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
The Son being of the same substance as the Father, He can justly say
that He has what the Father has. Hence it was fitting and proper that
after the words ‘I and the Father are one,’ he should add, ‘that you may
know that I am in the Father and the Father in Me.’ He had already said
the same thing. ‘He who sees Me sees the Father.’ There is one and the
same mind in these three sayings. To know that the Father and the Son
are one is to know that he is in the Father and the Father in the Son.
The Godhead of the Son is the Godhead of the Father. The man who
receives this understands ‘that he who sees the Son sees the Father.’
For the Godhead of the Father is seen in the Son. This will be easier to
understand from the example of the king’s image which shows forth his
form and likeness. The king is the likeness of his image. The likeness
of the king is indelibly impressed upon the image, so that any one
looking at the image sees the king, and again, any one looking at the
king recognises that the image is his likeness. Being an indelible
likeness, the image might answer a man, who expressed the wish to see
the king after contemplating it, by saying, ‘The king and I are one. I
am in him and he is in me. That which you see in me you see in him, and
the man who looks upon him looks at the same in me.’ He who worships the
image worships the king in it. The image is his form and likeness.
The same, to Antiochus the Ruler.
What do our adversaries say to these things, they who maintain that we
should not worship the effigies of the saints, which are preserved
amongst us for a remembrance of them.
St Ambrose of Milan, to the Emperor Gratian concerning the Incarnation
of God the Word.
God before flesh was made, and God in the flesh. There is a fear lest,
abstracting the double principle of action and wisdom from Christ, we
should glorify a mutilated Christ. Now, is it possible to divide Christ
whilst we adore His Godhead and His flesh? Do we divide Him when we
adore at once the image of God and the Cross? God forbid.
St Cyril of Jerusalem, twelfth Instruction.
If you seek the cause of Christ’s presence, go back to the first chapter
of Scripture. God made the world in six days, but the world was made for
man. The most brilliant sun glowing with light was made for man. And all
living things were created for our service, trees and flowers for our
enjoyment. All created things were beautiful, yet only man was the image
of God. The sun arose by command alone: man was moulded by the Divine
Hand. ‘Let us make man to our image and likeness.’ The wooden image of
an earthly king is honoured, how much more the rational image of God?
St John Chrysostom, on the Machabees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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