John of Damascus
St Cyril of Jerusalem, twelfth Instruction.
On Holy Images — translated by Mary H. Allies
Public domainServed
¶1
If you seek the cause of Christ’s presence, go back to the first chapter of Scripture. God made the world in six days, but the world was made for man. The most brilliant sun glowing with light was made for man. And all living things were created for our service, trees and flowers for our enjoyment. All created things were beautiful, yet only man was the image of God. The sun arose by command alone: man was moulded by the Divine Hand. ‘Let us make man to our image and likeness.’ The wooden image of an earthly king is honoured, how much more the rational image of God?
Translated by Mary H. Allies. Edition opa.patristics.john-of-damascus.on-holy-images.en.