Rachel Evans
The Catholic Church has been accused of removing the second of the Ten Commandments, which prohibits the worship of graven images, in order to justify the presence of statues in Catholic places of worship. However, the Catholic Church denies this, arguing that the commandment is not a strict prohibition against making any likeness of anything, but rather a condemnation of idolatry, i.e., the worship of anything or anyone other than God. Furthermore, the division and numbering of the Ten Commandments have varied throughout history, and the Catholic Church's grouping of the commandments is argued to better reflect the Old Testament passages.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholics removed a commandment | False |
| Catholics changed the second commandment | False |
| The Catholic Church is guilty of idolatry | False |
| The Catholic Church changed the Ten Commandments | False |
| The Catholic Bible is accurately translated from the original Hebrew version | True |
| The Bible has no punctuation and numbering of the verses | True |
| The division of the Commandments is conventional | True |
| The Eastern Christian tradition is based on the book of Exodus | True |
| The Catholic and Protestant versions of the Ten Commandments differ | True |
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What You'll Learn
Protestants claim the Catholic Church changed the second commandment
Some Protestants claim that the Catholic Church changed the second commandment, which forbids the making of graven images, to justify its practice of having statues in its places of worship. They argue that the Catholic Church omitted the second commandment in Exodus 20: "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth".
However, the Catholic Church denies changing the second commandment and maintains that its practice of having statues is not idolatrous. They argue that the division and numbering of the commandments have varied throughout history, and that the commandment in question is merely an extension of the first: "You shall have no other gods before me". This interpretation is supported by the context of the commandment, which goes on to say: "You shall not bow down to them or serve them", indicating that the prohibition is against idolatry, not the creation of images in an absolute sense.
Furthermore, God commands the creation of images and statues in multiple biblical texts, such as Exodus 25:18, Numbers 21:8-9, and 1 Kings 6:23-28, 9:3. Additionally, the distinction between coveting a neighbour's wife and coveting their property is made sharper in Deuteronomy, indicating that these are two distinct commandments.
While the Catholic and Protestant versions of the Ten Commandments differ in numbering, the difference between the two versions is minimal. The grouping used by Catholics is argued to be a better reflection of the original OT passages, and the Bible itself does not specify how the commandments should be numbered.
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The Catholic Church's view on coveting a man's wife and property
The Catholic Church considers the prohibition on coveting in Deuteronomy 5:21 and Exodus 20:17 to be two commandments, the ninth and tenth. The ninth commandment prohibits carnal concupiscence or lust, and the tenth forbids greed and the desire to possess material possessions.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church connects the command against coveting with the command to “love your neighbour as yourself". The Hebrew word translated as "covet" is "chamad", which is also translated as “lust” and “strong desire". The Hebrew Bible contains several warnings and examples of negative consequences for coveting. For instance, when God instructed the Israelites about the false religion of the Canaanites, he warned them not to covet the silver or gold on their idols, as this could lead to bringing abominable things into their homes.
The Catholic Church's view on coveting a man's wife is that it is sinful when desired or thought lustfully and deliberately with "full knowledge and full consent of the will". This is based on Jesus' statement in the Sermon on the Mount: "Everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart". The Church also maintains that a new union cannot be recognized as valid if the first marriage was not ended. Marriage is considered a sacred covenant between a man and a woman, ordered towards their mutual good and the procreation and education of offspring.
The Catholic Church's view on coveting a man's property is that it is forbidden, as it is the root of the stealing and fraud prohibited by the commandment "You shall not steal". The desire to possess another's property leads to violence and injustice, which are forbidden by the commandment "You shall not murder".
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The Catholic Church's use of graven images
The Catholic Church has been accused of removing the second commandment, which prohibits the worship of "graven images", in order to justify its use of statues and images in places of worship. However, this is a common misunderstanding among Protestants and other quasi-Christian sects.
Firstly, it is important to note that the Bible is not punctuated or numbered in the original text, and so the division and numbering of the commandments have varied throughout history. The Catholic Church follows the division and numbering of St. Augustine, which differs slightly from the division worked out by the Greek Fathers and used in Orthodox Churches and Reformed communities. Augustine's grouping is considered to be a better reflection of the Old Testament passages.
Secondly, the commandment in question is seen by Augustine and the Catholic Church as an extension of the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." The prohibition is against idolatry, or the worship of anything or anyone other than God, rather than the making of images in an absolute sense. This is supported by various biblical texts that show God commanding or praising the making of images and statues (Exodus 25:18; Numbers 21:8-9; I Kings 6:23-28, 9:3).
Thirdly, the Catholic Church views the commandment against coveting a man's wife and his property as two distinct commandments, which are made clearer in the list found in Deuteronomy chapter five. This distinction is also supported by the use of two different Hebrew words for "covet" and "desire" in the original text.
In conclusion, the Catholic Church has not removed any commandments, and its use of statues and images is not idolatrous. The Church condemns idolatry and teaches that statues are for teaching and memory, not worship.
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The Catholic Church's interpretation of the first commandment
The first commandment is seen as prohibiting superstition and sacrilege. Superstition is attributed to creatures with powers that belong to God alone, such as charms, spells, dreams, fortune-telling, and spiritists. Sacrilege refers to the mistreatment of sacred persons, places, or objects.
The first commandment also addresses sins against faith, hope, and charity. These include not trying to know or refusing to believe what God has taught, neglecting to learn the Christian doctrine, and failing to make an open profession of one's faith.
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The Catholic Church's view on idolatry
The Catholic Church condemns idolatry, and this condemnation is reflected in the first commandment, which forbids the worship of multiple gods. The commandment states: "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them".
Despite this, some critics have accused the Catholic Church of idolatry due to its use of statues and icons of Christ and the saints. They argue that the presence of these statues and the act of bowing down before them violate the commandment against making and worshipping graven images. However, Catholics counter that these accusations are based on a misunderstanding or ignorance of the Bible's teachings on the purpose and use of statues. They believe that statues are not worshipped but are used for teaching and as reminders of the saints' lives and virtues.
Furthermore, Catholics argue that the Bible does not strictly prohibit the making of "any likeness of anything" as God commands or praises the creation of images and statues in several biblical texts. For example, in Exodus 25:18, God instructs Moses to make two angels to be placed over the mercy seat. Thus, Catholics believe that the use of statues and icons does not constitute idolatry, but rather serves as a form of worship and adoration of God and the saints.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Catholic Church did not remove any commandment. The difference between the Catholic and Protestant versions of the Ten Commandments is minimal. The division and numbering of the commandments have varied throughout the centuries.
Some Protestants claim that the Catholic Church omitted the second commandment, which forbids the making of graven images, to justify having statues in its places of worship.
The Catholic Church views the commandment in question as an extension of the first: "You shall have no other gods before me." The prohibition is against idolatry, not the making of images in an absolute sense.
