“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were all things created…”
Col. 1:15-16
“…he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, ‘Show us the Father?'”
Jn. 14:9
“And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him.”
Mt. 28:9
“Then saith He to Thomas, ‘Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.’ And Thomas answered and said unto Him, ‘My Lord and my God.'”
Jn. 20:27-28
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Subsections
Images of God
Grounds of Christ the Mediator Receiving Divine Worship
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Order of Contents
Intro & Crux of the Issue
Start
Articles
Audio
Books
Latin
For Teaching Purposes?
Lawful Images of Christ: Sacraments
History
Early Church
Reformed History
Westminster
Quotes
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Intro & the Crux of the Issue
Images of Christ are common in churches and society today. However the Early Church and the Reformed wing of the Reformation considered any image of Christ, anywhere, in any context, and for any purpose, to be idolatry and forbidden. Why?
Because they understood the profound ramifications of the orthodox doctrine of the Hypostatic Union, that Christ’s one person exists in two natures: human and divine. Christ’s human nature (body and soul) does not exist, and cannot exist, apart from his Person.
Thus, any image of Christ’s human body is necessarily an image of his Person existing in human nature, as Christ’s human nature joined to his Person is a revealing of, and necessarily an image representing, his Person (being inseparably joined to it and animated by it).
Christ’s human nature, due to the unique Hypostatic Union, is in a qualitatively different category than anything else in this universe, as no other portion of created dust is inseparably joined personally forever to the heart of the uncreated, Second Person of the Trinity.
While Christ’s finite human nature (body and soul) remains creaturely and finite, yet due to the special and mysterious Hypostatic Union, it is a means (divinely appointed) by which, and the only means by which, we may worship his Person through the creation. It is because Christ in the flesh is the living, full, perfect and sufficient Image of God (and that lawful, made mysteriously by God Himself), and is revealed perfectly and sufficiently to us through his Word and Spirit, that all other images of God are forbidden.
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Are Images of Christ Images of his Person?
Sometimes persons claim that images of Christ are only images of his human nature and not of his divine person.
Yet, when one points to a picture of a friend, they say, ‘That is a picture of my friend,’ not: ‘that is a picture of my friend’s body’. The picture of the body, because of its union to the soul, represents all that the person is. Note the frequent Biblical language, especially in the Psalms, where ‘my soul’ refers whollistically and naturally to the person, body and soul united together.
With images of Jesus, we do not speak of them as images of a person-less body, but images of *Jesus* (the person), the picture of the body signifying and representing the person. While such images do not, and cannot, portray the divine nature (it being invisible, uncontainable and unportrayable) yet the image is intended to *represent* the person (who is divine), and cannot but do so.
If anything is said to be a representation of *Jesus*, it is necessarily claiming to represent and be an image of the Person of the Son of God, and thus is by definition forbidden.
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The Crux of the Issue
In heaven, if you plan on worshipping Jesus in the flesh, then you cannot make an image of Him. If you can make an image of Jesus, then you cannot worship Him.
This is not a theoretical question: men in Christ’s earthly ministry in Scripture already lawfully worshipped Jesus in the flesh. Thus, we cannot make an image of Jesus.
The prohibition in the 2nd Commandment (Ex. 20:4-5) is not only not to worship images, but is explicitly not to make them at all (contra those who would seek to use images of Jesus for instructive purposes, see Hab. 2:18 and Heidelberg Catechism #96-98).
If a person makes an image of Jesus, they do not understand the Hypostatic Union: Christ’s one person existing in two natures, human and divine, inseparably, indivisibly, without mixture, forever.
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“We worship one image, which is the image of the invisible omnipotent God.”
Jerome
(Dei. Hieronym, Book 4, in Eze. ch. 16,
as quoted in James Ussher, Answer to a Jesuit)
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Conclusion
Thus the Early Church and the Reformed wing of the Reformation forbid images of Christ because they understood the orthodox doctrine of the Hypostatic Union, that “God was manifest in the flesh… seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world…” (1 Tim. 3:16).
The Westminster Larger Catechism summarizes the reformed teaching on images, saying that:
“The sins forbidden in the second commandment are… any wise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself… 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; all worshipping of it, or God in it or by it…”
In the Early Church it was not till the late-300’s that images of Christ began to be made and propagated, and that by those who sought to teach against the divinity of Christ.
** Note that the historic Reformed teaching is that the obligatory destruction of such idols (which should not exist on God’s green earth before His sight, Acts 19:19-20, Ex. 34:14; Lev. 26:30; Eze. 30:13), should only be done as persons have lawful authority over them in their places and callings, and by the civil magistrate who is the servant of God and is to uphold the moral 2nd Commandment by the authority of God (Rom. 13:1-5).
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“Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, ye love.”
1 Pet. 1:7-8
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Where to Start?
Article
Murray, John – ‘Pictures of Christ’ (1961) 11 paragraphs
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Short Book
Hyde, Daniel – In Living Color: Images of Christ & the Means of Grace 192 pp.
This excellent short book shows the Biblical principles that forbid images of the Son of God, and verifies this position through church history.
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Articles
1500’s
Ridley, Nicholas – A Treatise of Dr. Nicholas Ridley… Concerning Images, that they are Not to be Set up, nor Worshipped in Churches 9 pp. in Tracts of the Anglican Fathers, no. 2, Doctrinal See especially the first section on Images of Christ.
Willet, Andrew – p. 349 of ‘Whether it be Lawful to Have the Images of the Trinity, of Christ, or of the Angels’ in Synopsis Papismi (London, 1592), Controversies Concerning the Church Triumphant, 9th Controversy: concerning Saints Departed, 2nd Part, 5th Question, Part 1, Second Article
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1600’s
Cheynell, Francis – ‘The Grounds of Christ the Mediator Receiving Divine Worship’ (1650; RBO) 20 pp. with an Introduction and Outline
Cheynell was a Westminster divine.
We are to only worship God, and yet Jesus, a man, was worshipped in his earthly ministry. How is this so? The answer is that we worship Jesus, the God-man, not insofar as He is a creature, but insofar as his Person is God. Cheynell, a Westminster divine, argues this precious jewel of theology in a bit of detail in a way that will be clear to the simplest, and make the most knowledgeable cry out: ‘Oh! the depths and the riches! (Rom. 11:33)
Owen, John
The Chamber of Imagery in the Church of Rome Laid Open, or an Antidote Against Popery: a Sermon (1652; Oxford, 1870) 47 pp.
ch. 12, ‘Differences Between Beholding the Glory of Christ by Faith in this World and by Sight in Heaven–The First of Them Explained’ in Meditations & Discourses on the Glory of Christ in Works, vol. 1, pp. 374-89
Turretin, Francis – ‘Whether Not only the Worship but also the Formation & Use of Religious Images in Sacred Places is Prohibited by the Second Commandment. We Affirm against the Lutherans’ in Institutes, vol. 2, pp. 62-65
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1800’s
Spurgeon, Charles – ‘Portraits of Christ’ a sermon on Rom. 8:29
A fascinating sermon on Christians being the living images of Christ, not made with hands.
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1900’s
Murray, John – ‘Pictures of Christ’ (1961) 11 paragraphs
Curtis, Edward – ‘The Theological Basis for the Prohibition of Images in the Old Testament’ (1985) 11 pp. in JETS 28/3 (Sept. 1985) 277-87
Coldwell, Christ – ‘Indifferent Imaginations? The Case Against Images at Meetings of N. Texas Presbytery’ (1996) 40 paragraphs
Can images of Christ be regarded as indifferent, and thus allowed in a public meeting place of a church, if they are offensive to some Christians? The Biblical answer is no. Here is one church’s attempt to petition a presbytery to take down such images. Some historic quotes on the topic follow the article.
Barnes, Peter – Seeing Jesus: the Case Against Pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ Buy (1998) 32 pp.
Kik, J. Marcellus – ‘Pictures of Christ’ 11 paragraphs
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2000’s
VanDrunen, David – ‘Pictures of Jesus & the Sovereignty of Divine Revelation: Recent Literature & a Defense of the Confessional Reformed View’ Buy in Confessional Presbyterian #5 (2009), pp. 214-28
Perkins, Harrison – ‘Images of Christ & the Vitals of the Reformed System’ Confessional Presbyterian Journal, vol. 14 (2018), pp. 201-15
Perkins is a professor of systematic theology in the Free Church College.
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Audio Resources
Clark, R. Scott – Heidelberg 52: Images Of Christ Don’t Affirm His Humanity, They Deny It 29 min.
Moeck, Gregory – Westminster Larger Catechism 7a: Understanding Why We Say ‘God is a Spirit’ 65 min.
Moeck was an elder at 1st Orthodox Presbyterian Church of San Francisco.
Reformed Forum – The Second Commandment & Images in Worship 55 min.
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Books
1700’s
Erskine, Ralph – Faith No Fancy: or a Treatise of Mental Images… showing that an Imaginary Idea of Christ as Man… Imports Nothing but Ignorance, Atheism, Idolatry, Great Falsehood & Gross Delusion (†1752) 490 pp. The first four chapters of this work have been put into modern formatting here.
Erskine was a justly renowned minister of the Secession Church in Scotland.
“Many of the ignorant followers of [George] Whitfield [at the Cambuslang, Scotland revival] talked of seeing “Christ.” Deceived by misunderstanding the word as used in the Fourth Gospel, where ‘seeing’ means, as often elsewhere, knowing or having an intellectual apprehension, they thought they must have an apparition of Jesus in either a human, transfigured, or glorified form. To expose this and similar delusions Erskine composed a volume entitled, “Faith no Fancy; or, A Treatise of Mental Images.”” – George W. Hervey, The Imagination in Revivals
For further historical background to this work, see the article by La Shell above.
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Contemporary
Hyde, Daniel – In Living Color: Images of Christ & the Means of Grace 192 pp.
This excellent short book shows the Biblical principles that forbid images of the Son of God, and verifies this position through church history.
Dunbar, J. Virgil – Why Christ Can’t be Pictured: God is not like Art Buy (1994) 280 pp. The whole book is online, see the chapters on the right column.
La Shell, John K. – Images of the Lord: A Travesty of Deity Masters thesis (Talbot Seminary, 1976)
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Latin Books
1600’s
Daille, Jean – Of Images (Leiden: Elzevir, 1642) 552 pp. Extended ToC Errata bound to Defense for the Reformed Churches
Table of Contents
Dedicatory Epistle
To the Reader
Bk. 1 1 9 Reasons Against Images
Bk. 2 124 Historical Testimonies
Bk. 3 245 Objections through the 500’s Answered
Bk. 4 355-552 Objections from the 700’s to the Romanists Answered
Spanheim, Jr., Frederic – The History of Images Restored, being especially against the New French Writers Ludwig Maimburg & Nat. Alexander (Leiden: Verbessel, 1686) 635 pp. ToC
Spanheim, Jr (1632-1701)
Table of Contents
Dedicatory Epistle
To the Reader
Section 1 1
Section 2 43
Section 3 131
Section 4 207
Section 5 305
Section 6 350
Section 7 443
Section 8 529
Section 9 604-35
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Images of Christ for Teaching Purposes?
Samuel Rutherford
A Dispute Touching Scandal & Christian Liberty, pp. 89-90 in The Divine Right of Church Government (1646)
“4. By this Lutherans have their desire for actual intention: that images be lawful remembrancers of Christ, without intention of adoration, shall make images as lawful teaching ceremonies as [Richard] Hooker will have the sign of the cross.”
“2. We then might well suffer the images of Jupiter, Dagon and Ashtarosh to stand before the people publicly, so [long as] they do no harm, and Papists and Lutherans say the images of Christ and the saints do no harm when the pastors carefully teach the people that there is no deity nor Godhead dwelling in them.”
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On Lawful Images of Christ: the Sacraments
Council of Hieria A.D. 754
The Seven Ecumenical Councils of the Undivided Church, trans. H. R. Percival, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd Series, ed. P. Schaff & H. Wace, (rep. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955), vol. 14, p. 544 at ‘Epitome of the Definition of the Iconoclastic Council Held in Constantinople, A.D. 754’ at Medieval Sourcebook at Internet History Sourcebooks Project at Fordham University
“The only admissible figure of the humanity of Christ, however, is bread and wine in the holy Supper. This and no other form, this and no other type, has He chosen to represent his incarnation.”
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Samuel Rutherford
The Divine Right of Church Government... (1646), p. 85
“…the elements of bread and wine, which are lawful images of Christ…”
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The History of Images of Christ
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The Early Church
Articles
Schaff, Philip – ‘Images of Christ’ 1867 8 pp. in History of the Christian Church, ‘Third Period: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity’, pp. 563-71
Ussher, James – ‘On Images’ †1656 14 pp. in Answer to a Jesuit, with other Tracts on Popery, pp. 430-44
Ussher, in the polemical context against Romanism, traces the Early Church’s large rejection of images in worship against the later development that rose into to the Romanist acceptance of them. Ussher’s discussion includes religious images in worship, images of God generally, and images of Christ.
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Reformed History
Article
La Shell, John K. – ‘Imagination & Idol: A Puritan Tension’ (1987) 101 paragraphs in Westminster Theological Journal, vol. 49:2 (Fall 1987)
Table of Contents
Intro
I. Puritans & the Imagination
. 1. Scholastic Background
. 2. Continuity of Definition
. 3. Danger of the Imagination
II. Images & Idols
. 1. Images of Christ
. 2. Types & Symbols
. 3. Mental Images
III. Historical Perspectives
IV. Theological Arguments
. 1, James Robe
. 2. Ralph Erskine
V. Epistemological Arguments
. 1. Separation of the Faculties
. 2. The Hindrance of the Senses
. 3. Occassionalism
VI. Evaluation
. 1. Erskine & Robe
. 2. Easing the Tension
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Books
Eire, Carlos – War Against the Idols: the Reformation of Worship from Erasmus to Calvin Buy (1989) 336 pp.
This excellent history book shows that purity of worship and the removal of religious images from the place of worship, including all images of Christ (whether in worship or not) was a hallmark of the reformed wing of the reformation. Much different than most reformed churches today.
La Shell, John K. – Imaginary Ideas of Christ: A Scottish-American Debate PhD diss. (Westminster Theological Seminary, 1985) 470 pp. available from University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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On the Westminster Standards
Article
‘The Intent of the Westminster Larger Catechism #109 Regarding Pictures of Christ’s Humanity’ in Confessional Presbyterian Journal, #5 (2009), pp. 227-28, 323 9 paragraphs
Chris Coldwell demonstrates that the Larger Catechism forbids images of the Son of God, contrary to those who have taught otherwise.
WLC 109:
“The sins forbidden in the second commandment are… any wise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself… 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; all worshipping of it, or God in it or by it…”
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On Puritans
Article
McGraw, Ryan – Pt. 2, Ch. 5, ‘Faith Versus Sight: Owen on Images of Christ, the Second Commandment, & the Role of Faith in Reformed Theology’ in John Owen: Trajectories in Reformed Orthodox Theology Buy (Palgrave, 2017), pp. 113-34
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Quotes
Collections of Quotes
Barth, Paul – ‘An Historic Witness Against Images of Christ’ Includes 10 Scriptures followed by 11 quotes from historic documents and theologians
Coldwell, Chris – ‘Historic Quotes against Images of Christ: a Violation of the Second Commandment’, pt. 1, 2 (1996 & 1998) 34 & 42 paragraphs, part one contains six quotes and part two contains sixteen quotes.
Here are excerpts on the topic from Irenaeus, Epiphanius, the Synod of Constantinople, Calvin, Bradford, the Second Helvetic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Westminster Confession, Flavel, Durham, Henry, Fisher’s Catechism, Ridgeley, Murray, Cummings, Boettner, Kik, Rushdooney and Williamson.
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Individual Quotes
On who was responsible for the introduction of images:
Epiphanius, Panar. Haeres., XXVII, as quoted in James Ussher, Answer to a Jesuit
“Gnostic heretics for the principal, who had images, some painted in colors, others framed of gold and silver and other matter, which they said were the representations of Christ.”
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John Calvin
Sermon on Deuteronomy, May 23, 1555
“Behold, they paint and portray Jesus Christ, who (as we know) is not only man, but also God manifested in the flesh: and what a representation is that? He is God’s eternal Son in whom dwells the fullness of the God head, yea even substantially.
Seeing it is said, substantially, should we have portraitures and images whereby only the flesh may be represented? Is it not a wiping away of that which is chiefest in our Lord Jesus Christ, that is to wit, of his divine Majesty? Yes: and therefore whensoever a crucifix stands mopping and mowing in the Church, it is all one as if the Devil had defaced the Son of God.”
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English Parliament 1644, May 9th
‘An Ordinance for the Further Demolishing of Monuments of Idolatry & Superstition’
“Representations of God, Angels, and Saints.; Copes, Surplisses, Roods, etc.; Organs.
The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, the better to accomplish the blessed Reformation so happily begun, and to remove all offences and things illegal in the worship of God, do Ordain, That all Representations of any of the Persons of the Trinity, or of any Angel or Saint, in or about any Cathedral, Collegiate or Parish Church, or Chapel, or in any open place within this Kingdom, shall be taken away, defaced, and utterly demolished; And that no such shall hereafter be set up, And that the Chancel-ground of every such Church or Chapel, raised for any altar, or Communion Table to stand upon, shall be laid down and leveled; And that no copes, surplisses, superstitious vestments, roods, or roodlons, holy-water fonts, shall be, or be any more used in any Church or Chapel within this realm; And that no cross, crucifix, picture, or representation of any of the Persons of the Trinity, or of any angel or saint shall be, or continue upon any plate, or other thing used, or to be used in or about the worship of God; And that all organs, and the frames or cases wherein they stand in all Churches or Chapels aforesaid, shall be taken away, and utterly defaced, and none other hereafter set up in their places; and that all copes, surplisses, superstitious vestments, roods, and fonts aforesaid, be likewise utterly defaced; whereunto all persons within this Kingdom, whom it may concern, are hereby required at their peril to yield due obedience.”
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“As soon then as He had said unto them, ‘I am He’, they went backward, and fell to the ground.”
Jn. 18:6
“Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Of a truth thou art the Son of God.'”
Jn. 14:33
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
1 Tim. 3:16
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father)…”
Jn. 1:1,10,14
“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? [by the preaching]”
Gal. 3:1
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Related Pages
The Regulative Principle of Worship