Jonathan Edwards' Use of Painter's Art to Illustrate Christ's Beauty
Jonathan Edwards, an influential American theologian, frequently employed the metaphor of a painter's art to articulate the beauty of Christ and the divine. This imagery served to convey the intricate and multifaceted perfections of God, much like a skilled artist combines various elements to create a masterpiece. Edwards's use of this analogy is rooted in a broader theological tradition that recognizes God as the ultimate source of beauty and order, a concept reflected in biblical descriptions of creation and divine attributes [7, 2].
The concept of beauty in a theological context often extends beyond mere aesthetic appeal to encompass moral and spiritual perfection. For instance, the church's beauty is described as residing in the righteousness of Christ, His imputed holiness, His cleansing blood, and the graces of His Spirit [4]. This spiritual beauty is not something added externally but is intrinsic to the divine nature and its manifestation. Similarly, the temple in Jerusalem was considered the "beauty of his ornament" for the Jewish people, symbolizing God's presence and majesty among them [5]. However, when human "abominations" were introduced, God removed this beauty, indicating that true beauty is tied to purity and divine purpose [5].
Edwards's analogy of a painter's art suggests that Christ's beauty is not a simple, monolithic quality but a harmonious composition of diverse perfections. Just as a painter blends colors, shapes, and textures to produce a compelling image, so too does Christ embody a perfect blend of attributes such as justice and mercy, holiness and love, majesty and humility. This aligns with the idea that God's qualities are suggested through evocative imagery in scripture, such as gemstones and rainbows, which, rather than providing a literal depiction, point to His multifaceted nature and covenantal grace [2]. The rainbow, for example, recalls God's covenant with Noah, signifying grace even in the face of future judgment [2].
The use of artistic metaphors to describe divine attributes also implicitly contrasts with human attempts to create images of God. The Apostle Paul, when addressing the Athenians, argued that the Godhead should not be thought of as something "graven by art and man's device," referring to the elaborate sculptures of gold, silver, and stone that were common in pagan worship [6]. This distinction highlights that while human art can serve as an analogy to understand divine beauty, it can never fully capture or represent God's essence. The beauty of Christ, as Edwards would argue, is inherent and spiritual, not something that can be manufactured or improved upon by human hands.
Early Christian thinkers also touched upon the idea of natural versus artificial beauty, particularly in discussions of human adornment. John Chrysostom, for example, contrasted the "showy exterior" and artificial embellishments with the natural state as God made it [3]. He argued that a woman who does not "perfume nor paint her person" but is content with her natural form glorifies God in her body [3]. This perspective, while addressing human conduct, resonates with the broader theological principle that divine beauty is authentic and unadulterated, requiring no human enhancement.
Edwards's emphasis on the "beauty of Christ" was central to his theology, particularly his understanding of spiritual affections and true religion. For Edwards, a genuine encounter with God involved a profound apprehension of Christ's excellence, which he often described in terms of aesthetic appreciation. This beauty was not merely intellectual but deeply affective, stirring the soul to love and adoration. The "painter's art" metaphor helps to convey this complexity, suggesting that the various perfections of Christ are not merely listed but are interwoven in a way that creates a unified and overwhelming sense of glory.
The parables of Jesus themselves often employed "surprising, evocative imagery" to convey profound spiritual truths, emphasizing the contrast between humble beginnings and glorious consummation [1]. This approach to communication, using vivid and sometimes unexpected comparisons, mirrors Edwards's own method of using the painter's art to illuminate the divine. Just as a parable might reveal a deeper truth through an earthly illustration, so too does the metaphor of a divine artist help to unveil the intricate and compelling beauty of Christ.
Sources
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:31: 13:31-33 Jesus used surprising, evocative imagery in these parables, either to emphasize the inevitable growth of the Kingdom through proclamation of the gospel or, more probably, to emphasize the contrast between insignificant beginnings and glorious consummation, and to exhort the disciples to patience (see also 16:24–17:13).”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 4:3: 4:3 Rather than painting a visual picture of God (Exod 20:4; Deut 4:15-19), John uses gemstones and the rainbow (Gen 9:8-17; Ezek 1:28) to suggest God’s qualities. The rainbow speaks of God’s grace as it recalls God’s covenant with Noah (Gen 9:13-17) that he would never again destroy the earth with water. In Revelation, however, we see the earth destroyed by fire (cp. Gen 19:24-29).”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: called the spirit to distinguish it from the body. But how may we glorify Him 422 in the body and in the spirit? He glorifies Him in the body, who does not commit adultery or fornication, who avoids gluttony and drunkenness, who does not affect a showy exterior, who makes such provision for himself as is sufficient for health only: and so the woman, who does not perfume nor paint her person, but is satisfied to be such as God made her, and adds no device of her own. For why dost thou add thy own embellishments to the work which G”
- Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 16:13: And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty,.... Which consisted of the above things: with this compare Deu 6:4, Psa 48:2; the church's beauty lies in the righteousness of Christ imputed, to her; in the holiness of Christ reckoned unto her; in the blood of Christ being upon her, by which she is washed and cleansed, justified and pardoned; and in the graces of the Spirit of Christ implanted in her; and in the salvation of Christ she is interested in; and in the presence of Christ, which is the beauty of the Lord upon her; and in being in Gospel order, ”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 7:20: beauty of his ornament--the temple of Jehovah, the especial glory of the Jews, as a bride glories in her ornaments (the very imagery used by God as to the temple, Eze 16:10-11). Compare Eze 24:21 : "My sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes." images . . . therein--namely, in the temple (Eze 8:3-17). set it far from them--God had "set" the temple (their "beauty of ornament") "for His majesty"; but they had set up "abominations therein"; therefore God, in just retribution, "set it far from them," (that is, removed them f”
- Acts (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Acts 17:29: Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think--The courtesy of this language is worthy of notice. that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device--("graven by the art or device of man"). One can hardly doubt that the apostle would here point to those matchless monuments of the plastic art, in gold and silver and costliest stone, which lay so profusely beneath and around him. The more intelligent pagan Greeks no more pretended that these sculptured gods and goddesses were real deities, or e”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 1:26: The last stage in the progress of creation being now reached--God said, Let us make man--words which show the peculiar importance of the work to be done, the formation of a creature, who was to be God's representative, clothed with authority and rule as visible head and monarch of the world. In our image, after our likeness--This was a peculiar distinction, the value attached to which appears in the words being twice mentioned. And in what did this image of God consist? Not in the erect form or features of man, not in his intellect, for the devil a”