Jesus Wasn’t a Blonde European Dude: 5 Reasons Pictures of Christ Might Be Sinful
Let’s have an awkward family talk, shall we? That framed, airbrushed picture of “Jesus” on your grandma’s wall—the one where He looks like He just walked off a shampoo commercial in Rome—isn’t just cheesy. It might actually be sinful.
Here’s why:
1. God Said Don’t Make Images—And He Meant It
Let’s open our dusty Bibles to the second commandment (Exodus 20:4–5):
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above…”
Now, unless Jesus was secretly born in Idaho and modeled for Renaissance artists, any image we make of Him is a likeness. And what did God say not to do with that? “You shall not bow down to them or serve them.”
“But I’m not worshiping the picture!”
Sure, Jan. But do you venerate it? Feel weird if someone defaces it? Get emotional in its presence? That’s toeing the line at best—and straight-up idolatry at worst.
2. Every Picture of Jesus Is a Lie
Let’s be blunt. You don’t know what Jesus looked like. I don’t. Nobody does.
What we do know is that He wasn’t white, didn’t have Pantene hair, and probably didn’t smile like a Hallmark angel. Isaiah 53:2 says,
“He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.”
And yet every painting makes Him look like the male lead in a soap opera set in ancient Galilee.
At best, it’s inaccurate. At worst, it’s a false representation of the incarnate Son of God. That’s a big deal.
3. Jesus Is Fully God—So That Image Is Theologically Loaded
When you depict Jesus, you’re not just painting a man. You’re trying to visualize the second Person of the Trinity. That’s… ambitious.
Colossians 1:15 says Jesus is “the image of the invisible God.” So when you make an image of Jesus, you’re not just showing what He might have looked like physically—you’re claiming to portray the divine.
And unless you’re omniscient, that’s not something you’re qualified to do. So maybe… just don’t?
4. It Undermines the Power of the Word
Romans 10:17 says,
“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
Not by gazing at a painting.
Christianity is a Word-based faith. God reveals Himself through Scripture, not through stained glass and Instagram art accounts. When we lean on pictures to “feel close” to Jesus, we’re showing we don’t trust the sufficiency of Scripture to show us who He is.
If your relationship with Jesus depends on having a visual aid, you might be in love with an image—not the Christ of the Bible.
5. The Early Church Literally Didn’t Do This
Fun fact: The early church—those pesky folks who knew Greek, Hebrew, and what the apostles smelled like—did not make images of Jesus. For centuries.
Why? Because they actually read the Ten Commandments and feared God more than aesthetics.
The whole “let’s paint Jesus like a Greek philosopher” trend showed up later, once the church started merging with the Roman Empire and got more interested in pageantry than purity.
Want to be biblical? Ditch the pictures.
TL;DR:
Jesus doesn’t need your art direction.
Worship the Word, not a watercolor.
And remember—He’s alive. Not hanging on your wall.
Let me know if you want a printable “Please remove this picture of Jesus” foyer sign or a sticker that says, “This is probably idolatry.” I’m only half joking.
Thanks for reading.
