And Did Early Christians Carve Images of Christ?
One of the most common criticisms against the Catholic Church is the claim that Catholics violate the Second Commandment in Exodus 20 by using statues and images of Jesus, Mary, and the saints. Others argue that early Christians would have never made or venerated such images.
This article will clarify:
Whether the Catholic Church violates Exodus 20-
Whether early Christians made images of Christ
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What Scripture and Church teaching really say about religious images
๐ What Does Exodus 20 Really Say?
Exodus 20:4–5 (RSVCE):
“You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or on the earth beneath... you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God…”
On the surface, this sounds like a blanket ban on religious art—but reading it in context makes it clear that God forbids idol worship, not the mere making of images.
✨ Key Point:
The commandment does not prohibit all images, but rather worshiping them as gods. That’s what “you shall not bow down to them or serve them” means.
๐ Did God Ever Approve of Religious Images?
Yes—God Himself commanded the making of images for religious purposes, as long as they weren’t worshipped as idols.
๐️ Examples from Scripture:
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Exodus 25:18–20 – "You shall make two cherubim of gold... and put them on the mercy seat of the Ark."
God orders sacred images to be placed atop the Ark of the Covenant.
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Numbers 21:8–9 – “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole… everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”
This bronze serpent became a symbol of healing.
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1 Kings 6:23–29 – Solomon’s Temple, built according to God's instruction, was filled with carved images of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers.
If all images were absolutely forbidden, these commands would contradict Exodus 20. Clearly, God allows images for holy purposes—but not for idolatry.
๐️ Do Catholics Worship Statues?
No. Catholics do not worship statues or images. They venerate them as visual reminders of heavenly realities.
๐งพ Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC):
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CCC 2132
“The Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment... The honor paid to sacred images is a 'respectful veneration,' not the adoration due to God alone.”
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CCC 2141
“The veneration of images is based on the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God.”
When a Catholic bows before a statue of Jesus or Mary, it is not the physical object that is honored, but the person it represents.
๐ฏ Analogy:
When someone kisses a photo of a loved one, they aren’t showing affection to paper—they are expressing love for the one pictured.
๐ข Why Is the "Graven Image" Commandment Numbered Differently?
Some Protestants claim that Catholics removed the “Second Commandment” about idols. This is false.
๐ The truth:
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The Ten Commandments are listed in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.
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The Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish traditions all number the commandments differently—but none remove or add any.
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Catholics combine verses 3–6 (no other gods and no idols) as one commandment, and then split verse 17 (coveting) into two commandments.
This is a matter of tradition, not omission. The content is the same.
๐ See: Deuteronomy 5:6–21 and compare different Christian traditions
๐จ Did Early Christians Make Images of Christ?
๐️ Archaeological Evidence
From the 2nd to 4th centuries, during Roman persecution, early Christians created religious art in the catacombs—underground cemeteries where Mass was celebrated in secret.
๐ผ️ Common Christian Images:
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Jesus as the Good Shepherd
(cf. John 10:11)
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Chi-Rho (☧) – A symbol for Christ from the 4th century
(First letters of “Christ” in Greek) -
Biblical scenes – like Daniel in the lion’s den, Jonah and the whale, the multiplication of loaves
These were not idols, but acts of faith in Christ’s resurrection and divinity.
๐️ What Did the Church Fathers Say?
๐ง St. John of Damascus (675–749 AD), “On the Divine Images”:
“When the Invisible One became visible in the flesh, you may then draw His likeness. Since Christ became man, you can depict Him in His human form.”
He argued that since God took on a visible body, it is now appropriate to represent Him visibly.
๐ง St. Basil the Great (329–379 AD):
“The honor paid to the image passes on to the prototype.”
(Homily on the Holy Martyr Barlaam)
This explains why honoring a statue of Christ is not honoring stone, but the person of Christ.
๐งพ Church Documents Supporting Sacred Images
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Council of Nicaea II (787 AD)
Affirmed the use of icons and sacred images, distinguishing between latria (worship, due to God alone) and dulia (veneration).
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Catechism of the Catholic Church 2130
“Nevertheless, already in the Old Testament, God ordained or permitted the making of images that pointed symbolically toward salvation by the incarnate Word.”
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Vatican II: Sacrosanctum Concilium, 126
“The practice of placing sacred images in churches is to be maintained with due moderation.”
✝️ Final Thoughts: The Incarnate God Can Be Depicted
Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Because God entered time and space through the Incarnation, He can now be depicted in visible form without violating the commandment.
To forbid all sacred art is to deny the reality of the Incarnation.
๐ John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...”
✅ Summary
Claim | Catholic Response |
---|---|
Catholics violate Exodus 20 | ❌ False – the commandment forbids idolatry, not all images |
God banned all religious art | ❌ False – He commanded the making of sacred images |
Early Christians didn’t use images | ❌ False – the catacombs and writings prove otherwise |
Catholics worship statues | ❌ False – they venerate, not worship |
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