When Art Becomes Life

In the most stringent Reformed circles, they interpret Exodus 20:4-5 as a prohibition of any images at all. Like those pictures you see of Jesus on the cross? Out! Or that series, The Chosen? Sin! I am not one of those, but I think there is something to consider on the matter.

We are a gullible race of people. Here, let's state that in biblical terms: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jer 17:9) Jesus called Satan "the father of lies" (John 8:44) and deception is his best tool. Now, consider. If you read the account of Jesus's crucifixion and conjure a picture in your head of the event, what do you see? A skinny white guy in a pair of underwear (medieval style)? Probably something like that. Because we've seen so many paintings or other images of the Crucifixion, so that's what we picture. (A little hint: those pictures don't match the biblical account.) Then, what we picture becomes what was real in our minds. Then, when someone challenges that picture (as opposed to the actual event), we take offense. They're challenging the Crucifixion! It ain't necessarily so. Think about it this way. Have you ever read a book and seen the movie? How does seeing the movie change your perception of the book? If you see the movie and then read the book, do you feed those images into your reading? Notice how what we see influences our understanding and beliefs about what we read. It's a dangerous game when it comes to God.

The Second Commandment -- no images -- is not an art prohibition. It is a worship prohibition. God commanded Israel to make images. Remember? There were cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant, for instance. No, it isn't about making images. It is about worshiping images. And, apparently, God understood our limitation there. It is not possible for human beings to make an image of God and not see that as "God." Images of God, even for good purposes, become idols by their nature. (Think "Golden Calf" -- Exo 32:4.) We have God's description -- God's revelation -- of Himself in His Word. We don't need to make images. In fact, it is our nature to allow art of all kinds to become idols of all kinds simply by making images of the Invisible God. Because the moment we visually represent a supernatural Being as natural, we immediately diminish Him and substitute that portrayal as the real God ... which is the definition of idolatry. When we impose on God what we think He should be or should not be, what He is or is not, we make our own idol. Let God be the God that God reveals. Meet Him where He is, not where we think He should be or how our artistic endeavors portray Him.