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By Dr. Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg.
For centuries, a profound theological divide has persisted between Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and their Protestant counterparts regarding the use of sacred art (graven images) in worship. This disagreement centers on the use of sculptures, icons, and other visual representations of the divine, particularly of the One True God. Protestant Christians, rooted in their interpretation of biblical texts, often view such depictions as a violation of the Ten Commandments, specifically the prohibition against creating and worshiping graven images (Exodus 20:4-5). They argue that sacred art risks idolatry, diverting devotion from God to material objects. In contrast, Catholics and Orthodox Christians defend the use of icons and sculptures, asserting that these serve as aids to worship, not objects of worship themselves, fostering a deeper connection to the divine. This theological rift reflects broader differences in tradition, scripture interpretation, and the role of visual culture in spiritual practice, shaping distinct worship practices across Christian denominations.
But what is a graven image? A graven image is a handcrafted representation, often carved or sculpted, that embodies spiritual, cultural, or artistic significance. These creations, typically made from wood, stone, or metal, serve as meaningful symbols of devotion, inspiration, or reverence in various traditions. Far from mere objects, they reflect the skill and creativity of artisans, capturing beauty and deeper truths. Graven images can inspire reflection, foster connection to shared values, and enhance sacred spaces with their intricate designs.
But how is it possible to read one and the same text and disagree so sharply? This essay will briefly survey various interpretive groupings of the Ten Commandments to begin answering this question.
Catholic and Orthodox Traditions
In the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, the Ten Commandments are numbered to emphasize monotheism and moral behavior, with a structure that integrates the prohibition of graven images into one broader commandment that forbids worship of other gods:
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- I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange gods before me and you shall not make a graven image.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. (This is distinct commandment.)
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
In this framework, the first commandment combines the declaration of God’s uniqueness with the prohibition against other gods and graven images. The Catholic and Orthodox churches interpret the graven images clause (Exodus 20:4–5) as a subset of idolatry, not a standalone prohibition as Protestants do. This allows for the use of religious art—icons, statues, and paintings—in worship, provided they are not treated as idols but as aids to devotion. Icons in Orthodoxy and statues in Catholicism are honored as “windows to heaven,” directing the worshiper’s focus to God, not as objects of worship themselves.
The splitting of the coveting prohibition into two commandments (wife and goods) reflects a nuanced moral theology, emphasizing distinct aspects of desire that can lead to sin. This structure underscores the Catholic/Orthodox view that religious imagery, when properly understood, supports worship of the one true God rather than detracting from it.
Protestant Tradition
The Protestant tradition, shaped by the Reformation’s critique of Catholic (and by extension Orthodox) practices, organizes the Ten Commandments differently, with a distinct emphasis on the prohibition of graven images:
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- You shall have no other gods before me.
- You shall not make for yourself a graven image. (it is counted as a seperate commandment forbidding most sacred art in worship to One True God.)
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet. (there is only one prohibition for coveting anything belonging to the neighbor.)
Protestants separate the prohibition of other gods and graven images into two distinct commandments, reflecting a heightened concern about the dangerous visual representations in worship. The Reformation, particularly in its Calvinist and Puritan strands, viewed religious images as potential idols that risked violating the second commandment. This led many Protestant denominations, especially Reformed and evangelical ones, to avoid statues and icons in churches, favoring plain worship spaces focused on scripture and preaching. The emphasis on the second commandment as a standalone prohibition underscores a theological commitment to God’s transcendence (at the expense of immanence) and the avoidance of anything that might distract from direct worship of God.
By combining two Catholic coveting prohibitions into a single commandment (wife and belongings), Protestantism streamlines its list.
Rabbinic Jewish Tradition
The Rabbinic Jewish tradition offers another distinct enumeration, rooted in the Hebrew Bible and Talmudic exegesis:
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- I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Judaism counts ten sayings/words, not ten commandments).
- You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image. (The first and second Protestant commandments are presented as one, echoing a Catholic version.)
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
In this tradition, the preamble (“I am the Lord your God”) is treated as the first commandment, emphasizing God’s redemptive act in the Exodus as the foundation of the covenant. The second commandment combines the prohibition of other gods and graven images, viewing idolatry as a singular violation. The coveting prohibition is unified, reflecting a holistic view of desire as a moral challenge.
Samaritan Tradition
The Samaritan tradition, based on their distinct Pentateuch, introduces a unique tenth commandment centered on Mount Gerizim, their holiest site, but it is still fascinating to see how they group the commandments, since they too have the Torah as the foundation of their faith.
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- I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (This is similar to Rabbinic Judaism.)
- You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image. (This is similar to Catholicism.)
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (This is similar to Protestantism).
- And it shall be when the Lord your God brings you into the land… you shall set up great stones… on Mount Gerizim… and you shall write on them all the words of this law.
The Samaritan tenth commandment, drawn from Deuteronomy 11:29–30 and 27:2–8, underscores the sanctity of Mount Gerizim, where Samaritans believe God commanded worship (John 4).
Reflection
The varied interpretations of the Ten Commandments across Christian and Jewish traditions reveal how sacred texts are shaped by culture, history, and theology. Catholic and Orthodox traditions view sacred art as a bridge to the divine, subsuming the prohibition against graven images under the command against false gods, thus embracing icons as “windows to heaven.” Protestants, however, treat this prohibition as a separate commandment, reflecting distrust of visual representations that might overshadow God’s transcendence. This highlights distinct spiritual sensibilities: Catholicism and Orthodoxy embrace God’s immanence through material aids, while Protestantism prioritizes transcendence through simplicity and scripture.
These differences show that the Ten Commandments, though universally significant, are interpreted through diverse lenses. The debate over sacred art reflects not just textual differences but also how communities prioritize divine revelation—visual or textual. This invites reflection on our own interpretive lenses: How do we balance reverence for tradition with openness to other perspectives? How do we decide which way to look at any given theological dilemma?
Could it be that, in the words of Swedish theologian Krister Stendahl, “We are not so much blinded by what we don’t know, but by what we think we know”?
Fascinating!!! Thanks for sharing Eli! Deeply appreciated
Thanks, friend! I hope this helps people to see how come good people on both sides who love Christ can think about this so differently!
Thank you for this in-depth réflexion about Ten Commandments and in particular the one about graven image, this is insightful.
Your writing is not judgmental, which is not an easy perspective. One question does messianic Jewish have a perspective different fron traditional Jewish on this particular question ? I’m more wondering about God’s immanence.
Generally speaking, Messianic Jews model things after Rabbinic Jews. Also, “Messianic Jews” is a very general term, and it includes all kinds of opinions.
Thank You Eli for the informative material. Now, I have a better understanding of different beliefs of this subject and have come to be not so closed minded, regarding this. Brent
You’re welcome, Brent! Thank you for commenting.
I think that the reach of the second command is much farther than these icons in the church. Making an ‘image’ of something is in itself no problem and a ‘model’ of something in creation is useful for understanding. However, as soon as the image becomes a ‘graven’ image, it becomes permanent and not subject of discussion. A ‘worshipped graven image’ is worth dying for. History show how stigmatizing opinions, people, dogmas, and elevating an image of a leader to a deity, resulted in millions of deaths.
The world today is not the same as it was yesterday, and tomorrow will be different again. The only One Who remains the same is God himself. Everything else in the world is temporary; a ‘graven image’ makes you losing contact with reality and truth. So , stay away from this!!!!!!
Thank you, Arend, for your thoughtful comment.
Good topic. Wouldn’t this apply to most all Christian doctrines, traditions and beliefs? We/they all love Jesus Christ. Maybe God does not judge who is right or wrong. P.S. I was looking for your answer or opinion you would offer to this enigma. You set up various theologys, but you do not offer your opinion or belief based on what the Bible says. Or Is it all a matter of interpretation?
Paul, shalom! My purpose is to make people think, clearly and powerfully. My oinion is less important.
Thanks for the insight on the Samaritan numbering of the commandments–which truly does shed a lot of light on the discourse between Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well, as you pointed out (John 4). A great example of reverence v. idolatry is the bronze serpent, which, in King Hezekiah’s time (if the original relic) would have been 400-500 years old; this icon had moved from being a religious icon to being idolatrous in and of itself, hence, it’s destruction by Hezekiah: “He broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan)” (2 Kings 18). Interesting that in John 3, Jesus foretells his being “lifted up,” as Moses’ lifting up of the bronze serpent, being the salvation for all mankind. God is good. <
Eric, very helpful. Thank you.
Differences that arise on this prohibition seem to center on the distinction ‘other’. Catholicism focused on images ‘other’ than Divine images; Exclusions included images of the Virgin Mary plus accepted saints. Historical reports indicate that this greatly offended the Muslims, who did not believe in exclusions; interpretations of this idea have been cited as the cause for Islamic attacks on the early church and the subsequent Christian ‘Crusades’ to reclaim the Holy Land and Holy Christian sites such as the location of the holy sepulcher and The Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Around the year 2000, I was in Lake Chapala, Mexico, where I observed a local Shaman in the Catholic ‘Cathedral’ praying healing for a follower under a religious statue of a saint.
Thank you for your comment.
I’ve never been able to decide whether I’m a Cathestant or a Protolic but I’m definitely some sort of mixture of Catholic and Protestant. My difficulty with images is not in what they convey but in what they fail to convey. By failing to convey the reality that is God He is necessarily diminished in my mind and thereby place me in danger of idolatry making God less than he is.
The New Testament, written in Greek, uses specific terms to describe Jesus as the “icon” or image of God, emphasizing His divine representation. Colossians 1:15 declares, “He is the image [εἰκών] of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation,” highlighting Christ’s role as the visible manifestation of God’s nature. Similarly, 2 Corinthians 4:4 states, “…Christ, who is the image [εἰκών] of God,” underscoring His revelation of divine glory. Hebrews 1:3 complements this, describing Jesus as “the radiance of His glory and the exact representation [χαρακτήρ] of His nature,” portraying Him as the precise imprint of God’s essence. These passages—Colossians 1:15, 2 Corinthians 4:4, and Hebrews 1:3—form the scriptural foundation for understanding Jesus as the perfect “icon” of God, embodying and revealing the divine in human form, central to Christian theology.
Scripture interprets Scripture. God commanded the Great Sea to be mounted on the backs of 12 bulls (the sacred image of Baal). God commanded very large Cherubim on each side of the Ark and more cherubim elsewhere, pomegranates and other sacred flowers. The Tabernacle and Temple had images and statues. Therefore the Calvanist Bible centered concept is judged incorrect by the words of the Bible itself. Most heresy is Word of the Bible based. It is based on elevating one passage over another using human logic as superior to God’s Divine complexity.
The claim that God commanded images like the Great Sea on 12 bulls, cherubim, pomegranates, and other sacred symbols in the Tabernacle and Temple is partially accurate but requires nuance. Scripture does describe the “molten sea” resting on 12 bronze oxen (1 Kings 7:25; 2 Chronicles 4:4), cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:18–20), and woven into Tabernacle curtains (Exodus 26:31). Pomegranates and floral designs also adorned the Temple (1 Kings 7:18–20). These were divinely sanctioned for worship but not as objects of veneration, unlike Baal’s images, which were idolatrous (Exodus 20:4–5). The Calvinist view, emphasizing sola scriptura, doesn’t inherently reject these descriptions but warns against idolatry, aligning with Deuteronomy 5:8–9. Elevating one passage over another risks oversimplification, but heresy often stems from misinterpretation, not Scripture itself. The Bible’s complexity demands balanced exegesis, not human logic alone (2 Timothy 3:16).
I believe the scriptures are very clear, No matter how it’s numbered.
We are not to worship any images of any kind.
I think you missed the point of the article. Well… perhaps you proved it. I am not sure. 🙂
The biggest problem in Catholicism with graven images is NOT what was explained in the essay. The “graven images” that are made in the likeness of men to represent the “Saints” honored by the Catholic church. I was raised Catholic and can testify that people pray TO THE SAINTS, many for help, some to ask them to go before God for them. Praying to the image of a man IS idolatry. Christ alone stands before God for us. We are directed to come “boldly before the throne” as believers in Christ’s sacrifice & redemption. Never in scripture are we directed in any way to pray for ANYONE ELSE TO INTERCEDE FOR US. Because of this, the Catholic tradition of actually praying, talking to “the saints” is an a front to God.
Brenda, whether or not asking saints (believers already in heaven) to pray for you is a good idea or not is a topic of a different study. Here are some of my initial thoughts – https://drelisblog.com/can-we-ask-mary-and-the-saints-to-pray-for-us/
When was the graven image first mentioned in scripture? What reason did the people have for its creation? Did they have a focus on G-d or an image? Should scripture defend, interpret or define its meaning? I believe the Book is clear, images are out..
Thank you for your questions.
I believe as a disciple of Jesus Christ our Lord not in any way look down or Judge other believers brothers and sisters. Otherwise those kinds of questions should be left with God Himself according to the holy Bible in Matthew 7:1–
Blessings!!
I think I will play it safe and avoid things that might be bowed down to or worshipped, but even then the heavenly bodies are still in the sky and I’ve seen some pretty amazing naturally formed rocks/mountains/trees that some might bow down to, so I think the main thing is the not worshipping or bowing down to these things.
I am doing the same 🙂
Did Jewish tradition in the time before Jesus, allow for objects in the temple or synagogues that were prayed to or kneeled to in veneration, or for assisting in worship?
In Jewish tradition before Jesus, objects in the Temple or synagogues were not prayed to or kneeled to in veneration. The Temple in Jerusalem housed sacred items like the Ark of the Covenant, menorah, and altar, which served as focal points for worship directed to God alone. These objects were not worshiped but symbolized God’s presence or facilitated rituals, such as sacrifices or incense offerings, as prescribed in the Torah. Synagogues, emerging later, contained Torah scrolls, which were revered as containing God’s word but not worshiped. Kneeling or bowing was directed toward God, often facing Jerusalem or the Temple, not objects. The emphasis was on monotheistic worship, with strict prohibitions against venerating physical items, ensuring that devotion remained solely for God.
That was excellent. I love the quote at the end too by Kristen Stendahl.
Hosea 4:4-6 NASB2020
[4] ¶Yet let no one find fault, and let no one rebuke; For your people are like those who contend with a priest. [5] So you will stumble by day, And the prophet also will stumble with you by night; And I will destroy your mother. [6] My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your children.
This passage sprung to mind. We need not just knowledge but wisdom and an understanding heart. What Solomon prayed and God gave.
Idolatory is not just worshipping images but rather allowing something to take God’s place in our lives.
Hezekiah destroyed the bronze serpent, called Nehushtan, because the Israelites had started to worship it by offering sacrifices and burning incense to it, turning it into an idol rather than the object of God’s healing power. This act was part of Hezekiah’s religious reforms to bring the nation back to the worship of the true God, as described in 2 Kings 18:4.
The Original Context
Moses made the bronze serpent on a pole at God’s command to save the Israelites from dying from the bites of venomous snakes.
Dr Eli, thank you for these different perspectives of the Ten Commandment through the lenses of these major religions. It really gives me food for thought. Blessings to you and the ministry. May we keep on seeking, keep exploring, digging even deeper into the Word of God.
Thank you so much Sylvia!