Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church has been accused of omitting the second of the Ten Commandments, which prohibits the creation of graven images or idols. This accusation is based on the belief that the Catholic Church condones the use of statues and images in worship, which some interpret as a violation of the commandment. However, Catholics argue that their tradition combines the second commandment with the first, interpreting You shall not have any other gods besides Me as implying the prohibition of idols. They also point to biblical passages where God commands the creation of images and statues, indicating that the interpretation of the second commandment may be more nuanced. The Catholic Church asserts that it has not altered the Ten Commandments and that its veneration of saints and their images does not constitute worship.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholics omit the second commandment | "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" (Exodus 20:4) |
| Reason for omission | The Romans, from whom the Catholic congregation is derived, were accustomed to making images for remembrance purposes of great men and women, and thus did not find the making of images offensive. |
| Catholic version of the 10 commandments | 1. I am the Lord thy God |
| 2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain | |
| 3. Remember thou keep the Sabbath Day | |
| 4. Honour thy father and thy mother | |
| 5. Thou shalt not kill | |
| 6. Thou shalt not commit adultery | |
| 7. Thou shalt not steal | |
| 8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour | |
| 9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife | |
| 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods |
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What You'll Learn
- The Catholic Church allegedly hides the second commandment
- Catholics follow Augustine's list, which splits the last commandment
- The Bible indicates God does not forbid the making of statues
- The Catholic Church allows for the veneration of saints and their images
- The Catholic and Protestant versions of the Ten Commandments differ
The Catholic Church allegedly hides the second commandment
The Catholic Church has been accused of hiding the second commandment, which prohibits the creation and worship of idols or graven images. This commandment is often cited as "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" (Exodus 20:4). However, the Catholic Church's Catechism combines this commandment with the first, interpreting "You shall not have any other gods besides Me" to imply the rejection of idols.
The Catholic Church's stance on this issue has been a source of controversy, with some arguing that the Church is intentionally obscuring the commandment to justify the use of statues and images in Catholic churches. Critics claim that the Church is altering God's commandments and keeping its followers "in darkness" about the prohibition on idols. Furthermore, the Catholic Church is accused of dividing the tenth commandment into two separate commandments to maintain the traditional number of ten.
In defence of the Catholic Church, it is argued that the Bible itself contains instances where God commands or praises the creation of images and statues. For example, God instructs Moses to make statues of two angels (Exodus 25:18), and the Temple of Solomon is described as having walls decorated with carved images of angels, palm trees, and flowers (1 Kings 6). These examples suggest that God does not universally condemn the creation of graven images. Additionally, the Church clarifies that it allows for the veneration of saints and their images, as long as it is done within the bounds of respectful honour rather than divine worship.
The Catholic Church follows Augustine's list of commandments, which differs from other traditions. This discrepancy has led to accusations of altering the commandments, particularly when compared to the Protestant version, which maintains the second commandment. However, despite the differences in numbering and interpretation, a comparison of the Catholic and Protestant versions of the commandments in the Book of Deuteronomy (also Exodus 20) reveals no significant differences in content. The variation lies primarily in how the commandments are divided and numbered.
While the Catholic Church does not explicitly deny the existence of the second commandment, it is accused of downplaying its significance by merging it with the first commandment. This merging allows for the acceptance of statues and images within Catholic tradition, which some argue goes against the spirit of the second commandment. The controversy surrounding this issue highlights the differing interpretations and traditions within Christianity, particularly between Catholic and Protestant denominations.
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Catholics follow Augustine's list, which splits the last commandment
The Ten Commandments are a series of religious and moral imperatives that are recognized as a moral foundation in several of the Abrahamic religions, including the Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the official summary of Church beliefs, devotes a large section to the Commandments, which serve as the basis for Catholic social teaching.
The Catholic Church follows Augustine's list, which splits the last commandment into #9 (Lust) and #10 (Greed). Augustine of Hippo (354–430), a Latin Church Father, was responsible for the division of the original fourteen-ish commandments into a list of ten. The Catholic Church has followed this tradition of numbering since long before anyone numbered the verses.
The Catholic Church's presentation of the Ten Commandments is different from the one used by many Protestants. The Catholic Ten Commandments are accused of omitting the commandment that forbids the making of "graven images", which, to the minds of anti-Catholics, seems to confirm their accusation that "Catholics worship idols, and not only do they know it, but they changed the Ten Commandments so their gullible followers would never even know it was wrong!".
However, the Catholic Church explicitly condemns idolatry, both the worship of images and the exaltation of anything above God. Catholics argue that the second commandment is merged with the first because "You shall not have any other gods besides Me" implies that you must not have idols. The tenth commandment is then split to make up a total of ten.
The Catechism explains that the first commandment, according to Church teaching, "means that [followers] must worship and adore God alone because God is alone." The Catechism provides examples of forbidden practices such as the worship of any creature and of "demons, power, pleasure, [and] race".
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The Bible indicates God does not forbid the making of statues
The Bible does indicate that God forbids the making of statues in Exodus 20:4-5: "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, there are several instances in the Bible where God commands the making of statues and images. For example, in Exodus 25:18, God commands Moses to make the Ark of the Covenant, which included two large golden angels on top. In Numbers 21:8-9, God commands Moses to make a brazen serpent and put it on a pole, which was used to heal the Israelites who had been bitten by snakes. In 1 Kings 6:23-28 and 9:3, God also gives specific instructions for the making of various religious objects and statues.
The Catholic Church does not interpret these instances of statue-making as a violation of the second commandment. They believe that the second commandment is merged with the first, which states, "I am the Lord your God, thou shall not worship other gods except me." In other words, they interpret the commandment as forbidding the worship of idols rather than the creation of all images. This interpretation is supported by the fact that God commanded the creation of statues for religious purposes in the Bible.
The use of statues in Catholic churches is often seen as a continuation of Roman traditions, where statues were made to honour great men and women. For Catholics, the creation of images and statues can serve as a reminder of heavenly realities, just as the Old Testament statues were used by God to remind the Israelites of His presence and power.
While some may argue that the Catholic Church is defying God's prohibition against the carving of statues, the Church maintains that it follows God's commandments and condemns idolatry. The statues and images used in Catholic churches are not worshipped as idols but are seen as instruments of God's grace and power.
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The Catholic Church allows for the veneration of saints and their images
The Catholic Church does not believe it has omitted the second commandment, but rather that it has been merged with the first. The first commandment is: "You shall not have other gods besides me". The second commandment, "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", is seen as a natural extension of this. The creation of images, statues, and icons is not considered by the Catholic Church to be in violation of the second commandment. This is because the Bible contains several instances of God commanding or praising the creation of images and statues.
The Catholic Church also points to the fact that the Bible contains examples of God commanding the creation of images, such as when God commands Moses to make a bronze serpent, or when God commands Moses to make statues representing two angels to be placed over the Ark of the Covenant. The Church also highlights the fact that the inner sanctuary of the Temple contained two large statues of angels, and that the walls of the Temple were decorated with carved images of angels, palm trees, and flowers.
The Catholic Church's interpretation of the second commandment is not universally accepted, however. Some critics argue that the Catholic Church has omitted the second commandment in order to justify the use of statues and images in its churches. These critics believe that the creation of graven images is strictly forbidden by the second commandment and that the Catholic Church has altered the Ten Commandments to suit its own purposes.
The Catholic Church's numbering of the Ten Commandments follows Augustine's list, which splits the final commandment into two separate commandments, resulting in a total of ten.
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The Catholic and Protestant versions of the Ten Commandments differ
Firstly, the Catholic version merges the second commandment with the first, omitting the prohibition against making idols. This is because the Romans, from whose world the Catholic congregation is derived, were accustomed to making images for remembrance purposes, and thus did not find idol-making offensive.
Secondly, the Catholic version splits the tenth commandment into two separate commandments, separating the coveting of a wife from the coveting of possessions. This distinction is made sharper in the Deuteronomy verses by the use of two different Hebrew words for "covet" and "desire". In contrast, the Protestant listing combines coveting a neighbour's wife and property into a single commandment.
Another difference is the placement of the commandment against adultery. In the Catholic listing, this is the sixth commandment, whereas for Jews and most Protestants, it is the seventh.
The variations in the numbering and grouping of the Ten Commandments between the Catholic and Protestant traditions can be attributed to different numbering systems developed by theologians throughout history. For instance, the Catholic Church follows the division established by St. Augustine in the fifth century, while the Protestant listing employs a system created by Origen in the third century.
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Frequently asked questions
No, they do not. The Catholic Church merges the second commandment with the first, which states, "You shall not have other gods besides Me," implying that idols should not be worshipped.
The Catholic and Protestant versions of the Ten Commandments differ. The Protestant listing combines coveting a neighbour's wife and coveting a neighbour's property, while the Catholic version separates these into two commandments. This means that the Catholic version must combine the prohibition of idols with the first commandment, which some interpret as breaking the second commandment.
The second commandment is, "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."
