What does the second commandment exactly mean?

[Neostarwcc]

The second commandment "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" what exactly does it mean?

Does it mean what I think it does? That, we cannot worship anything that we own that depicts the Lord or Jesus Christ? Does it also mean that we cannot own things like a cross necklace, or post pictures of Jesus anywhere on the internet, or

Or is it just exclusively against worshiping such things? Like, obviously prayer beads would fall under that category because you use them to help you pray to saints and figures other than the Lord. But, what is bad about having things on your wall praising Jesus and God? Or wearing a cross (without Jesus on it) around your neck to feel closer to Jesus?

I'm curious on this.

 

[Te're'sa]

I had always interpreted that Commandment as pertaining to other religions, such as Paganism. Graven images, in this interpretation, would be made-up "gods" that lived in the statues in question, or specifically images of false idols - of lower-case gods that don't exist outside of the statues. It's also a caution against forgetting the true Father in Heaven, and forgetting Him for the piece of gold or silver in your hand.

Since I was raised Catholic, in churches where statues of saints and martyrs abound, but are not worshiped, my interpretation of this commandment might be skewed. However, I've never even entered any church, of any denomination, that didn't have at least a plain wooden cross on the wall - although I know of denominations which are against the use of a crucifix, which depicts Jesus being crucified. However, the cross and the ichthys (less common fish-shaped symbol ) are symbols I've generally seen to be "okay," and I tend to find them helpful as reminders. I tend to shy away from expensive examples of such things, though, because I consider that both overkill and tending to lean towards worship of money. That last is just my opinion, though.

 

[PROPHECYKID]

The second commandment "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" what exactly does it mean?

Does it mean what I think it does? That, we cannot worship anything that we own that depicts the Lord or Jesus Christ? Does it also mean that we cannot own things like a cross necklace, or post pictures of Jesus anywhere on the internet, or

Or is it just exclusively against worshiping such things? Like, obviously prayer beads would fall under that category because you use them to help you pray to saints and figures other than the Lord. But, what is bad about having things on your wall praising Jesus and God? Or wearing a cross (without Jesus on it) around your neck to feel closer to Jesus?

I'm curious on this.

The second commandment means you should not make any graven image of anything (where in heaven or earth) and that includes God himself, and worship it!! Bowing down to any image even if it is an image of God is a violation of the second commandment. There is no example in the bible of anyone making any statue of God and worshipping it because that would be a violation of the commandment, plus any statue of God would be disrespect to God because nobody knows how God looks and nothing we humans can make can compare to who he is. So even if something depicts God worshipping it would be a violation of the commandment. You are not supposed to be praying to no figure other than God as God in the bible has never ever given any such command. You only pray to God and praying to anyone else would be wrong.

 

[Goodbook]

Deuteronomy talks about having scripture on the doorposts of your house.
But we arent to worship images, statues etc.

I dont wear a cross, some people wear them as reminders, but they arent necessary.

 

[longwait]

I've heard several people say that Jesus told them to draw Him. If it was wrong why would He tell them to draw Him. So I think this commandment refers to any other pagan god or any other image other than the Lord God that people worship.

 

[Goodbook]

? I dont know. I personally havent been asked to draw Him. Have you?
I think as long as we arent worshipping the pictures themselves its ok. In some places they make shrines out of them and thats wrong, esp if thr statue or engraving or whatever becomes more important than our relationship to the Lord.
Like if we are constantly having to maintain these statues and Ive seen people bow down before them, light incense etc just like pagans do. In chinese culture they have a kitchen god. Its a picture, but in front of the picture of this god they light candles and burn incense and keep it in the kitchen, and put fruit in front of it as an offering.

I have seen catholics treat statues of jesus in a smilar way by lighting candles and bowing before images, and decorating icons like hindus do. Jesus cannot be reduced to wood or stone or a picture. Some people even talk to the picture/statue. Some believe the statue or picture talks back!

 

[4x4toy]

Any man made idol or picture of a person , animal or thing intended to share or take any devotion away from God ? I don't even allow any pictures of Jesus in my house because it is not what he looks like .. Not saying it's wrong , just my opinion and reason ..

 

[Johnnz]

Originally it referred to surrounding cultures who were idolaters and made images of their gods. God's transendence can never be expressed ny an image. Genuine art. such as icons, can have a valid place in our worship.

John
NZ

 

[Kit Sigmon]

The second commandment "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" what exactly does it mean?

Does it mean what I think it does? That, we cannot worship anything that we own that depicts the Lord or Jesus Christ? Does it also mean that we cannot own things like a cross necklace, or post pictures of Jesus anywhere on the internet, or

Or is it just exclusively against worshiping such things? Like, obviously prayer beads would fall under that category because you use them to help you pray to saints and figures other than the Lord. But, what is bad about having things on your wall praising Jesus and God? Or wearing a cross (without Jesus on it) around your neck to feel closer to Jesus?

I'm curious on this.

mmbattlestar:
The second commandment, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" mean don't make for yourself
an idol or idols...a graven image, be an idol.

Exodus 20:4–5, “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the
earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them.”
Here it go into a bit more details, scripture strongly speaks against worshiping or serving any idols or things in nature or
in the heaven above...you worship and serve God, that is the example Jesus set and it be what he told the devil in
Luke 4:8...'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"

Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth... Deuteronomy 4:16-18

Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing...Deuteronomy 7:26
Don't even take such a thing into your house! If God has said it be detestable or an abomination to him, then
you refuse it, have nothing to do with it. I notice this mentions nothing about worshiping or serving the idol,
you ain't even to have it because it offends God.


You can put scripture verses on your wall some do this real nice, too.

 

[Neostarwcc]

Some interesting comments in this thread.

I post a lot of pictures of Jesus throughout the internet and my Facebook is littered with them and I personally wear a cross necklace around my neck as a symbolic gesture and to make me feel closer to Jesus Christ.

I know about scripture stating that it was wrong to worship such things or to not worship trees, cats, the sun ...etc like humanity used to all those years ago. I don't worship them but, I do like to "Collect" them if that makes any sense. It's no different than anime pictures really. I have over 15,000 of them saved on my computer and don't even use half of them, I just like to collect and store them and use maybe half of them on the internet or as a background, or whatever.

So, I have pictures of Jesus and religious pictures as well.

So, I was wondering if it was okay to even have them all in the first place if it depicts. I know there's nothing against posting scripture on your wall or anywhere for that matter. My concern was entirely pictures of Jesus. But, if it's only speaking against worshiping them or other Gods or using them to pray to God or other "Gods" I don't think I have anything to worry about.

 

[Kit Sigmon]

Have you done any research on the pictures that supposed to depict Jesus?
Who painted them? who posed and or what person's image was used for such pictures?
Here's something I found:
Pope Alexander VI(Rodrigo Borgia) decided that he would have his son, Cesare Borgia used as the model
for Jesus in paintings that da Vinci was commissioned to do...source: Kimberly Ruble

his image be used over and over again millions of times to people
depicting him as Jesus. Many artist have put they own take on things too.
You can Google Cesare Borgia and find out more about him.



Cause the bible don't give clear details about how Jesus
looked, so people come up with they own ideas.
If you teach people that a man in a picture be of Jesus, they tell others and the
lie go on and on. So nowadays people point to those pictures and say they be
of Jesus.
And since the facial features vary from picture to picture (they don't agree)
why should those pictures even be accepted, much be said to depict Jesus? to me that
be false and we don't be accepting false things once they be known to be false.
That's my take on those pictures.

 

[Neostarwcc]

I haven't did any research on them, no. I just usually go on pintrest or google image search and look through them and save the ones I like. Perhaps I should do a little more research on them. One of the frequent pictures I like and use is in my signature right now. That's a big picture that I use and spread throughout the internet. I'm aware that nobody knows what Jesus looks like. In fact It's in scripture somewhere that nobody will know what God or Jesus will look like until we pass on. Nobody has seen the true face of Jesus and lived to tell the tale. Which, is one reason I was concerned (Like you are) about stating publicly "This is Jesus" when, it might not be what Jesus looked like at all. In fact, it probably isn't what he looked like and I'm sending the wrong image to the world. And, that would make sense as to why God would forbid people creating and displaying pictures of Jesus. But, that depiction of Jesus is throughout a lot of Christian churches of all denominations today.

If It's a violation of God's law, It's a violation of God's law that a majority of people in the world are doing. Not that I'm saying It's a "good" thing or using that as an excuse to break God's law if in fact, it is God's law though. I just find it interesting enough to state.

If it is a violation of God's law, I want to stop it and just quote pictures of scripture instead. I just, for some reason like pictures and symbols of Jesus because in my mind, it makes praising him and his sacrifice easier and tells the entire world "This is Jesus, he died for your sins and made the ultimate sacrifice for you. You should go to him."

And that message is displayed in all of the pictures of Jesus throughout the internet.

Well, most of them anyway. There are the mocking, blasphemous ones that Atheists that created out there.

In fact, some of those pictures probably save people and turn them into Christians.

That's why I wear a cross necklace too. And why many people wear cross necklaces. To honor the sacrifice that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for us.

So, I'm confused as to whether or not they're really as sinister as they might be.

By the way, I like those paintings. I wish I could buy them and hang them in my house, they're beautiful. Especially the second one.

 

[Goodbook]

Be careful your collecting doesnt turn into idolatry.
This is what im concerned about, see my other thread.

You say you collect them because they are beautiful, its not that you collect them because of anything else. Beware of this trap, remember in revelation that people worshipped the IMAGE of the beast. But christians go by his Word, not by his image.

WE are made in the image of God, do we constantly need pictures of ourselves? I think not.
As for if they are actually of Jesus well the vast majority would not be, the only one I can think of would be authentic is the shroud of turin. Which was his actual burial shroud that he was wrapped in with the blood stains making an image on the linen. (Not a photograph like some people claim).

Focus on his Word and do it, not pictures.

 

[PROPHECYKID]

I haven't did any research on them, no. I just usually go on pintrest or google image search and look through them and save the ones I like. Perhaps I should do a little more research on them. One of the frequent pictures I like and use is in my signature right now. That's a big picture that I use and spread throughout the internet. I'm aware that nobody knows what Jesus looks like. In fact It's in scripture somewhere that nobody will know what God or Jesus will look like until we pass on. Nobody has seen the true face of Jesus and lived to tell the tale. Which, is one reason I was concerned (Like you are) about stating publicly "This is Jesus" when, it might not be what Jesus looked like at all. In fact, it probably isn't what he looked like and I'm sending the wrong image to the world. And, that would make sense as to why God would forbid people creating and displaying pictures of Jesus. But, that depiction of Jesus is throughout a lot of Christian churches of all denominations today.

If It's a violation of God's law, It's a violation of God's law that a majority of people in the world are doing. Not that I'm saying It's a "good" thing or using that as an excuse to break God's law if in fact, it is God's law though. I just find it interesting enough to state.

If it is a violation of God's law, I want to stop it and just quote pictures of scripture instead. I just, for some reason like pictures and symbols of Jesus because in my mind, it makes praising him and his sacrifice easier and tells the entire world "This is Jesus, he died for your sins and made the ultimate sacrifice for you. You should go to him."

And that message is displayed in all of the pictures of Jesus throughout the internet.

Well, most of them anyway. There are the mocking, blasphemous ones that Atheists that created out there.

In fact, some of those pictures probably save people and turn them into Christians.

That's why I wear a cross necklace too. And why many people wear cross necklaces. To honor the sacrifice that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for us.

So, I'm confused as to whether or not they're really as sinister as they might be.

By the way, I like those paintings. I wish I could buy them and hang them in my house, they're beautiful. Especially the second one.

I do not think you need to worry as long as you are not worshipping those images and those paintings. If you are using them as reminders then there is nothing in the scripture that says you should not. But its good that you have a determination to be obedient to God and his word even if it is something that means you would have to refrain from doing something that you like. As you continue to read the word, your commitment to obedience would be tested at times but in this case, I think you're ok.

 

[Neostarwcc]

Be careful your collecting doesnt turn into idolatry.
This is what im concerned about, see my other thread.

You say you collect them because they are beautiful, its not that you collect them because of anything else. Beware of this trap, remember in revelation that people worshipped the IMAGE of the beast. But christians go by his Word, not by his image.

WE are made in the image of God, do we constantly need pictures of ourselves? I think not.
As for if they are actually of Jesus well the vast majority would not be, the only one I can think of would be authentic is the shroud of turin. Which was his actual burial shroud that he was wrapped in with the blood stains making an image on the linen. (Not a photograph like some people claim).

Focus on his Word and do it, not pictures.

Thank you for your kind words. I do remember that piece of scripture in revelation. I don't think there's any risk of me worshiping these images. They make me feel closer to Jesus and praise him more. But, I do not use them in helping with prayer, or worship them as Gods. Especially when, I don't think of Jesus as a God to begin with. I think of him as a Savior and God's son. So, I will be EXTREMELY careful but, I think I'm fine.

I do not think you need to worry as long as you are not worshipping those images and those paintings. If you are using them as reminders then there is nothing in the scripture that says you should not. But its good that you have a determination to be obedient to God and his word even if it is something that means you would have to refrain from doing something that you like. As you continue to read the word, your commitment to obedience would be tested at times but in this case, I think you're ok.

Obeying God's word is a major part of my religious beliefs so I'm always on the lookout for ways I might be violating his law. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words! I think you're right and I have nothing to worry about as long as I'm careful.