Dealing with A Painting of Jesus

Long ago, someone noted that I do not have a picture of Jesus on my wall and gave me a painting of Jesus. The reason that I didn't have a picture of Jesus is because no one knows what Jesus looked like so any picture of Jesus would be a misrepresentation of who Jesus is. However, not wanting to upset the donor of this painting, I accepted it and place in over my piano in my living room.

Recently, someone noticed that picture of Jesus over my piano in my living room and tried to persuade me that having a picture of Jesus was a violation of God's commandments. While I don't believe that it is a violation, I took it down for this person's sake. (The donor of this picture had since moved to California so it would not upset this person if the painting is no longer over my piano since this person would not be here to see it.)

I was going to let this topic drop and not bother to write about it in my blog, but the following post appeared in one of the Christian forums:

Isn't a painting of Jesus a 'graven image?'

Someone else posted this response:

According to 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 I would say no. This scripture says there is but one God but many have made gods that are in the heavens or earth. Our worship is given to God and Jesus. I'll take my chances with a painting of the One who died for me. I know what Exodus 20:4-6 says and it is complimentary of the 1 Corinthians scripture. Just my belief.

This is my response:

While I agree that having a picture of Jesus does not constitute the violation of the God's commandment (since it is referring to worshiping idols), one has to also consider how one's action can effect the spiritual health of others.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24
"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Romans 14:19-21
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

While these to verses refer to keeping kosher, it can also be applied to other ways in which we can cause others to stumble even though we are doing something that is permissible.

Let's assume that you hang an image of a Caucasian Jesus and it causes someone of African origin to subliminally categorize Christianity as an European religion, would you not be causing someone to stumble while doing something that is permissible?

Let us not just be legalists; let us conduct ourselves with love.