John Owen on images detracting from Christ’s glory

[Reformed Covenanter]

... Should the Lord Jesus appear now to any of us in his majesty and glory, it would not be unto our edification nor consolation. For we are not meet nor able, by the power of any light or grace that we have received, or can receive, to bear the immediate appearance and representation of them. His beloved apostle John had leaned on his bosom probably many a time in his life, in the intimate familiarities of love; but when he afterward appeared unto him in his glory, “he fell at his feet as dead,” Rev. i. 1 7. And when he appeared unto Paul, all the account he could give thereof was, “that he saw a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun;” whereon he, and all that were with him, “fell to the ground,” Acts xxvi. 13, 14.

And this was one reason why, in the days of his ministry here on earth, his glory was veiled with the infirmities of the flesh, and all sorts of sufferings, as we have before related. The church in this life is no way meet, by the grace which it can be made partaker of, to converse with him in the immediate manifestations of his glory.

And therefore those who dream of his personal reign on the earth before the day of judgment, unless they suppose that all the saints shall be perfectly glorified also (which is only to bring down heaven to the earth for a while, to no purpose), provide not at all for the edification or consolation of the church. For no present grace, advanced unto the highest degree whereof in this world it is capable, can make us meet for an immediate converse with Christ in his unveiled glory.

How much more abominable is the folly of men, who would represent the Lord Christ in his present glory by pictures and images of him! When they have done their utmost with their burnished glass and gildings, an eye of flesh can not only behold it, but, if it be guided by reason, see it contemptible and foolish. But the true glory of Christ, neither inward nor outward sight can bear the rays of it in this life. ...

For more, see:

John Owen on images detracting from Christ’s glory

The shadow or image of this glory of Christ is drawn in the Gospel, and therein we behold it as the likeness of a man represented unto us in a glass; and although it be obscure and imperfect in com…

reformedcovenanter.wordpress.com

 

[Utah Pilgrim]

...

Amen. I do have a practical question, however. I'm not sure if anyone has successfully avoided (especially in this time) gazing upon false and 2CV depictions of our Lord (media, RCC etc). Is there a way you may have found, apart from intellectually rejecting images of Christ, to distance your mind from images surely we have come into contact with? It seems, at least to me, it is common to associate imagery in our mind, especially during prayer. Thoughts?

 

[chuckd]

Another relevant quote from Owen on the subject,
His light is such as no creature can approach unto. He is not seen, not because he cannot be seen, but because we cannot bear the sight of him. The light of God, in whom is no darkness, forbids all access to him by any creature whatever. We who cannot behold the sun in its glory are too weak to bear the beams of infinite brightness. On this consideration, as was said, the wise man professeth himself “a very beast, and not to have the understanding of a man,” Proverbs 30:2; — that is, he knew nothing in comparison of God; so that he seemed to have lost all his understanding when once he came to the consideration of him, his work, and his ways.
Mortification of Sin Ch. 12

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Another relevant quote from Owen on the subject,
His light is such as no creature can approach unto. He is not seen, not because he cannot be seen, but because we cannot bear the sight of him. The light of God, in whom is no darkness, forbids all access to him by any creature whatever. We who cannot behold the sun in its glory are too weak to bear the beams of infinite brightness. On this consideration, as was said, the wise man professeth himself “a very beast, and not to have the understanding of a man,” Proverbs 30:2; — that is, he knew nothing in comparison of God; so that he seemed to have lost all his understanding when once he came to the consideration of him, his work, and his ways.
Mortification of Sin Ch. 12

That's a good quote about attempting to behold the Divine majesty, but I think the quote above is good as it deals with Christ's human nature. Someone might respond to the latter quote and say: "Yes, but we're depicting the Son's human nature." I think Owen's quote in the OP dispenses with this idea as we are not depicting Him, as He is in His humanity, as He truly is, nor can we.