I do think we should be very careful about depicting Jesus pictorially. I’m not sure it’s out and out wrong, but there are legitimate reasons why we should be very careful.
Images always reflect the biases of the artist. And, even unconsciously, when we look at an image, we see in it what we want to. Or, we absorb the inherent bias in the image.
This is why God’s word is so wonderful. It is the perfect vehicle for “seeing” Jesus, and should always be the first place we go when we want to understand him and appreciate him. First it is accurate. Second, it is sufficient — everything we need to know is there. Third, it is living. The Word, planted in us, actually grows and renews us. Fourth, it forces us to think — the Bible ain’t easy reading, and there is a lot there to absorb (it’s densely packed with information). Fifth, it takes our eyes off of other people’s perceptions, ideas, and agendas, and places them exactly where God wants them.
The story of Zacchaeus is a great model for how God wants us to approach Jesus:
1. He recognized he was too short to see Jesus — his insufficiency. Pretty easy to understand. He must admit that we, too, are insufficient.
2. And he knew that to see him, he had to look over the crowd. You ever notice how people who reject Christianity rarely do so because of the “faults” of Jesus? They never say, “Jesus did this wrong, or Jesus did that wrong. The never say, “If only Jesus hadn’t been so (fill in the blank). They never say, “Jesus was a bad person.”
They usually use the faults of the church. Phony hypocrites, historical shortcomings, bad priests, etc. In other words, “the crowd.” They don’t see Jesus, they see the crowd. We know the church is full of sheep and goats — true believers and pretenders. And we know that only Jesus, not the church, can save us. But non-believers don’t know that.
Zacchaeus wisely looked over the crowd to see Jesus directly, just as he was — not as he was represented by others. Remember this when sharing Jesus with others. Don’t defend the church and don’t preach theology. Show people Jesus. And use stories from the Bible to do this. They were each designed to teach us specific things.
3. Zacchaeus climbed a tree. This is significant. It wasn’t included in the story for no reason. It was included because it happened, and because we have something to learn from it.
When Zacchaeus climbed a tree, he essentially made an ass out of himself publicly. He lived in a very, very formal culture, where dignified behavior was expected of everyone. Dignity above all else. Outward appearances and behavior above all else. And in his position, he had every reason to be dignified.
Zacchaeus behaved just like an enthusiastic little kid when he climbed the tree. Imagine your local mayor or city councilman pulling a stunt like that at a public parade, just to see a celebrity. Oh, no, these people must look the part, act the part, and not cross the line. If they wanted to meet a celebrity, they’d send their people out to arrange an introduction.
Not Zacchaeus. He wanted to see Jesus so desperately, he was willing to be ridiculed to do so. “Unless you become like a child, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven” Important words in the Bible. Child-like faith and the willingness to be humble are paramount in entering the kingdom. It simply won’t happen without it.
4. Lastly, Zacchaeus took Jesus home. The words in Hebrew used to describe this have a different connotation than you might expect. They don’t connote a “visit”. They connote “room and board,” or “bunking” with someone. Zacchaeus brought Jesus home “for good.” He brought him into his life, into the warp and woof of his existence — his morning, his evening, his everything.
This is what Jesus wants us to do with him.
MY POINT
So my point is, you can see how important it is to look at the textual accounts of Jesus to understand him. Looking at a mere picture just won’t do that. In fact, I would say it won’t do anything of real value for you, and if you think it will, you may be dangerously fooling yourself.
Look at God’s word. That’s the best place to see Jesus for who he is.
As C.S. Lewis said, whatever works for you. Some people are not good readers. And even if they can read, some folks are "right brained" and "get it" through pictures or movement or music. Some absorb truths and lessons through print, some through pictures. Back in the days when basically nobody could read, paintings and sculptures and stained glass told the story of Jesus. And they still have a place.
You just have to be careful not to make an idol out of whatever your vehicle for learning is. I've known some folks who have gotten so fixated on the Bible that they forget that Jesus is what it's about . . . same is true of course for pictures, which are only a help, not the goal.
Preach it yourself, or pass it on to your priest or minister!