This study is hoped to point out the fact that an image in its initial stage (during ancient Greek era) didn’t necessarily have anything to do with the concept, “reality-false”. On the contrary, an image has everything to do with “sacred- worldly” via an image’s dual functions, Eidôlon and Eikôn. The interpretation regarding the nature of an image has immensely and profoundly influenced not only the art history development in the west (ex. photography and movies) but also religions (ex. The conflicts between image-worshiping and image-vandalizing taking place during the Byzantine Empire period around 8th -9th century) and the evolution of philosophical being (from the recognition of images in the ancient Greek time to Plato’s critics elucidating that images couldn’t reflect one’s existence but other way around). Hence, via exploring the documented meanings of these two words, eidolon and eikôn, it’s our attempt to gradually clear up the blurry areas along the way to understand how an image transformed its initial symbolic function as an “idol”, eidôlon, to an “statue”, the public, visible and existing functions of eikôn. Although both were served to demonstrate the sacred manifestation in the holy world, there was still a fundamental difference setting them apart. “Idol”, owned or dominated by a limited few most of the time, was a mere substitute for the holy spirits while an “image” exhibits “visible” miraculous evidence, such as” the pictures of God”. The latter externalized the process to attract and seize the public’s “visible” attention and allow the “existence” to take place. This specific “publicity” in an “image” has then become the origin of “universality” and “generality” scrutinized in the philosophy studies.

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