Jesus ~ 4th century art, from catacombs of Commodilla
The Vatican has an amazing, earth shaking amount of early Christian art. One television documentary said the early art in Christianity (before 400 A.D.) is found largely in catacombs and saved from old churches; one of the most interesting aspects of this art is the face of Jesus is always the same. The documentary pointed out that variations on His face occur after the 4th century A.D.
People, the bible records, always have human nature and need a Savior. Unfortunately, just as the early children of Abraham were warned not to have idols, icons have attracted some to become icon cultists. But the Lord trusts us not to worship the image, but to seek His love.
The early art of Paul shows a bald or balding man with a furrowed brow. As Scripture for Today began the art, it was first St. Paul, but Paul would have wanted the art to be Jesus. The image Paul always wanted to put forth was the love God gave him in Jesus.
2 Timothy 1
[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
[2]
To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
[3]
I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers.
[4] As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
[5] I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lo'is and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you.
[6] Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;
[7] for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.
[8]
Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God,
[9] who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago,
[10] and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
[11] For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,
[12] and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
[13] Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus;
[14] guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
[15] You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phy'gelus and Hermog'enes.
[16] May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiph'orus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains,
[17] but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me --
[18] may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day -- and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
The service Paul gave us, even today, was to make known the love that God (Abba, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) has for us:
+Paul first appears to us in Acts 7, Saul approved of the stoning of Stephen.
+Paul then meets Jesus for the first time, on the way to Damascus, after the death of Jesus Christ. Paul’s eyes were not blessed to see Jesus in life, but more blessed because he believed.
+Paul agrees with the gospel, eyewitness, historical accounts of Jesus’ life. His life is like our lives, he didn’t see Jesus, but as a believer, wants to give the world more information about the life of Jesus and how Jesus loves us today.
+Paul wants us to know that the Cross of Jesus Christ has saved us when we believe in Him and trust in Him.
+Romans 3 is an example of what Paul has found in his life and offers TODAY to us: 21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
+ Colossians 3: 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
+Paul deals with many other questions on which he may have been asked for advice: their relationship with unbelievers; the duty of supporting other needy Christians, how to deal with church members who had fallen into temptation, the need for self-examination and humility, the conduct of family life, the importance of accepting the teaching authority of the leaders of the Church. Paul gives us advice as an anointed teacher of God, on the nature of man. The bible was written for you, because God loves you.
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