A Trained Professional III: In His Image

Nowhere in Scripture is there a mention of an artist painting in the style of Rembrandt or Picasso. The act of painting of portraits are not mentioned as we understand them today. No one that worked with paints per se are specifically called out. It is clear from looking at archeological evidences in the form or paintings, etchings and bas-reliefs that there were indeed artists and people proficient with art. Interestingly though we see a few passages in the Bible that provide us with evidence that these things were done. As with faith and even the Spirit of God….we cannot see it but it still existed. Just because one doesn’t see something doesn’t mean it didn’t exist. That would be a fallacy. Jeremiah and Ezekiel are two places we see evidence.

Jeremiah 22:14 “…who says, ‘I will build myself a great house with spacious upper rooms,’ who cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar and painting it with vermilion.

Ezekiel 23:14 But she carried her whoring further. She saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion…

The use of vermilion in ancient time required immense skill including gathering the raw materials to make it and then utilize it in painting. Vermilion is a brilliant red or scarlet pigment, originally made from the powdered mineral cinnabar. It was widely used in the art and decoration of Ancient Rome, in the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, in the paintings of the Renaissance. It was also dangerous as it is a mercury compound. Most that used it ended up dead young. Cinnabar pigment was a side-product of the mining of mercury, and mining cinnabar was difficult, expensive and dangerous, because of the toxicity of mercury. A slave relegated to the mining of mercury and byproducts as a virtual death sentence.

There are in fact exactly two references to literal pictures in the Bible. The Bible is replete with mention of sculptures or idols though. I will avoid the discussion of idols here in lieu of painting and engraving/etching.

Numbers 33:52 ….then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places.

The mention of figured stones מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָ֑ם is an obvious reference to idols and/or carved statues signifying the same which were likely carved in stone or ivory. In the same breath we see metal images צַלְמֵ֤י מַסֵּֽכֹתָם֙ mentioned too. Properly understood in Hebrew it was actually molded metal images. Images carved out of a metal surface or bas-reliefs of false gods most likely. There is then the wise word from Solomon in Proverbs 25.

Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

A setting of silver should probably be better understood as ‘in pictures of silver’ as the Hebrew word for setting here meant picture. Why pictures of gold apples in silver? The word pictures in Hebrew also meant setting as shown in this English Standard Version verse. What setting? The setting was likely an engraved bowl or basket as was common in ancient times and today. Where else do you put apples? I personally would put them in a basket or bowl of course. The one mentioned here would’ve likely been ornate or artistic.

A quick perusal of Egyptian archeology also reveals a great deal about their ability to paint and use pigments. Undisturbed tombs have been found covered in frescoes and sketches giving rather complete portraits of Egyptian life with extraordinary accuracy. There has been pottery unearthed all over the Middle Eastern area testify to the artistic ability of the ancients with brushes. They show scenes, people, plants, animals and so on. Sadly, because some of the fine arts became the vehicle of idolatry, God condemned and put restrictions on representation of objects of heaven and earth. Of course these were restrictions aimed at his recalcitrant covenant people who had repeatedly strayed form Him chasing these exact idols.

Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

Deuteronomy 5:8-9 You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me…”

Ironically, there have been enormous sums of money paid for artistic masterpieces nowadays that wouldn’t have gotten second glances a century or two ago. So, in reality there is still truth to God’s restrictions to the images and representations of things on heaven and earth. In paying these enormous sums we see that those who would fork over this money do often value the creation over the creator. The artist often dies in poverty and obscurity. The creation bought for a paltry sum then sells for a king’s ransom or the cost of a kingdom. Not unlike Judas selling something priceless like his salvation for 30 of pieces of silver and yet, completely missing the awe-inspiring beauty of the Creator because they are being blinded by simple material earthly gain.

The very same Creator that Judas betrayed who can only be mimicked. A divine Creator-Artist in Whose sunsets cannot be rivaled by human hands in color palette or paint. A Creator Whose sunset colors can barely be reproduced on a canvas because His colors are painted on the sky itself. Where is the human Rembrandt that can possibly match the glory of even the blue sky and the pure white of the clouds that declare the glory of God?

Psalm 50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

For in fact, we ourselves, the human artists are in reality the art of the Creator-Artist. We are the pinnacle of His creation. In creating us he created self-aware beings who themselves can contemplate God and seek to emulate him in his beauty through their words, paintbrushes or other medium. We are made in his image. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.