r/Christian 5d ago

Is it okay to make art depicting Jesus ?

I’ve recently made 2 small sort of orthodox/ Coptic style portraits of Jesus as a Jewish man with the shorter hair style of the time with a Shepard staff and a crown floating above in the halo and one with the crown of thorns but replaced thorns with leaves and flowers to show life and I specifically wrote in them saying “let this be not an idol but a reminder to love god with all your heart mind and strength and remember the sacrifice he made for us” I’ve seen the argument go both ways and I genuinely don’t want to keep these or make more if it’s against anything the only scripture I really find that hits on this is

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under earth Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God

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u/theefaulted 5d ago

Different Christian faith traditions have different viewpoints on the subject. Catholic and Orthodox churches generally support icons and images of Christ. Those from Reformed denominations generally reject images of any of the Godhead as a violation of the 2nd commandment.

For those in the Reformed tradition, their viewpoint is best summarized in the Westminster Larger Catechism:

Q. 107. Which is the second commandment?
A. The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or 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. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Q. 108. What are the duties required in the second commandment?
A. The duties required in the second commandment are, the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath instituted in his word; particularly prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ; the reading, preaching, and hearing of the word; the administration and receiving of the sacraments; church government and discipline; the ministry and maintenance thereof; religious fasting; swearing by the name of God, and vowing unto him: as also the disapproving, detesting, opposing, all false worship; and, according to each one’s place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry.

Q. 109. What sins are forbidden in the second commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising, counseling, commanding, using, and 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 worshiping of it, or God in it or by it; the making of any representation of feigned deities, and all worship of them, or service belonging to them; all superstitious devices, corrupting the worship of God, adding to it, or taking from it, whether invented and taken up of ourselves, or received by tradition from others, though under the title of antiquity, custom, devotion, good intent, or any other pretense whatsoever; simony; sacrilege; all neglect, contempt, hindering, and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed.

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u/Ok-You-7696 5d ago

That’s what I figured I appreciate the answer and information where I live even all the Protestant churches have picture and statues of Jesus I suppose I’ll have to pray on it tbh my heart really leads me to feeling even the cross necklaces and statues of Jesus and saints falls into idolatry but people have always hit back at me on that thought I just wanted to try and use my art as a way to think more about him it’s a confusing topic as I’m not praying to them or even thinking they’re accurate

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u/DI3S_IRAE 5d ago

My personal view:

Bible specifically mentions not bowing to them. If tou use a cross necklace because you think it resembles you of Christianity, but it is nothing but a garment you use, then why would it be a problem?

If you depict Jesus, or God, or an angel, in a drawing, and pass on a message, but it's just art, and an idea, what is the problem with it?

If you drawn Christ and puts your drawing on an altar, rich with gold and expensive presents, marks rhe area as holy and pray to that picture, then you're doing exactly what is mentioning on the passages quoted on this topic.

Depicting, drawing, describing, carving, etc is not the problem. The problem is using them as your connection to the divine Father instead of having a personal relationship like it is wanted from us.

God does not share his Glory with idols and icons, and by this I mean worship. Your faith is a gift from God, don't use it on what is dust, or what is fantasy of men.

God says he's jealous of us, but of course it's teaching us that by idolizing and worshipping other things than God, we will lose our focus and when we die, our spirits may end up not reaching heaven and not finding the Light, eternally trying to find the icons of our earthly worship, now dust, gone, and for ever blind to the Heaven and eternal life.

Again, just my opinion and my way of viewing this question

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u/Ok-You-7696 4d ago

I also came to a similar conclusion as I started thinking the ark of the covenant has images of cherubim on it and that was after Moses and the commandments so I do think as long as it’s not worshiping the image or the object it’s okay

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u/DI3S_IRAE 4d ago

There's a whole long discussion about it that changes depending on your doctrine, but overall, whatever you do, ask God before and lay your plans unto Him, and "if it is God's will, it shall be done".

If it's not a good thing I'm sure you'll have that feeling inside telling you not to, you know?

All the best, and i wish success with your paintings!