Rev. Steve Hofmeister

I saw a video this morning of two black individuals doing a video cast on Facebook talking about whether should we remove white images of Jesus? I wished I could have found it. I look all afternoon trying to find this video again because I wanted to reference it directly in my video, but to no avail. They were showing snippets of a white preacher talking about the total removal of images of Jesus. And they were nitpicking it because they’re not talking about the removal of all images, just white images.

Now, here’s where I have my issue with the entire that Jesus wasn’t white and Jesus wasn’t black. Jesus has no color. Jesus has no race. He did for a short period of time, and he was of Jewish descent. But why are we fighting about this? Why are we having this need to remove this one actuality? There really shouldn’t be any images of Jesus, to begin with. None of us really, truly know what Jesus looked like. No one, none of us lived in that time. So any image we have of Jesus is a facsimile, an idea of what Jesus looked like. And actually, that would not be kind of be considered an idol.

Now stick with me here, because I do believe that there should be some imagery of Jesus, of course, imagery and a cross, because you need that for educational purposes, especially with children. But let me start off with Exodus first, or Exodus chapter 20, verse four, which says,

⁴ “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.
Exodus 20:4 (NLT)

I think that’s pretty, pretty cut and dry. Now, granted, this preceded Jesus. This is Old Testament stuff. But I don’t see where it doesn’t still pertain to our life right now. Moving over to Deuteronomy chapter four, verse 16, which says, So I find it here. Chapter four, verse 16. Deuteronomy says,

¹⁶ So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form—whether of a man or a woman,
Deuteronomy 4:16 (NLT)

there is more to these verses, but these portions of these verses I think are pretty, pretty straightforward, and what they’re telling us. We’ll move now to Deuteronomy 4:23 4:23 says,

²³ So be careful not to break the covenant the LORD your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the LORD your God has forbidden this.
Deuteronomy 4:23 (NLT)

Okay, So you see, we’re following the same theme here and we’re going to move on to one more. I’m going to throw at you, which is Psalms 40, verse four.

⁴ Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD,
who have no confidence in the proud
or in those who worship idols.  Psalms 40:4 (NLT)

So what I’m getting at, what these scriptures and I’m trying to point out is I believe Jesus never intended to have his likeness made into an idol. I don’t believe that was part of God’s plan. But as I said already, I think it is important for educational use. But I don’t think we should be putting these images of Jesus himself that we’ll touch on again are just our interpretations of what Jesus looked like. We shouldn’t be putting those up on a panel style. Jesus is a spirit. God is around us everywhere. The Spirit of Jesus is around us. The Holy Spirit is around us. So why are we fighting over idols? It’s just one more day visionary tool that you’ve wanted using to divide us as God’s people. So I ask you to look into your heart and really think about this. That we’re fighting over an idol. God doesn’t want that. Jesus doesn’t want that. It is God’s people. We don’t need that right now. There’s enough going on in the world. So think about it. Pray on it. And may God be with you.

“Pastor Steve”

Pastor Steve serves as the Senior Pastor & President of Diakonos Independent Ministries of Maryland in Abingdon, Maryland.

Pastor Steve is also the host of the Quick Points with Pastor Steve Podcast on Spotify, and writes articles regularly on multiple websites. He is involved in many community oriented projects ranging from public school reform issues to general community support and outreach.