RENDERING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS III

 ·by  BE BLESSED

RENDERING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS III
If the Protestant’s Second Commandment is part
of Catholic’s First Commandment, then the
Commandment about not making idols, bowing to
them or worshipping the idols is true for anyone.
Why then are Catholics making statues/images
and bowing to them? Is this not a violation of the
First/Second Commandment?
Honestly, going to Catholic Churches and seeing
people genuflecting or bowing at entering the
Church or passing in front of the Church, praying
standing or kneeling before the statues of the
Blessed Virgin Mary or one of the states of a
Saints, will suggest nothing but the accusations
labelled against Catholics of violating the
commandments of God which states:
YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF AN IDOL
OR A LIKENESS OF ANYTHING IN THE HEAVENS
ABOVE OR ON THE EARTH BELOW OR IN THE
WATERS BENEATH THE EARTH; YOU SHALL
NOT BOW DOWN BEFORE THEM OR SERVE
THEM
Seriously, DOES GOD FORBID THE MAKING OF
STATUES, OR DOES GOD CONDEMN THE
WORSHIP OF STATUES?"
If God forbids making the image of anything in
heaven or earth, then God must have
contradicted His own instruction even in the
Bible:
- God commanded Moses to make statues of
angels (Ex 25:18-21)
- God commanded Moses to make a bronze
serpent (Num 21:8-9)
- There were statues of angels, palm trees and
flowers in the Temple (1Kgs 6:23-33)
- Ezekiel had a vision from God about the design
of the new Temple with statues of angels and
palm trees (Ez 41:17-25.
- Jesus Christ compared himself to the bronze
serpent that was lifted up (Jn. 3:14)
- Jesus did not rebuke using money with the
image of Caesar (Mk 12:15-17)
- The drachma coins (Greek Coinage) from the
mouth of the fish had images of humans,
animals and plants (Matt 17:24-27)
Considering the above, it is clear that the images
or statues weren’t the problem otherwise all of
us Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Pentecostals, in
fact everyone in the past and in this generation
who wears chains with pendants with images,
takes the photograph of him/herself or someone
else, places the bishop or pastor’s pictures in the
house, calves or molds any image whatsoever,
and spend currencies with images has violated
this commandment.
If the commandment isn’t just the issue of
images but about worshipping of images, then
will Catholics praying kneeling or standing in
front of the Statues constitute worship of these
statues?
The Church during the Council of Trent
(1545-1563) expressly clarify this in the 25th
Session of this General Council:
“The images of Christ and of the Virgin Mother
of God, and of the saints are to be had and
retained particularly in churches, and due honor
and veneration are to be given them; NOT THAT
ANY DIVINITY OR VIRTUE IS BELIEVED TO BE
IN THEM ON ACCOUNT OF WHICH THEY ARE
TO BE WORSHIPPED, OR THAT ANYTHING IS TO
BE ASKED OF THEM, OR THAT TRUST IS TO BE
REPOSED IN IMAGES, AS WAS OF OLD BY THE
GENTILES, WHO PLACED THEIR HOPES IN
IDOLS; but because the honor which is shown
them is referred to the prototypes which these
images represent; so that we through the images
which we kiss...or bend the knee, adore Christ
and venerate the saints, whom they represent.
[The Canons & Decrees of the Council of
Trent” (TAN Books, 1978) p. 215-6]
Should such honor or veneration be given to
anyone or anything except God? For the
scriptures says I WILL NOT SHARE MY GLORY
TO ANYONE ELSE, NOR SHARE MY PRAISE
WITH CARVED IDOLS (Is. 42:8)
Be Blessed