Images of Jesus and the Second Commanment

[claycad]

I was having a discussion with a friend about this, and just wanted some other opinions on the matter.

Nearly every image of Jesus I have ever seen shows a white man with long hair. Now, there is no argument that Jesus was middle eastern (is there?) so wouldn't he have been dark complected? Would Jesus have had long hair? All historical and archaeological evidence shows men's hairstyles of the time were short. Not to mention I Corinthians 11:14 "Does not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?"

So I think it should be apparent to people that Jesus would have not worn long hair, yet every portrait of him has long hair.

Now, with that in mind, take into consideration the second commandment.

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."

I've seen many sculptures of Christ on the cross, as well as paintings and figurines. Many hanging in churches or homes of religious folks. Why is it not considered to be disobeying the second commandment to put a huge statue of Jesus on the side of a church? Or even a small figure of him on the wall of your home? Especially one that shows Jesus as a white guy with long hair...

Now, I'm not Christian, and don't know much about Christians pratices, but really, is there a reasonable explination to how Christians justify hanging sculptures and figures of Jesus when from my understanding of the second commandment it clearly says not to do such a thing. I'm not trying to offend or anger anybody, I'm just curious.

 

[James the Persian]

Yes, is the short answer. It's all to do with the Incarnation making God visible to man (as the Son) and therefore we being able to depict Him (and I'd note that your iconoclast opinions were not shared by first century Jews either - see the decorations in the synagogue of Duros Europa - and that you are overlooking the points at which God commanded the Jews to make images).
If you want more explanation I suggest that you read up on the seventh Ecumenical Council, where the iconoclast hersy was defeated and read the arguments of St. John of Damascus In Defense of the Holy Images. If you have further more specific answers, just ask and I'll try to answer to the best of my ability.

James

 

[Mister Emu]

Exd 25:18

And thou shalt make two cherubims [of] gold, [of] beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

Why would God give a law only to tell them to break it to create the ark that will hold the stones on which that law is written, and where the God who gave the law will meet with them? It always seemed to me that the iconoclast interpretation was flawed because of this... maybe I am wrong though and this is a bad example for some reason....

 

[joeboonda]

Early paintings of Jesus showed him without a beard and with short cropped hair. Later people began painting him with long hair and a beard. Jesus was Jewish so he would have the physical features of such, perhaps black curly hair and olive skin. Who knows? In Christianity, we use the cross and such as symbols, not as gods themselves. Neither do we pray to or worship any objects. (Some within the realm of Christendom or are nominal Christians --in name only may practice such things, such as setting up a shrine and focusing on it and praying to it, or to Mary, etc.) Just as water baptism and communion are symbolic, so a cross, etc is symbolic only, we do not pray or worship these as God.

 

[MOZedek]

As the Bible plainly states- Christ had a face that one would easily forget- he was not comely-
Secondly- He had an earthly twin

 

[sojourner]

As the Bible plainly states- Christ had a face that one would easily forget- he was not comely-
Secondly- He had an earthly twin

The "evil Jesus?"