In the reading, John attempts to justify idolatry as an acceptable and even desirable form of worship. He begins by criticizing those who do not condone idolatry as “impious.” He then discusses his adoration of God and introduces the concept of the Holy Trinity. He differentiates between the intangible ideas of the Father and the Holy Ghost, and the more concrete concept of the Son. He then introduces scripture quoted by adversaries describing the messages God gave to Moses about idolatry. John then introduces scripture stating that Christ was God’s form incarnate, and argues that because God has offered himself in a tangible form, he is encouraging humans to make other likenesses. He then goes on to define worship as the “symbol of veneration and of honor” and points out that if people have no images to venerate, it is quite hard to worship. He concludes by stressing the Father’s intangibility, and the concrete nature of Christ. He suggests that to despise anything that God has made is herese, and therefore the people who despise idols are themselves heretics.
John distinguishes between the worship of iconophiles and the worship of others by pointing out that those who choose to despise a section of God’s creation are heretics. He introduces scripture from the Old Testament which is quoted by his adversaries but then quickly quotes several pieces of New Testament scripture. This is one of the important points made by John. He is trying to emphasize how the word of God has evolved between the Old and the New Testaments. In the Old Testament, God counseled the Jews to shy away from idolatry, which they were prone to. But, with the new teachings of Christ, God has made a figure upon which people can focus their worship. The evolution of His word is such that the Old Testament can be partially discounted in favor of newer theology. John uses New Testament scripture to base his argument, but he mostly relies on verbal rationalization to make his point. He would rather discuss the logic of idol worship instead of cite a specific scriptural link. This makes his argument stronger, because the reader can clearly follow the rhetorical path of the writer rather than trying to interpret esoteric bible quotes.
The most stressed idea is the difference between the intangible Holy Spirit and the concrete Jesus. This is the crux of idolatry because Jesus is in of himself, an idol proffered by God in man’s image. While an idol cannot recreate the true likeness of anything, John feels that creating idols, just like God did with Christ is a high form of worship. In this document ,John makes an effective argument for idolatry, both with scriptural references and with rhetorical arguments.
John distinguishes between the worship of iconophiles and the worship of others by pointing out that those who choose to despise a section of God’s creation are heretics. He introduces scripture from the Old Testament which is quoted by his adversaries but then quickly quotes several pieces of New Testament scripture. This is one of the important points made by John. He is trying to emphasize how the word of God has evolved between the Old and the New Testaments. In the Old Testament, God counseled the Jews to shy away from idolatry, which they were prone to. But, with the new teachings of Christ, God has made a figure upon which people can focus their worship. The evolution of His word is such that the Old Testament can be partially discounted in favor of newer theology. John uses New Testament scripture to base his argument, but he mostly relies on verbal rationalization to make his point. He would rather discuss the logic of idol worship instead of cite a specific scriptural link. This makes his argument stronger, because the reader can clearly follow the rhetorical path of the writer rather than trying to interpret esoteric bible quotes.
The most stressed idea is the difference between the intangible Holy Spirit and the concrete Jesus. This is the crux of idolatry because Jesus is in of himself, an idol proffered by God in man’s image. While an idol cannot recreate the true likeness of anything, John feels that creating idols, just like God did with Christ is a high form of worship. In this document ,John makes an effective argument for idolatry, both with scriptural references and with rhetorical arguments.