St John Damascene on Holy Images (πρὸς τοὺς διαβάλλοντας τᾶς ἁγίας εἰκόνας). Followed by Three Sermons on the Assumption (κοίμησις)John of Damascus, Saint
Religion
St John Damascene on Holy Images (πρὸς τοὺς διαβάλλοντας τᾶς ἁγίας εἰκόνας). Followed by Three Sermons on the Assumption (κοίμησις)
John of Damascus, Saint
Icons -- Cult; Idols and images -- Worship; Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint -- Assumption -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800
As in the king’s absence his image is honoured instead of himself, so in
his presence it would be unseemly to leave the original for the image.
This is not to say that what is passed over in his presence should be
dishonoured. … As the man who shows disrespect to the king’s image is
punished as if he had shown it to the king in very deed, although the
image is composed merely of wood and paint moulded together, so one who
shows disrespect to the likeness of a man means it for the original of
the likeness.
PART III.²⁰
_Every_ one must recognise that a man who attempts to dishonour an image
which has been set up for the glory and remembrance of Christ, of His
holy Mother, or one of his saints, is an enemy of Christ, of His holy
Mother, and the saints. It is also set up to shame the devil and his
crew, out of love and zeal for God. The man who refuses to give this
image due, though not divine, honour, is an upholder of the devil and
his demon host, showing by his act grief that God and the saints are
honoured and glorified, and the devil put to shame. The image is a
canticle and manifestation and monument to the memory of those who have
fought bravely and won the victory to the shame and confusion of the
vanquished. I have often seen lovers gazing at the loved one’s garment,
and embracing it with eyes and mouth as if it was himself. We must give
his due to every man. St Paul says: ‘Honour to whom honour: to the king
as excelling: or to governors as sent by him,’ to each according to the
measure of his dignity.
Where do you find in the Old Testament or in the Gospel the Trinity, or
consubstantiality, or one Godhead, or three persons,²¹ or the one
substance of Christ, or His two natures, expressed in so many words?
Still, as they are contained in what Scripture _does_ say, and defined
by the holy fathers, we receive them and anathematise those who do not.
I prove to you that in the old law God commanded images to be made,
first of all the tabernacle and everything in it. Then in the gospel our
Lord Himself said to those who asked Him, tempting, whether it was
lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, ‘Bring me a coin,’ and they showed Him
a penny. And He asked them whose likeness it was, and they said to Him,
Cæsar’s; and He said, ‘Give to Cæsar that which is Cæsar’s, and to God
that which is God’s.’ As the coin bears the likeness of Cæsar, it is
his, and you should give it to Cæsar. So the image bears the likeness of
Christ, and you should give it Him, for it is His.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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