What other revered material sacred objects do Christians have, besides the holy cross of Christ?
Christians have and venerate sacred images of the Lord God, glorified in Trinity, images of the events of our salvation, images of the Mother of God, the holy Angels, and the holy saints of God.
Are images mentioned in Holy Scripture at all?
Yes, and very often.
How does Holy Scripture relate to images?
Some images, Holy Scripture completely rejects and forbids, as false images: they cannot be made, cannot be possessed, and cannot be venerated. Other images, Scripture commands to be made, commands to be considered sacred, and to be venerated. Holy Scripture, therefore, divides all images into two categories: some are false, others are true sacred images.
What are false images?
False images are the insensible idols by which pagans replace the true God. Such are: the calf (Ex. 32:4); Molech (Lev. 18:21); Baal Peor (Num. 25:3); Baal and Ashtoreth (Judg. 2:13; 1 Kings 18:21-29); Dagon (1 Sam. 5), etc. These gods are idols.
Why are idols considered false images?
Because nothing corresponding to these images exists in reality. They are an invention of ignorant people.
When we depict the Savior, He truly exists; but nothing resembling any Ashtoreth, or Baal, or other idols ever existed nor can exist. People who made and make idols did and do wrong, but what is worse is that they placed and place these images of non-existent, invented beings in place of the true God. Therefore, the Apostle Paul says that idols are images of the non-existent. "We know," writes the Apostle, "that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one" (1 Cor. 8:4-6).
What, then, are idols in reality?
They are the work of human hands. "Thus says the Lord: 'Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good.'... Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge; every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image; for his molded image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are futile, a work of errors; in the time of their punishment they shall perish" (Jer. 10:2-5, 14-15).
Is there a direct prohibition in Scripture against making false images?
There are very many such prohibitions. Everywhere the Lord points out the criminality of making false images—idols, by which pagans replace the true God whom they reject. In the Sinaitic legislation, the Lord says:
"I am the Lord your God... You shall have no other gods before Me. 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; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God..." (Ex. 20:3-5; cf. Deut. 5:6-9).
What is forbidden by these words of the Lord?
These words forbid idolatry, i.e., they forbid making false images of non-existent gods and worshiping them instead of the true God, the Creator and Redeemer.
Do these words forbid the making of all images in general?
No, they do not, because in the same Sinaitic law, the Lord Himself commands the making of true images: the ark with molded cherubim, the tabernacle and the veil with embroidered images on it.
With what words does the Lord command the making of true images?
The prohibition against making false images is set forth in Ex. 20, while the command to make true sacred images and objects is set forth in chapters 25, 26, 30, and 40 of the same book. "And they shall make an ark of acacia wood... You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold... And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat. And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat... And there I will meet with you (i.e., Moses), and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel" (Ex. 25:10, 17-20, 22).
Besides molded images, the Lord commanded to make embroidered ones: "Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine woven linen and blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim you shall weave them... You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim" (Ex. 26:1, 31).
How does the Lord command us to regard the sacred images?
The Lord commanded to consecrate them and consider them "most holy." "Moreover you shall make... a holy anointing oil... And you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting (on which cherubim were embroidered—Ex. 26:1) and the ark of the Testimony (on which were molded cherubim—Ex. 25:18-20)... And you shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy" (Ex. 30:25-26, 29).
How did the Israelites regard these sacred objects?
The greatest Old Testament righteous ones, prophets, and kings reverenced the material sacred objects that bore true images. The ark of the covenant, as a sign that through it the Lord God revealed Himself to Israel, and that it reminded them of Jehovah, was called the Lord and God. "So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said: 'Rise up, O Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.' And when it rested, he said: 'Return, O Lord, to the myriad thousands of Israel'" (Num. 10:35-36). King David danced before the ark when they carried it, and for this he was condemned by his wife Michal; but the Psalmist himself did not consider himself worthy of condemnation for his dancing before the ark. "So David said to Michal, 'It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor'" (2 Sam. 6:21-22). King David called the ark the Lord because the ark signified, depicted the Lord.
What proof do we have that the ark signified, depicted the Lord God?
This can be proven by the fact that the actions of God were connected with the movements of the ark of God. "O God," exclaims the Psalmist, "when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, the earth shook; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God" (Ps. 68:7-8). King David here recalls how the ark preceded Israel in the wilderness, how miracles were wrought through the ark.
Were there true images in the Old Testament after the tabernacle was replaced by the temple?
True images also adorned Solomon's temple. "So Solomon built the temple and finished it... Inside the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high... And he overlaid the cherubim with gold... Then he carved all the walls of the temple all around, both the inner and outer sanctuaries, with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers" (1 Kings 6:14, 23, 29).
How did the Lord regard Solomon for building the temple with images?
"Now it happened, when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord... that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. And the Lord said to him: 'I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually... But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight'" (1 Kings 9:1-3, 6-7).
Thus, true sacred images are pleasing to the Lord, and the Lord praises their making.
If the Lord blesses true images, does He condemn any others?
Yes, the Lord condemns and severely punishes false images. God, who blessed Solomon for true images, condemned and punished him for false ones.
Scripture relates that "Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord... Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded" (1 Kings 11:5-10).
Why was the making of false, pagan images criminal?
Because they led to debauchery. Thus, near the idol of Ashtoreth there were houses of ill repute. King Josiah decided to destroy the false images that had been placed in the Jerusalem temple. He "brought out the wooden image from the house of the Lord, to the Brook Kidron outside Jerusalem, burned it at the Brook Kidron and ground it to ashes, and threw its ashes on the graves of the common people. Then he tore down the ritual booths of the perverted persons that were in the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the wooden image" (2 Kings 23:6-7).
Why were sacred images always regarded with high reverence?
Because the Lord worked miracles through true images. When the ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistines and placed in the temple of Dagon, the false image of Dagon was thrown down and broken by the invisible power of God (1 Sam. 5).
On another occasion, the Lord "struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people" (1 Sam. 6:19). The Lord also struck Uzzah for touching the ark, which was not allowed (2 Sam. 6:7).
How was reverence for sacred images expressed?
They worshiped before sacred images and, in general, before material sacred objects. "But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple" (Ps. 5:7; cf. Ps. 138:2), said the Psalmist. Moses and Aaron at the tabernacle "fell on their faces" (Num. 20:6). Joshua "fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord" (Josh. 7:6).
How did the Savior relate to true images?
The Lord was in the Jerusalem temple, where there were true images, and He did not condemn them, but on the contrary, said: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations" (Mark 11:17; cf. Matt. 21:13; Luke 19:46; John 2:16).
But perhaps material sacred objects were venerated only in the Old Testament?
After the creation of the Church of Christ, the Apostles continued to go to the Jerusalem temple. "Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour" (Acts 3:1). The Apostle Paul, during his preaching of Christianity, came to Jerusalem to worship. "you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship" (Acts 24:11). Therefore, the Apostle worshiped before the sacred images of the Jerusalem temple.
Did not the Lord condemn the Apostle Paul for worshiping before sacred images, as all kinds of sectarians condemn Christians?
No, the Lord not only did not condemn the Apostle Paul, but even appeared to him during prayer in the temple before the sacred images. The Apostle says of himself: "Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him" (Christ) (Acts 22:17-18). The Lord appears only to those who do His will (John 14:21). Therefore, the prayer of the Apostle Paul in the Jerusalem temple before the sacred images was pleasing to the Lord.
Did Christians have their own temples where they could pray?
Christians very early began to build their own temples, as was explained in the chapter on holy temples.
Were there sacred images in the temples of the first Christians?
Yes, and very many. We know about this from history, especially by examining the catacombs, that is, the places of prayer of the first Christians in Rome. The catacombs are huge underground passages, huge caves with a multitude of various corridors and large rooms for Christian gatherings. Fearing persecution from pagan Jews, Christians came here to perform their divine services, and also buried here Christian martyrs and, in general, their deceased co-religionists. The underground temples have been preserved to our days, although they were for a long time in obscurity and desolation. Now in these underground temples, a multitude of various sacred images of the first Christians are found.
Is there testimony in Holy Scripture that Christians had sacred images, and in general, material sacred objects?
Yes. The Apostle Paul said that the antichrist, when he comes, will mock Christian sacred objects: "that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (2 Thess. 2:3-4). Thus, according to the Apostle, Christians will have holy temples always until the second coming of the Lord; in the temples there will be material sacred objects called by God, that is, therefore, in the temples there will always be the image of the Savior. The antichrist, as prophesied in Revelation, will force many to worship him instead of the image of the Savior God, "the beast and his image" (Rev. 14:9).
Why do Christians have sacred images?
Sacred images exist among Christians: firstly, to remind of God; secondly, to teach Christians; thirdly, to arouse religious feeling; fourthly, for the glorification of God.
How can sacred images remind of God?
Amidst life's cares, people often forget about God. Sacred images, placed in the temple, in the home, on roads, or worn by Christians on themselves, remind them of God, often restraining them from evil deeds. There have been many cases when people stopped before committing a crime and did not commit it, thanks to the fact that their gaze at the moment of temptation met sacred images, reminding them of God, judgment, and retribution.
How can sacred images teach us?
They teach us through the visual communication of the events of our salvation. On icons are depicted the appearances of God to man, the events of the earthly life of the Savior, His sufferings, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven; depicted are divine miracles and the Lord's teaching in parables; depicted is the Last Judgment predicted by the Savior; depicted are the Mother of God, the Angels, the saints of God, and instructive events from their lives. Christians look at all these sacred images and, as from a book, read for themselves instruction from all these events. The only difference between books and images is that not everyone can read books, while images are understandable even to the illiterate.
How do sacred images serve to arouse religious feeling in us?
Just as images of people close to us arouse our love for them; just as a letter reminding us of dear people fills our heart with tenderness and goodwill towards them. When we stand in the temple, and we are surrounded by sacred images of the Lord and the faces of God's saints, we feel closer to heaven, are convinced of the necessity of virtue, strengthen our will, zeal, and pray more boldly that the Lord send us His all-powerful grace. Thanks to the fact that sacred images constantly remind us of God, we become more and more religious.
How is it possible to glorify God with sacred images?
Just as we glorify people by erecting monuments to them. We glorify God by the art of painting images just as we glorify Him by other arts, such as singing, writing, and the like. Everywhere we place sacred images of God and images of the events of our salvation, and thus everywhere we proclaim the Lord and His greatness.
Why do we pray before icons?
Because before sacred images we are more quickly aroused to fervent prayer, more clearly and precisely recall the mercies of God towards us.
What to answer sectarians when they say that Christians pray before icons as before idols?
It must be said that none of the Christians consider holy icons to be gods; none of the Orthodox think that the icon created them or will judge them at the Last Judgment. If Christians venerated icons as pagans venerate their idols, they would think that one can only pray before icons; but Christians pray to God not only before icons, but often without having icons before their eyes: in the field, in the forest, on the river, etc.
Why do Christians worship before icons?
For the same reason that in the Old Testament they worshiped before the temple (Ps. 5:7; 138:2), before the tabernacle (Num. 20:6), and before the ark of the covenant (Josh. 7:6). Christians worship not the board on which the icon is painted, but the one who is depicted on it: the Lord God, the Mother of God, an Angel, or a saint of God.
Why do Christians light lamps and burn incense before icons?
Firstly, because in the Old Testament they thus honored material sacred objects: they lit lamps in the sanctuary (Ex. 25:31; 27:20-21; Num. 8:2), and burned incense (Ex. 30:8; 40:5; Lev. 16:12-13); secondly, Christians do this to signify their feelings and desires: Christians desire that, as the lamp and candle burn, so their heart may burn towards God; they desire that, as the smoke of incense rises to heaven, so their prayer may rise to God; and that, as the incense is fragrant, so their prayer may be favorable to the Lord.
Why do Christians kiss sacred images?
To express respect and love for the persons depicted on them. Respect and love when kissing holy icons refer not to the board, but to the depicted sacred persons—just as when a mother kisses the image of her distant son, she directs her love not to the paper, but to the one depicted on it.
How do sectarians justify their lack of sacred images?
Sectarians cite from Scripture all those passages in which false images—idols—are forbidden or condemned, serving them instead of the Creator.
What should be pointed out to the sectarians?
It must be pointed out that in the passages they cite, false images are condemned, while in other passages, the Lord commands to make and venerate true images.
Which passages do the sectarians particularly refer to when justifying their rejection of sacred images?
They refer to Ex. 20:4-5 and Deut. 4:13, 15-19, 23-24, 28; 5:8-9.
What is said in these passages of Scripture?
Here is set forth the Sinaitic commandment of God, forbidding false, not true, images. Christians, however, are to have true sacred images, which were commanded to be had: Ex. 25:8-10, 17-21; 26:1, 31, and others. The Apostle Paul also recognized true sacred images among Christians: 2 Thess. 2:3-4.
What other passages from Holy Scripture do sectarians cite for their justification?
In order of the books of Holy Scripture, these passages are the following: Lev. 26 (concerning high places and idols); Deut. 12:2-3 (concerning false gods, carved images, and their altars); Deut. 27:15 (concerning false molten images); Josh. 24 (concerning the gods of Egypt); 1 Kings 18:21-40 (concerning the prophet Elijah's shaming of the priests of the idol Baal); 2 Kings 17:9-41 (concerning serving carved images, idols, and abominations); Ps. 115:4-8 (concerning silver and gold idols); Ps. 135:15-18 (concerning pagan idols and their makers); Wis. 13:10-19; 14:8-31; 15:8-19 (concerning the vanity of idol worship); Is. 2 (concerning idols); Is. 17:7-8 (concerning serving God instead of Baal and Ashtoreth); Is. 42 (that the Lord will not give His glory to carved images); Is. 44:8-21 (idols are not God, and making them is foolish); Jer. 2:26-28 (concerning the idolatry of the Israelites); Jer. 10:2-5, 14-15 (the vanity of idols and the folly of idolatry); the Epistle of Jeremiah (in it, the idolatry of the Babylonians is condemned); Jer. 50:2; 51:44, 47, 52 (prediction of the destruction of idolatry); Ezek. 6:4-6 (prediction of the destruction of idols in Egypt); Dan. 2 (concerning Nebuchadnezzar's golden image); Dan. 14 (concerning the idol Bel); Hab. 2:18-19 (concerning the uselessness of carved images).
Do these passages justify the sectarians in their lack of true sacred images?
No, they do not, because in the listed passages, there is no talk at all about true images, but rather about false images, idolatry, and graven images.
What should be said to sectarians when they say that they do not recognize true images because they worship God in spirit and truth?
It must be answered that sacred images do not hinder worship in spirit and truth, but on the contrary, teach virtue and knowledge of God.
What should be said to sectarians when they say that they do not have sacred images, because they cannot think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising (Acts 17:29)?
It must be answered that Christians never thought and do not think that the Divine Nature is like gold or stone or wood, just as Moses did not think that the Most High was like the ark, which signified the presence of God and on which the name of God was inscribed. The Divine Nature is not like paper written on with letters; however, we depict on paper in letters the name and attributes of the Lord God. We know that the Divine Nature is not like an Angel or a stranger; yet, God appeared in the form of an Angel (to Gideon—Judg. 6) and of strangers (to Abraham—Gen. 18). So Christians depict God in those forms in which He appeared to people: in the form of the "Ancient of Days," that is, as an elder, as He revealed Himself to Daniel (Dan. 7:9); the Son of God, as He became incarnate (John 1:14; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:6-7); the Holy Spirit "in bodily form," in the form of a dove, as He appeared at the Lord's baptism (Luke 3:22); the Holy Trinity, Christians depict in the form of three strangers, as was the appearance to Abraham (Gen. 18).
What should be explained to sectarians when they cite Rom. 1:23?
It must be pointed out that Rom. 1:23 does not speak of true images, but of false ones: of idols which the pagans serve instead of the Creator, as the Apostle Paul explains (Rom. 1:25). Christians, however, serve the Creator, and sacred images do not replace God for them; but, just as a royal portrait does not replace the king himself, but only reminds of him, so the image of God does not replace the Lord God, but only constantly reminds of Him.
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On Sacred Objects
Besides sacred images, what other material sacred objects do Christians have?
Christians also have sacred objects used in worship: sacred books, vessels, lamps, vestments.
Is all this contrary to Holy Scripture?
No, it is not. All this was by God's command even in the Old Testament. The Lord Himself showed (Ex. 25:40) how to make the altar of burnt offering (Ex. 27:1), the lampstand and its tongs (Ex. 25:31-39), the altar of incense (Ex. 30:1), the table with its utensils, the laver with its utensils (Ex. 30:18), and the sacred vestments (Ex. 28).
Was the use of sacred objects abolished in the New Testament?
No, it was not. The Old Testament objects are no longer used, since the Old Testament worship, which prefigured New Testament worship, has been abolished. Instead of the Old Testament sacred objects, we now have others, which are adapted to New Testament worship.
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