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Why the Second Commandment Does Not Forbid Icons
4:47
What the video says
The article from the Orthodox Study Bible addresses the claim that the second commandment forbids icons. It points out that God himself commanded artistic representations in the Old Testament, including gold cherubim on the ark, woven cherubim on the tabernacle curtains, and the bronze serpent on a pole.
The bronze serpent was later destroyed by King Hezekiah when the people worshipped it, showing the problem is improper use not the image itself. The prohibition in Exodus 20:4 targets images worshipped as gods, not all representations. After the incarnation, creating icons of Christ, his mother, and the saints became natural and beneficial.
Tradition holds that Saint Luke made at least three icons of Christ and his mother. Each icon of Christ proclaims the incarnation. The Seventh Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (AD 787) condemned iconoclasm and distinguished worship of God from veneration of icons, declaring that honor given to an image passes to its prototype. A hymn for the Sunday of Orthodoxy states that icons depicting Christ's flesh lead to desire and love for him.
Key moments
- Many taught the second commandment prohibits icons, but God commanded artistic representations in Exodus: two gold cherubim on the mercy seat, cherubim woven on the tabernacle curtains and veil.
- Solomon's temple included 12 oxen statues supporting the sea and bases engraved with lions, oxen, cherubim, and palm trees; God filled the temple with glory and declared his eyes and heart would be there perpetually (Third Kings 9:3).
- God ordered Moses to make a bronze serpent on a pole to heal the Hebrews; centuries later King Hezekiah destroyed it when the people offered incense to it, showing the fault lies in improper use not the image.
- The prohibition in Exodus 20:4 is against images worshipped as gods ("gods of silver and gods of gold," Exodus 20:23), not all artistic representations; God knew such images would tempt the Hebrews away from him (Exodus 20:3-5).
- Before the incarnation it was impossible to image the invisible God, but after God the Son assumed a visible human body, the church naturally created icons of Christ, his mother, the saints, and angels from the earliest times.
- Church tradition says Saint Luke the Evangelist made at least three icons of Christ and his mother; every icon of Christ proclaims the incarnation, and recognized icons prayerfully made provide trustworthy representations.
- The Seventh Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in AD 787 condemned iconoclasm, distinguished worship due to God alone from veneration given to icons, and declared that honor given to an image passes to its prototype.
- Through icons Orthodox Christians are drawn closer to Christ; a hymn for the first Sunday of Great Lent (commemorating the restoration of icons in AD 843) says, "The icons that depict thy flesh lead us to the desire and love of thee."
This audio reading presents the article 'Images and Imagery' from the Orthodox Study Bible, which answers the claim that the second commandment forbids sacred images. The reading argues that the prohibition in Exodus 20:4 targets images worshipped as gods, not all artistic representation. Scripture itself records God commanding images: two gold cherubim on the mercy seat, cherubim woven into the tabernacle curtains and veil, and a bronze serpent on a pole that healed those who looked at it.
Solomon's temple held twelve oxen statues supporting the sea and bases engraved with lions, oxen, cherubim, and palm trees, and God filled that temple with glory, saying his eyes and heart would be there perpetually (Third Kings 9:3). The bronze serpent shows the real issue: King Hezekiah destroyed it centuries later because people offered incense to it, so the fault lies in improper use, not in the image.
The reading then turns to the Incarnation. Before God the Son assumed a visible human body, imaging the invisible God was impossible; afterward the church made icons of Christ, his mother, the saints, and angels from the earliest times. Tradition says Saint Luke the Evangelist made at least three icons of Christ and his mother, and every icon of Christ proclaims the Incarnation.
The Seventh Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in AD 787 condemned iconoclasm, distinguished worship (latreia) due to God alone from veneration (proskynesis) given to icons, and declared that honor given to an image passes to its prototype. The reading closes with a hymn for the first Sunday of Great Lent, commemorating the restoration of icons in AD 843: 'The icons that depict thy flesh lead us to the desire and love of thee.'
Main points
- The prohibition in Exodus 20:4 targets images worshipped as gods ('gods of silver and gods of gold,' Exodus 20:23), while God himself commanded cherubim, temple art, and the bronze serpent.
- King Hezekiah destroyed the bronze serpent because people offered incense to it, showing the problem is improper use, not the image itself.
- After the Incarnation, when God the Son took a visible human body, the church created icons of Christ, his mother, the saints, and angels from the earliest times.
- Tradition holds that Saint Luke made at least three icons of Christ and his mother; every icon of Christ proclaims the Incarnation.
- The Seventh Ecumenical Council (AD 787) condemned iconoclasm and distinguished worship (latreia) for God alone from veneration (proskynesis) of icons.