Imagines
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In biblical terminology, "imagines" refers to idols or graven images that are often mentioned in the context of worship and idolatry. The Bible consistently warns against the creation and worship of such images, emphasizing the importance of worshiping the one true God in spirit and truth.

Old Testament Context

The prohibition against imagines is rooted in the Ten Commandments, where God explicitly commands the Israelites not to make or worship idols. In Exodus 20:4-5 , it is written: "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God..."

Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites are repeatedly admonished for turning to idols, which are often referred to as "imagines." The prophets frequently rebuke the people for their idolatry, which is seen as a betrayal of their covenant with God. For instance, in Isaiah 44:9-10 , the futility of idol-making is highlighted: "Those who fashion idols are all nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?"

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, the emphasis shifts from physical idols to the broader concept of idolatry, which includes anything that takes the place of God in one's heart. The Apostle Paul addresses this in his letters, warning believers to flee from idolatry. In 1 Corinthians 10:14 , Paul writes, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry."

The New Testament also emphasizes the spiritual nature of worship. Jesus, in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, declares in John 4:23-24 , "But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

Theological Implications

From a theological standpoint, imagines represent a distortion of true worship. They are seen as a human attempt to control or contain the divine, which is contrary to the nature of God as revealed in Scripture. The Bible teaches that God is transcendent and cannot be reduced to any physical form or image. The worship of imagines is thus viewed as a fundamental misunderstanding of God's nature and a violation of His commandments.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near Eastern context, the creation and worship of imagines were common practices among surrounding nations. These cultures often used idols as representations of their deities, believing that the divine presence could inhabit these physical objects. The Israelites, however, were called to be distinct from these practices, serving as a witness to the nations of the one true God who is not confined to any image or form.

Practical Application

For contemporary believers, the concept of imagines extends beyond physical idols to include anything that might usurp God's rightful place in one's life. This can include material possessions, personal ambitions, or even relationships that become more important than one's relationship with God. The call to avoid imagines is a call to prioritize God above all else and to worship Him with undivided devotion.
Library

He Falsely Imagines that the Same Energies Produce the Same Works ...
... Book I. Section 27. He falsely imagines that the same energies produce the same
works, and that variation in the works indicates variation in the energies. ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 27 he falsely imagines.htm

He Falsely Imagines that we Can have an Unalterable Series of ...
... Book I. Section 28. He falsely imagines that we can have an unalterable
series of harmonious natures existing side by side. But ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 28 he falsely imagines.htm

He Imagines Also that Both the Earthquake and the Darkness were an ...
... Chapter LIX. He imagines also that both the earthquake and the darkness were
an invention? He imagines also that both the earthquake ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lix he imagines also.htm

He Imagines, However, that we Utter These Exhortations for the ...
... Chapter LXV. He imagines, however, that we utter these exhortations for
the conversion of sinners? He imagines, however, that ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lxv he imagines however.htm

Jesus Accordingly, as Celsus Imagines, Exhibited after his Death ...
... Chapter LXI. Jesus accordingly, as Celsus imagines, exhibited after His death
only the appearance of wounds received? Jesus accordingly ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lxi jesus accordingly as.htm

This Jew of Celsus, Ridiculing Jesus, as He Imagines...
... Chapter XXXIV. This Jew of Celsus, ridiculing Jesus, as he imagines?
This Jew of Celsus, ridiculing Jesus, as he imagines, is ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xxxiv this jew of.htm

It Is, Moreover, in a Very Unphilosophical Spirit that Celsus ...
... Chapter XL. It is, moreover, in a very unphilosophical spirit that Celsus
imagines our Lord's pre-eminence among? It is, moreover ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xl it is moreover.htm

His Friend Being Snatched Away by Death, He Imagines that He ...
... Book IV. Chapter VI."His Friend Being Snatched Away by Death, He Imagines that
He Remains Only as Half. 11. But why do I speak of these things? ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter vi his friend being snatched.htm

The Various Hypotheses of Marcus and Others. Theories Respecting ...
... Neither does any one know [2830] itself, nor is it acquainted with the pronunciation
of its neighbour, but each one imagines that by its own utterance it does ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xiv the various hypotheses of.htm

The Trinity of the Outer Man, or of External vision, is not an ...
... increasing, or diminishing, or changing, or compounding, after its pleasure, those
which have not dropped out of its remembrance, it often imagines things to ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 5 the trinity of the.htm

Thesaurus
Imagines (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Imagines (2 Occurrences). 1 Corinthians 3:18
Let no one deceive himself. If any man imagines that he is ...
/i/imagines.htm - 7k

Imagination (20 Occurrences)
... n.) The imagine-making power of the mind; the power to create or reproduce ideally
an object of sense previously perceived; the power to call up mental imagines...
/i/imagination.htm - 16k

Imagineth (1 Occurrence)

/i/imagineth.htm - 6k

Imagined (5 Occurrences)

/i/imagined.htm - 8k

Possesses (7 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 8:2 If any one imagines that he already possesses any true knowledge,
he has as yet attained to no knowledge of the kind to which he ought to ...
/p/possesses.htm - 8k

Compared (29 Occurrences)
... If any man imagines that he is wise, compared with the rest of you, with the wisdom
of the present age, let him become "foolish" so that he may be wise. (WEY). ...
/c/compared.htm - 14k

Attained (20 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 8:2 If any one imagines that he already possesses any true knowledge,
he has as yet attained to no knowledge of the kind to which he ought to ...
/a/attained.htm - 12k

Singing (65 Occurrences)
... Wellhausen imagines that he can detect one of the singers, in the portrayal of an
Assyrian band, compressing his throat in order to produce a vibrato; and it ...
/s/singing.htm - 29k

Singers (41 Occurrences)
... Wellhausen imagines that he can detect one of the singers, in the portrayal of an
Assyrian band, compressing his throat in order to produce a vibrato; and it ...
/s/singers.htm - 23k

Foolish (259 Occurrences)
... If any man imagines that he is wise, compared with the rest of you, with the wisdom
of the present age, let him become "foolish" so that he may be wise. ...
/f/foolish.htm - 36k

Resources
What is escapism? | GotQuestions.org

Why does the KJV Bible mention the unicorn? | GotQuestions.org

Is The Divine Comedy / Dante's Inferno a biblically accurate description of Heaven and Hell? | GotQuestions.org

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Concordance
Imagines (2 Occurrences)

1 Corinthians 3:18
Let no one deceive himself. If any man imagines that he is wise, compared with the rest of you, with the wisdom of the present age, let him become "foolish" so that he may be wise.
(WEY)

1 Corinthians 8:2
If any one imagines that he already possesses any true knowledge, he has as yet attained to no knowledge of the kind to which he ought to have attained;
(WEY RSV)

Subtopics

Imagines

Related Terms

Imagining (3 Occurrences)

Imagines (2 Occurrences)

Counsellor (16 Occurrences)

Counselor (19 Occurrences)

Imagined
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