My family won’t be seeing Son of God on idolatry grounds. This is a serious issue that few concern themselves with. The makers of this film demonstrate an ignorance of the meaning of the Second Commandment, which forbids using images to represent God.
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
This commandment prohibits the creation and use of graven images. It essentially brings to mind that God is Spirit, not to be conceived of or fashioned in man’s image, or any other creature. In Deuteronomy 4:12-16 is found a similar passage,
“And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female.…”
What is forbidden is the similitude of the Lord Himself. No similitude of the Divine was given to the people and none was to be made. Moreover, in the New Testament, we see that no “similitude” of Christ Jesus was given, and the commandment must remain unabridged. Any similitude or image of Father, Son, or Holy Spirit is sinful and insulting to the majesty of the Lord God. And what of those who seek balm for their conscience in preferring pictures over statues, as if the lack of one dimension transforms the image into a thing acceptable unto God? They well imagine that they have acted more nobly toward the Lord because theirs is not a “graven image” in 3-dimensional form. It comforts them not to be upon the Roman road of idolatry, oblivious to the fact that they parallel it upon the Greek route. God forbids the making of a likeness of anything. Therefore, it is a transgression of God’s law to make a “representation” or “semblance” of anything in heaven or upon the earth, to characterize God. He calls those who break this commandment “those who hate me,” and those who keep the commandment, “those who love me.” Punishment for iniquity is promised to the transgressors, while blessing is pledged to the adherents. From God’s perspective, idolatry is spiritual adultery; so with the indignant reaction of a betrayed husband, He continues, “for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”
No “similitude”?
Gee, don’t the Muslim’s teach the same thing about Mohammed?
What a kwinkydink.
Should we even imagine what Jesus looked like? Isn’t that “similitude,” too?
What about when He left his face imprint on the sweat rag during His walk with the cross. Does that mean we can copy His face as long as its in agony, with blood?
If we aren’t supposed to think of His physical form, why didn’t He just come as a ball of light? And if He wants us to contemplate the fact that He came here in human form, why wouldn’t He want us to contemplate the image of that form?
I think you have a very valid point.