Crucifixes and Graven Images.
by the Rev. Walter Snyder

Q: My Bible study group asks, "Why does the Catholic religion portray Jesus hanging on
the cross while Protestant crosses are empty?"

The answer is more complex than first appears. Lutherans, Episcopalians, and others also have or
allow crucifixes. Churches in Eastern Orthodoxy will have painted images, but not sculpted. While
some of this is connected with specific abuses, a major part stems from understanding of the Ten
Commandments and the interpretation of the Mosaic Law in the lives of Christians.

God forbad Israel from making graven images of Himself and then worshiping the images. Yet in
Christ, God made an image of Himself in human form. Since that time, many believers are
convinced that God allows a depiction of His enfleshment in crucifixes, paintings, and the like.

Dissenters cite prohibitions such as Exodus 20:4, "You shall not make for yourself a carved
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." Yet God's explanation of the prohibition could allow images not
worshiped, as He continues in verse 5: "You shall not bow down to them or serve them."
Furthermore, God commanded the construction of images in Exodus 25:18-22, ordering that two
cherubim be carved and placed on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant.

Additionally, do those commands directed specifically to Israel also apply to Gentiles, or even to
Jewish converts to Christianity? Other prohibitions, such as the dietary laws, are set aside, as
when Peter had the vision of the "common" or "unclean" foods prior to receiving the messengers
of the Cornelius (Acts 10). Paul specifically states that the New Moon or Sabbath celebrations
hold no special importance in the resurrection, since all days are holy to God (Colossians 2:16).

Many in Christendom consider images, including crucifixes, in the same light. Operating both
under the freedom of the Gospel and as Gentiles who never lived under the Law given to Israel at
Sinai, they believe themselves free to make such images as focuses of devotion and as reminders
of the all-availing sacrifice of Christ upon the cross.

Martin Luther was one such person. In one breath in a sermon he could say of images, "Because
of the abuses they give rise to, I wish they were everywhere abolished," yet also, "They ought to
be abolished when they are worshipped; otherwise not." In other places, he spoke well of their
proper use. Probably drawing on memories of his own days in the monastary, Luther remarked,
"It was a good practice to hold a wooden crucifix before the eyes of the dying or to press it into
their hands. This brought the suffering and death of Christ to mind and comforted the dying."

Many (not all) Protestants believe and teach differently. They recognize no difference between
images used to remind us of Christ or His saints and images of Christ or the saints that are
worshiped. They believe that the Law given through Moses not only bound Israel, but also binds
all subsequent believers in the true God, whether Israelite or Gentile.

Battles over images during the Reformation were not only between various reformers and Rome,
but also among various factions of reformers. For instance, one of Luther's early allies in the
Reformation, Dr. Karlstadt, later started violently smashing images, dragging them out of
churches and damaging the weak faith of some of the parishioners. Luther perceived this to be
such a threat to the freedom of the Gospel that he left his hiding place, even though the emperor
had declared him an outlaw, in order to preach against those who were destroying images, altars,
and other trappings of the Church.

Eastern Orthodox churches also had disputes over images, including what was known as the
Iconoclastic [icon-breaking] Controversy. Some argued for the destruction of all images while
others encouraged their use for individual devotion and for corporate memory of Christ and the
saints. Most of the 700s AD saw fighting over this issue. The Eastern Church finally settled on
allowing painted, mosaic, or other "flat" images, but disallowed carved statuary and the like.

I favor the majority opinion of the Western Church, although I would not blindly use images
under all circumstances. If they are abused by being worshiped or if they lead people to petition
the saints rather than the Savior, then I would oppose them. However, if they are used under
Christian freedom as devotional aids and reminders of God's grace, then I think crucifixes and
other images serve salutary purposes and should be allowed in the home and the church.

To Ask the Pastor, please write Ask the Pastor, PO Box 12, Emma, MO, 65327 or send email
to askthepastor@aol.com.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of
the book "What Do Lutherans Believe."

Ask the Pastor is copyright (c) 2001 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality,
including this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and
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