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Are pictures representing Jesus - A sin ?


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Posted

Consider this:

Quote:
"Should we not make investigation in regard to the matter of illustrating our books so largely? Would not the mind have clearer, more perfect ideas of angels, of Christ, of all spiritual things, if no pictures were made to represent heavenly things? Many of the pictures made are grossly false as far as truth is concerned. Do not pictures so far removed from the truth give voice to falsehoods? We want to be true in all our representations of Jesus Christ. But many of the miserable daubs put into our books and papers are an imposition on the public."--Letter 145, 1899. {CW 171.2}

"The artist may do his best to represent the things his eyes have never seen, but his representations are so far beneath the reality that I am pained as I behold them. Neither God nor heaven nor Christ, who is the image of the Father, can be truly represented by the art of man. If the Lord had thought it advisable to represent Christ in this way, His person would have been described in the writings of the apostle. {PM 219.5}

May we be one so that the world may be won.
Christian from the cradle to the grave
I believe in Hematology.
 

Posted

That's good counsel and something many of us are aware of. Pictures that are misrepresentative of actual events. We see that all the time in various print and video media. "Cropped" or edited pictures for instance, that leads one to false conclusions of what's really happening. It's no different with book illustrations.

Recently I was looking for a picture representing the evil doer as an "angel of light" that came to Jesus to tempt Him. I could find none. The only images I could find portrayed him as clearly "evil". In such a case of misrepresentation it's better to have no pictures at all.

As it concerns the bible there are many more inaccurate illustrations than accurate ones.

Posted

Good Points.

This is one reason I don't like "religious" movies such as the Passion or whatever that grusome movie was that people watched.

I just can't feel that anything we do adaquately represents the Biblical accounts. And it rubs me the wrong way because of the misrepresentation. Now I admit that perhaps others can be blessed. So I don't condemn that. It just ain't good for me personally.

May we be one so that the world may be won.
Christian from the cradle to the grave
I believe in Hematology.
 

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Posted

Consider this:

Quote:
"Should we not make investigation in regard to the matter of illustrating our books so largely? Would not the mind have clearer, more perfect ideas of angels, of Christ, of all spiritual things, if no pictures were made to represent heavenly things? Many of the pictures made are grossly false as far as truth is concerned. Do not pictures so far removed from the truth give voice to falsehoods? We want to be true in all our representations of Jesus Christ. But many of the miserable daubs put into our books and papers are an imposition on the public."--Letter 145, 1899. {CW 171.2}

"The artist may do his best to represent the things his eyes have never seen, but his representations are so far beneath the reality that I am pained as I behold them. Neither God nor heaven nor Christ, who is the image of the Father, can be truly represented by the art of man. If the Lord had thought it advisable to represent Christ in this way, His person would have been described in the writings of the apostle. {PM 219.5}

Question Woody, I thought I remembered reading somewhere or maybe heard that Ellen actually mentions one artist who came close to what Jesus really looked like? And didn't she on one occasion mention what Jesus looked like from one of her visions?

phkrause

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Posted

PK, that reminds of when Nebakanezzra saw four men walking in the furnace, and one of them was like the Son of God!

Ha Ha, even he knew what Jesus looked like, even though he never saw a picture.

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Posted

PK, that reminds of when Nebakanezzra saw four men walking in the furnace, and one of them was like the Son of God!

Ha Ha, even he knew what Jesus looked like, even though he never saw a picture.

Interesting ClubV12, I hadn't thought about that one. I wonder like you, how he knew who that was? Could've been from a vision that he had? Maybe?

phkrause

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Posted

Everyone is entitled to theeir own opinion. Art is in the eye of the beholder. One illustration or another can be interpreted differently by different people. So she didn't like some pictures....????

Posted

I think it was in Prophets and Kings where Ellen White speaks of the fiery furnace encounter?

She says something like Daniel and his friends had so exemplified God in their life He was recognized just from their witness. Wow, thats a powerful thought.

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Posted

I think it was in Prophets and Kings where Ellen White speaks of the fiery furnace encounter?

She says something like Daniel and his friends had so exemplified God in their life He was recognized just from their witness. Wow, thats a powerful thought.

That makes sense. What a witness. Praise the Lord

phkrause

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2

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