{"id":8534,"date":"2018-10-31T10:12:52","date_gmt":"2018-10-31T10:12:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/OrthodoxChurch.nl\/?p=8534"},"modified":"2024-12-26T16:37:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-26T16:37:54","slug":"biblical-artwork-is-commanded-by-god-for-churches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/watchman.news\/pl\/2018\/10\/biblical-artwork-is-commanded-by-god-for-churches\/","title":{"rendered":"Biblijna grafika jest nakazana przez Boga ko\u015bcio\u0142om (prawos\u0142awna odpowied\u017a dla w\u0105tpi\u0105cych Tom\u00f3w)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Hosea 3:4<\/a> <\/strong>“For the children\u00a0of Israel\u00a0shall abide\u00a0many\u00a0days\u00a0without a king,\u00a0and without a prince,\u00a0and without a sacrifice,\u00a0and without an image,\u00a0and without an ephod,\u00a0and\u00a0without\u00a0teraphim:”<\/strong><\/em><\/div>\n
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For all of our Protestant friends out there, we want you to know the facts about Biblical artwork. Perhaps you haven’t gotten the answers you wished for from the Orthodox theologians. Well then, this will be your place to find the case for Biblical artwork.<\/div>\n
(Note: This article doesn’t go into the Biblical old testament veneration of relics of Saints. That would be another study like on the Staffs, the Tallits, anointing cloths, or even the bones of Elisha.)<\/div>\n
This is a first effort in history by the canonical Orthodox Church of the Culdees to defend the artwork in churches.<\/div>\n
Finally Protestants have an answer from the Orthodox, in a published work on why churches must use good artwork. This has come as first disclosed from the Orthodox Church of the Culdees.<\/div>\n
Please note, several others have described the early American pilgrims as “Neo Culdees” for their ethnic and religious background, as coming to America for reasons of religious purity and integrity. For the first 400 years, nearly every University and church in America (not connected to any state church) still used our Orthodox English Liturgy (BCP)<\/a>.\u00a0Therefore it remains the responsibility of the Orthodox Culdees to guide them back to reintegration.<\/div>\n
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Archaeologists discovered images in a Jewish synagogue and Christian church in the Syrian town of Dura Europos dating back to circa 250<\/a>. Even earlier evidence are the images found in the catacombs that have been dated to the late 100s to the early 200s. The significance of these images lies in the fact that Christians across the Roman Empire were comfortable with images in their places of worship prior the Emperor Constantine\u2019s acceptance of Christianity in 313. In other words, the presence of images in Christian churches cannot be attributed to new converts importing pagan practices as Protestant iconoclasts have alleged.<\/p>\n

An ironic witness to the cultic use of images in the early Church is the outspoken curmudgeon, Tertullian (155 to 220). In his treatise On Modesty, Tertullian complained about the image of the Good Shepherd on the communion chalice:<\/p>\n

\u201c. . . to which, perchance, that Shepherd, will play the patron whom you depict upon your (sacramental) chalice.\u201d (ANF Vol. 4 p. 85; emphasis added; NewAdvent).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Biblical References On Artwork For Churches<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\u00b7 Cherubims<\/strong> are commanded to be carved into the Sanctuaries, not only directly where the priests would minister, but also in the outside and various vessels used for the service. Many cherubims and surrounding artwork are decked throughout the temples of YAHWEH in the Bible (i.e. Moses\u2019, Solomon\u2019s and Ezekiel\u2019s temples) with most cunning artwork depicted on the veil in Exodus 26:1<\/a> and 36:8. In 1Kings 6:23-29<\/a> they\u2019re carved into all the walls of the house round about with cherubims, palm trees and open flowers, both within and without. With larger depictions and more decorations in 2Chronicles 3<\/a>. In Ezekiel 41:18-20<\/a> it says they were also depicted \u201cthrough all the house round about\u201d<\/strong><\/em>.<\/div>\n
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\u00b7 Cunning artwork of \u201cgold, silver, brass precious stones, and in carving of wood\u201d<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Exodus 31:3-5<\/a>: “And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.”<\/p>\n

Exodus 35:35<\/a>: “Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.”<\/p>\n

Note: It repeats that these were devised “as commanded” and “as shown to Moses”, each time these artists are mentioned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00b7 Beautification of the Temple<\/strong> Ezra 7:27<\/a> (The King of Persia said spare no expense in restoring all that was commanded in the building of the Temple of God, with all it’s decoration (see vs 23).<\/div>\n
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\u00b7 Wooden carved artwork<\/strong> is mentioned as being perpetually in all the various congregations \/ synagogues everywhere as described in Psalms 74:3-9<\/a>, and says in verse 6 \u201chowever\u201d(strongs 6256), the wicked have sought to burn it down. Such cunning artwork decorations carved in wood was attributed to the righteous congregations and all the synagogues, which were burned.<\/div>\n
We read in Exodus 31<\/a> how God filled men with His Spirit to devise “cunning works” in wood carvings for the decorations of His sanctuary.<\/div>\n
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\u00b7 The “holy habitations” <\/strong>are places of worship that are apart from the Temple itself. Such places are mentioned in Exodus 15:13<\/a>, Ps 77:20<\/a>, Ps 78:54<\/a> as places for His people to assemble. These were no doubt decorated richly, as previously stated in Psalms 74:3-9<\/a>, the extravagant artwork of wood etc. Except the altars themselves had to not be made of any gold or silver, but of unhewn stone, as in Exodus 20:25<\/a>. So it would make sense that more wooden and other artwork would be implemented in such altars that were set up within holy habitations abroad. Each area had to have an altar for the regular services, thanks offerings, sacrifices, praise and worship, see Deuteronomy 12:5-7<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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We know that both Moses and Solomon also had such artwork first carved with the most cunning wood artwork. It says God filled certain men with His Spirit to “devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in the carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.” Much of that wooden artwork for the national Temple and Tabernacle was overlaid with gold. Later this full golden version was also re-created in the “beautified Sanctuary” in Ezra 7:27<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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As even during the time of the restored Temple, all the synagogues had artwork as well.<\/div>\n
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We may get an idea from Luke 21:5<\/a> where it tells us how the exterior of the Temple was richly decorated: “And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts…”<\/div>\n
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\u00b7 Depictions of the Saints in the sanctuary<\/strong> as the \u201cMost finest gold stones of the sanctuary\u201d<\/strong><\/em> which are called \u201choly sons of Zion\u201d<\/strong> <\/em>and repeats \u201cfinest gold\u201d<\/strong><\/em> that has become \u201cesteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter\u201d<\/strong><\/em> and \u201care poured out in every street.\u201d<\/strong><\/em> Lamentations 4:1-2<\/a><\/div>\n
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\u00b7 Make \u201cEnsigns of our Fathers house\u201d<\/strong> or Coats of Arms and other commanded Biblical symbols we are to assemble under, as used for civil buildings, and for genealogical purposes in Numbers 2:2<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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\u00b7 Outdoors Iconography of Cherubim <\/strong>is depicted on ten carts and ten lavers 1Kings 7:29<\/a>, 36. These particular lavers were made of brass and were used for washing burnt offerings. Priests only bathed in the sea.<\/div>\n
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\u00b7 Cherubim are associated with places His presence was manifested<\/strong> Psalms 80:1<\/a>; 99:1<\/a>. As David said He would always remain in the Temple, it may be that He brought depictions of the cherubim wherever he went. No doubt, this is one of the inspirations for decorating our \u201cprayer closet\u201d.<\/div>\n
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\u00b7 His Majestic Ornament<\/strong> (probably the cross) has been mis-used by the wicked Ezekiel 7:27<\/a>. (Note, the Cross is very ancient as Yahshua was \u201cslain from the foundation of the world\u201d<\/strong><\/em> as it says in Revelation 13:8<\/a> and 1Peter 1:20<\/a> as our sacrificial Lamb. The Hebrew Passover lambs were always placed on a beam that looked like the cross. A dozen more reasons for decorating with, or wearing a cross can also be found.)<\/div>\n
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\u00b7 Graven statue artwork of Crosses<\/strong> was used for remembering He is raised up as a serpent on a Cross, as our healer in Numbers 21:8<\/a>. We must lift up the cross ensign for Israel, just as it was necessary for Moses to lift up the serpent on a rod.<\/div>\n
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John 3:14<\/a><\/strong> “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00b7 THE CROSS. That sign we were sealed<\/a> is the Tau or T Cross symbol<\/strong>, which was used at all Hebrew Baptisms \u201cAnd YAHWEH said unto him(the cherub at the altar), Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark (tav) upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.\u201d (Ezekiel 9:4<\/a>)<\/div>\n
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Scenes of Cherubim and Seraphim<\/strong><\/div>\n
It can best be said that Seraphim are the higher order of “the Saints”.<\/div>\n