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
Bodies as having form and shape and colour, may properly be represented
in image. Now if nothing physical or material may be attributed to an
angel, a spirit, and a devil, yet they may be depicted and circumscribed
after their own nature. Being intellectual beings, they are believed to
be present and to energise in places known to us intellectually. They
are represented materially as Moses made an image of the cherubim who
were looked upon by those worthy of the honour, the material image
offering them an immaterial and intellectual sight. Only the divine
nature is uncircumscribed and incapable of being represented in form or
shape, and incomprehensible.
If Holy Scripture clothes God in figures which are apparently material,
and can even be seen, they are still immaterial. They were seen by the
prophets and those to whom they were revealed, not with bodily but with
intellectual eyes. They were not seen by all. In a word it may be said
that we can make images of all the forms which we see. We apprehend
these as if they were seen. If at times we understand types from
reasoning, and also from what we see, and arrive at their comprehension
in this way, so with every sense, from what we have smelt, or tasted, or
touched, we arrive at apprehension by bringing our reason to bear upon
our experience.
We know that it is impossible to look upon God, or a spirit, or a demon,
as they are. They are seen in a certain form, divine providence clothing
in type and figure what is without substance or material being, for our
instruction, and more intimate knowledge, lest we should be in too great
ignorance of God, and of the spirit world. For God is a pure Spirit by
His nature. The angel, and a soul, and a demon, compared to God, who
alone is incomparable, are bodies; but compared to material bodies, they
are bodiless. God therefore, not wishing that we should be in ignorance
of spirits, clothed them in type and figure, and in images akin to our
nature, material forms visible to the mind in mental vision. These we
put into form and shape, for how were the cherubim represented and
described in image? But Scripture offers forms and images even of God.
Who first made an Image.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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