeared in visions.
When and who first started portraying Jesus in a visual form?
 
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zoidar

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There is a massive difference there as the cross represents a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus endured for us. Some people like to wear this as a quiet witness to their faith.
A portrait of Jesus is something else altogether we do not know what He looked like so anything portrayed is going to be what someone imagines He looks like.
I still believe if God wanted us to know that He would have revealed that.

You can only say that you don't know what he looked like. People know what he looked like. I know what he looked like.

Yes, if God wanted to know what he looked like he would show himself in visions, and he does.

A painting is not a photo. It won't be perfect. Still the characteristics can be there. Does an image of Christ have to be "perfect"?
 
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