What is your stance on Christian pictures of Christ, the Apostles, etc.?

[Puritanhead]

What is your personal stance on Christian pictorial depictions of Christ, the Apostles, the Heavenlies, etc.? Dos such art really glorify God or is it merely a form of idolatry and against Ten Commandments? Obviously, no Reformed Christian venerates or worships art... What's your take?

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Making alleged pictures of Christ are unlawful per the second commandment and idolatrous.
See articles by Murray and others here
http://www.fpcr.org/blue_banner_articles/images2.htm
Calvin and others here
http://www.fpcr.org/blue_banner_articles/images9.htm

 

[default]

I agree wth Chris.

The pictures we see of Christ probably aren't true, he was of Jewish decent and I have yet to see a Jewish person look as the picture we think of as Christ. JMO

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Pictures of Christ are prohibited by the Second Commandment.

Westminster Larger Catechism:

Q109: What are the sins forbidden in the second commandment?
A109: The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising,[1] counseling,[2] commanding,[3] using,[4] and anywise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself;[5] tolerating a false religion;[6] the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever;[7] all worshipping of it,[8] or God in it or by it;[9] the making of any representation of feigned deities,[10] and all worship of them, or service belonging to them;[11] all superstitious devices,[12] corrupting the worship of God,[13] adding to it, or taking from it,[14] whether invented and taken up of ourselves,[15] or received by tradition from others,[16] though under the title of antiquity,[17] custom,[18] devotion,[19] good intent, or any other pretense whatsoever;[20] simony;[21] sacrilege;[22] all neglect,[23] contempt,[24] hindering,[25] and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed.[26]

1. Num. 15:39
2. Deut. 13:6-8
3. Hosea 5:11; Micah 6:16
4. I Kings 11:33; 12:33
5. Deut. 12:30-32
6. Deut. 13:6-12; Zech. 13:2-3; Rev. 2:2, 14-15, 20, Rev. 17:12, 16-17
7. Deut. 4:15-19; Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:21-23, 25
8. Dan. 3:18; Gal. 4:8
9. Exod. 32:5
10. Exod. 32:8
11. I Kings 18:26, 28; Isa. 65:11
12. Acts 17:22; Col. 2:21-23
13. Mal. 1:7-8, 14
14. Deut. 4:2
15. Psa. 106:39
16. Matt. 15:9
17. I Peter 1:18
18. Jer. 44:17
19. Isa. 65:3-5; Gal. 1:13-14
20. I Sam. 13:11-12; 15:21
21. Acts 8:18
22. Rom. 2:22; Mal. 3:8
23. Exod. 4:24-26
24. Matt. 22:5; Mal. 1:7, 13
25. Matt. 23:13
26. Acts 13:44-45; I Thess. 2:15-16

 

[RamistThomist]

Its like what somebody said when they saw Anthony Hopkins play CS Lewis in Shadowlands, "It can never be the same now afer I have seen "Lewis." From now on he will appear so wimpy""

 

[cupotea]

I think you guys have a good point, but at the same time, I have a great painting on my wall that I have no intention of taking down. I think paintings *can* be dangerous, but not this one. It's Giovanni Bellini's "Christ Carrying the Cross". It's a close-up, Jesus has the cross over his shoulder and he's looking at you, with a tear on his cheek. It's a really striking painting. Call it a memento vitae if you will(pardon if my Latin is incorrect; it's starting to fade from me).

 

[Scott Bushey]

This subject has been dealt with on numerous occasions:

http://www.puritanboard.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=3218#pid36789

http://www.puritanboard.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=3262#pid39378

Thread closed