Catechism Question 57
What is the second commandment, and what does it teach us?
The second commandment is “You shall not make an idol.” It teaches us that we must worship God as He commands, not using images or other things God has forbidden.
Focus and Purpose of this Question
This question focuses on the second commandment. In this commandment we are learning how to worship Yahweh. It is not enough that we worship Him alone – we must worship Him as He desires and commands.
It is important that we understand what this command is actually speaking about when it forbids idols or graven images. In this case, the command is not speaking of idols as other gods – that has already been forbidden in the first commandment. Rather, it is here speaking of how we are to worship Yahweh – and how we are not to worship Him. We are not only tempted to worship the gods of this world, but we are also tempted to try and worship Yahweh in the same way others worship their gods – and this is forbidden.
The real prohibition here is using any kind of idol or image to represent Yahweh and then to use that image or idol in worship. This is part of what Israel did with the golden calf in Exodus 32, and it is what God forbids in Deuteronomy 4:15-18. Furthermore, this is what the idol made in Judges 17 is – a representation of Yahweh. Finally, it is what Jeroboam did for the Northern tribes 1 Kings 12:28–32. He was not giving them new gods – He was telling them that the calves represented Yahweh and that they could worship Yahweh without going to Jerusalem. Thus, he violated the way Yahweh wanted to be worshipped (no images) and the place Yahweh commanded Israel to worship (Jerusalem). All of these are violations of the second commandments – worship the true God in the wrong way.
This is no small matter. The reason for the prohibition is that any visible representation used in worship necessarily reduces and distorts God. He is greater than all, so no image can adequately represent Him. This is why we are forbidden using an image of God in our worship of Him.
Thus, the second command really deals with the manner of true worship. We must not only worship Yahweh alone (as in the first commandment), but we must not create our own ways of worship, especially through the use of images. We must worship God, and we must worship Him as He commands in His Word and no other way.
Note: The Roman Catholic and Lutheran Church actually combine the first two commandments as a single commandment. To arrive at the number ten, they then split the last commandment no coveting, into two commands prohibiting coveting. This does not seem to be the best explanation of the Ten Commandments, and we follow the breakdown used in this catechism (and the Heidelberg and Westminster Shorter Catechisms as well.)
Additional Questions:
What is the second commandment? What does it teach us?
What is the second commandment? What does it forbid us from doing? What does it teach us to do?
Scripture References:
Exodus 20:4–6
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Deuteronomy 5:8–10
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Deuteronomy 4:15–18
You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below.
Exodus 32:4–6
He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
Judges 17:3–4
When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make a carved image and a cast idol. I will give it back to you.” 4 So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into the image and the idol. And they were put in Micah’s house.
1 Kings 12:28–32
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” 29 One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin; the people went even as far as Dan to worship the one there. 31 Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. 32He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made.
Questions for Further Discussion:
What does the second commandment teach us? What does it actually forbid? Are these idols/images false gods, or are they images of the One True God?
If we say we are worshipping God, but do it the way we want rather than how He has commanded, is our worship pleasing to God?
Does this commandment forbid all visual art – or only using such items as part of worship?
What ways might we be tempted to worship God wrongly today? Is it just through images – or are there other things we may be tempted to use in our worship because they are part of the way our culture worships and expresses its commitments – but which are not in line with the true worship of God?
What warnings and promises does God add to the end of this command? Why do you think He does this here, and not in most of the commandments?
Additional Information:
This question is based on questions 96-98 of the Heidelberg Catechism, questions 49-52 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and question 9 of the New City Catechism. Any resources you find on the Heidelberg, Westminster Shorter, or New City Catechisms will have a good discussion on this question.
For additional information, see the teachings “The Joy of Corporate Worship” (February 21, 2010), “A Worshipping Kingdom” (July 17, 2018), and “How the Mighty Have Fallen” (November 9, 2014).Suggested Worship
Song:
The Heart of Worship (By Matt Redman)
When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart
I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart
Chorus:
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You,
It’s all about You, Jesus
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You,
It’s all about You, Jesus
King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath
I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart
[Chorus]