Biblical Case for Icons and Veneration of the Saints
Part 1 of "Icons and Saints", The Physical Acts - What Veneration Looks Like
Christ is Risen!
Initial Questions and Answers
Before exploring how the scriptures treat remembrance, honor, and the communion of saints, for context we will answer three initial questions:
1. Can we have images (specifically of created beings) in a place of worship?
In the Old Testament, we can clearly read that God himself commanded the making of images for use in his places of worship:
“You shall make two cherubim of gold … and the cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat … There I will meet with you” (Exodus 25:18-22).
Usually after peoples initial reaction to images being something like, “The Bible calls all images idolatry…” its often shocking to them to see that God himself commanded that the curtains be decorated with figures of cherubim (Exodus 26:1; 36:8), and that Solomon’s Temple had carved cherubim, palm trees, and flowers throughout the inner courts (1 Kings 6:23-29). To see that God himself commissioned images to sanctify his house, and therefore Scripture does not forbid images in worship is the first step to lay out the rest of the theology. But through Scripture, we see that images of created things (creatures) can and have been commanded by God to glorify him.
2. Can we bow, prostrate, or show reverence (respect) to creation and human beings?
Scripture has many examples of bowing or prostration to creatures without the charge of idolatry (It will be a bit of a spam, so feel free not to read it all):
“Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.” (Genesis 33:3)
“Now when Abigail saw David, she dismounted quickly from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground.” (1 Samuel 25:23)
“Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king’s mother; so she sat at his right hand.” (1 Kings 2:19)
“Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth…Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land…” (Genesis 23:7, 12)
“So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent.” (Exodus 18:7)
“As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so.” (1 Samuel 20:41)
“And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?…So they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.” (1 Kings 1:16, 23)
“Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is that you, my lord Elijah?” (1 Kings 18:7)
“Now when the sons of the prophets who were from[a] Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.” (2 Kings 2:15)
And most clearly:
“Then David said to all the assembly, ‘Now bless the Lord your God.’ And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed low and did homage (Prostrated/vayyishtachăvū) to the Lord and to the king.” (1 Chronicles 29:20).
In each of these cases, the act was not worship reserved for God alone, but are acts of reverence, honor, and/or submission. Bodily actions, such as bowing, kissing, prostration, etc., are all biblical expressions of veneration toward people. Therefore, bowing, kissing, or other acts of veneration by the body are not idolatrous in themselves.
3. Does the respect or disrespect given to an image truly pass to the one represented?
Scripture is clear: honor given to an image (Icon) passes to the one represented (Prototype).
Humanity (Icon) was made in the image of God (Prototype), and to harm anyone with that image is to insult the God whose image they bear. Jesus explicitly confirms this:
“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me’… to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me’…” (Matthew 25:40–45).
Paul calls Christ, “The image (eikōn) of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). To see or to honor Christ (Icon) is to see or honor the Father (Prototype):
“…He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9).
This principle is seen in everyday life. No one who loves their relatives would stomp or spit on their picture, nor would a patriotic citizen of a nation burn the flag of their country, nor would a loving Christian stomp on, spit on, or destroy a cross. More on this later on.
Foundational Principles to Fulfillment: Biblical Logic of Veneration
Now that it has been established that images can exist in a place of worship without being the subjects of worship, and that bodily reverence can be shown, and that honor to an image is passed to the prototype, the logical steps leading to saintly and icon veneration can be shown.
Step 1: Saints Remain Alive in Christ
In Hebrews 11, we read that the saints are alive in Christ, and believers (Who are alive) are still in communion with them, as all are joined in the same single body of Christ:
“And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40).
Step 2: Scriptures Command to Remember Them
“Remember your leaders … consider the outcome of their life and imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7).
“I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.” (2 Timothy 1:3-5).
The faithful can be strengthened by their examples of lives lived dedicated to God, their examples still “speaks” and their faith continues to bear witness even now.
Hebrews 11 emphasizes this:
“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 11:4–5).
These verses and many more show that death does not sever the faithful who have passed on from the living. The Saints continue to witness to us, not that they are literally looking at us now as a kind of heavenly “Live Stream”, but that their lives are a witness and testimony to God’s grace, love, and faithfulness. Because they are still actually alive, more alive than us, their testimony is not just a historical memory but actually a real living witness of one who is now alive in the presence of God, having finished the race that others also hope to complete.
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us … let us run the race.” (Hebrews 12:1).
Step 3: Scriptures Command to Honor Living Leaders
“But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.” (1 Thessalonians 5:12–13).
“The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” (1 Timothy 5:17).
If living teachers are to be honored, why should that stop at death? For death is no less than being in the presence of God, an eternal existence more real and more alive than what is experienced on earth. How much more honor should be given to those who are now partaking in the Lord’s energies?
Step 4: Material Things Being Made Contagiously Holy
Scripture in many places teaches that holiness is not just abstract, but can be communicated through material things:
“For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it; then the altar shall be most holy, and whatever touches the altar shall be holy.” (Exodus 29:37).
“You shall also consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them shall be holy.” (Exodus 30:29).
Through the bones of dead saints:
“As they were burying a man, behold, they saw a marauding band; and they cast the man into the grave of Elisha. And when the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.” (2 Kings 13:21).
Even in the New Testament, God’s energies can be communicated through seemingly ordinary matter:
“God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out.” (Acts 19:11-12).
Step 5: Expressing Reverence Bodily
As seen earlier, bodily expressions have been used and are considered a wholesome and proper way to acknowledge the honor of others:
Jacob bowed before his brother Esau.
Ruth bowed to Boaz.
Paul commands the Church: “Greet one another with a holy kiss”.
And most clearly we see the assembly of Israel bowed to both God and the King at the same time with the same gesture:
“Then David said to all the assembly, ‘Now bless the Lord your God.’ And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed low and did homage to the Lord and to the king.” (1 Chronicles 29:20).
Bowing, kissing, prostrating, etc. are not inherently acts of idolatry; they are natural biblical ways to show honor and reverence. The intention and the object itself distinguish between worship and veneration (respect shown to people or holy things).
Step 6: Image to Prototype (the One Represented) Principle
The final step is what ties it together, what is done to the image is done to the one represented, the prototype.
Humanity is made in the image of God, more specifically the image of Christ (Genesis 1:27).
Jesus affirms the principle himself: “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” (Matthew 25:40).
“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9).
Why? Because as Paul says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15).
This principle is evident in everyday life. No one who loves their family members would spit or stomp on their photograph, nor would a patriotic member of a country burn their nation’s flag, and neither would a faithful follower of Christ stomp on, spit on, or burn a cross. Because it is understood that, although the images are just ordinary matter, they represent someone respected, and doing those things would be disrespectful to the one who is depicted.
Final Synthesis
It is proper to show how those who venerate saints and their icons think about it in action.
When an icon of Saint Mary of Egypt is seen, it is not viewed as an ordinary piece of art, but as a reminder of the life she lived, from a life of deep sin to one dedicated completely to Christ. From a very young age, she struggled with lust and sexual immorality for 17 years, not even for money, but “for the love of the game”. And one day, conviction struck, and she spent the rest of her years battling her flesh and dedicating her whole life to Christ. Looking at her icon and kissing it is not an act of worshiping paint on wood but recalling her life as a witness to how Christ can transform even the lowest and most hurting among us. Her life and testimony are used as motivation in the race of faith, hoping to finish it as she did, surrendering to Christ, running from fleshly desires. Veneration is not honoring paint on wood, but a real, living human, truly a member of the single body of Christ, who is in the presence of the Lord.
When walking into the church and seeing all the icons, each one is a reminder and witness of what Christ can do in one’s life: Paul, from persecuting Christians to dying for the faith; the good thief on the cross (Saint Dismas), and many others. Their images are reminders that they are still alive, more alive than we are. They’ve finished the race and are in heaven worshiping God as we are. The cloud of witnesses is not separate from us, and when they are honored, it is not a distraction from God, but a reminder of what He can do in one’s life.
Some important notes: to venerate, no physical actions are required, nor are icons strictly necessary. Simply remembering the witnesses of the saints, whether from scripture or after, is veneration (respect to holy things or people). The honor is not idolatrous or based on some inherent trait the saints possess independently of God, but is given to Christ Himself and His work in their lives.
“Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” (Philippians 3:17).
Should the honor for Paul and the imitation of his example cease because he has passed away?
“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example … in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.” (2 Thessalonians 3:7, 9).
Of course not.
“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7).
The faithful are told to consider the outcome of those who lived lives worthy of imitation, not because they are thought of as God, but because they imitate Christ.
Paul’s life, (And every other Saint) is a living icon (image) of Christ, and when believers remember and imitate him, they honor him and venerate the work of Christ within him, and in doing so, they worship Christ himself. That is veneration.