Question

Why does the Christian tradition often depict Moses with horns on his head?

A) To symbolize his leadership qualities
B) It's a historical inaccuracy
C) Representing divine radiance
D) As a sign of age and wisdom

Answer 1

Moses is often depicted with horns in Christian art due to a mistranslation of Hebrew scriptures that originally described him as having rays of light from his head, symbolizing divine radiance and his role as a prophet.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Christian tradition often depicts Moses with horns due to a mistranslation of the Hebrew scripture. The original text described Moses as having beams or rays of light emanating from his head after he spoke with God on Mount Sinai, which was mistakenly rendered as 'horns' in the Latin Vulgate translation by St. Jerome.

This visual misinterpretation was perpetuated in Christian art, most famously by Michelangelo in his sculpture of Moses. The horns came to symbolize divine radiance, rather than other attributes like leadership, historical accuracy, or wisdom.

In these depictions, the dynamic figure of Moses symbolizes his role as a prophet fulfilling God's wishes and leading the Israelites out of Egypt.