Lord's Day Questions with proof texts
Link to audio recording of LD 35
Summary (NotebookLM)
Lord's Day 35 of Ursinus' commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism discusses extensively the second commandment, focusing on God's requirement that He be worshipped only as prescribed in His Word and forbidding the creation or veneration of religious images. The source argues against any form of will-worship or superstition, including the use of images to represent or worship God or creatures, asserting that such practices constitute idolatry. It differentiates between divine, civil, and ecclesiastical ordinances, clarifying that only God has the authority to institute true forms of worship. Finally, the text analyzes the exhortation attached to the second commandment, highlighting God's attributes of being our God, mighty, jealous, and one who visits iniquity and shows mercy according to obedience.
Chapter Contents:
Lord's Day 35 of the Heidelberg Catechism focuses on the Second Commandment: "That we in no wise make any image of God, nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded in His Word." This document analyzes the main themes and arguments presented in the accompanying exposition and commentary. The central themes revolve around the prohibition of making images of God and worshipping Him in ways not prescribed in Scripture, the condemnation of will-worship and superstition, the distinction between lawful and unlawful uses of images of creatures, and the rationale for removing images from Christian churches. The text also delves into the nature and authority of human precepts in relation to divine worship and concludes with an explanation of the exhortation attached to the Second Commandment, emphasizing God's jealousy, justice, and mercy.
Main Themes and Important Ideas:
1. Prohibition of Images of God and Unprescribed Worship:
The core of the Second Commandment is the prohibition against creating any representation of God and against worshipping Him in any manner not explicitly commanded in His Word.
Quote: "That we in no wise make any image of God, nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded in His Word." (Question 96, A.)
The commandment aims to ensure that God is worshipped under a "proper form" pleasing to Him, not according to human imagination or invention.
Quote: "The end, or design of this commandment is, that the true God... be worshipped under a proper form, or with such worship as it is right and proper that intelligent creatures should pay unto him―such as is pleasing to him, and not with such worship as that which is according to the imagination and device of man..." (Exposition)
This includes not only physical images but also any form of "will-worship" or superstition, which involves worshipping God through practices not prescribed by Him.
Quote: "This commandment forbids, on the other hand, every form of will-worship, or such as is false, requiring that we neither regard or worship images and creatures for God, nor represent the true God by any image or figure, nor worship him at or by images, or with any other kind of worship which he himself has not prescribed." (Exposition)
The text argues that worshipping God in unprescribed ways implies imagining a different God, a "figment of their own brain."
Quote: "Hence, those who sin against the second commandment, sin also against the first; because, those who worship God otherwise than he will be worshipped, imagine another God, one differently affected from what the true God is; and in this way they do not worship God, but a figment of their own brain, which they persuade themselves is affected in this manner." (Exposition)
2. Condemnation of Will-Worship and Superstition:
Will-worship, or superstition, is defined as corrupting the worship of God by adding human inventions to divine commandments.
Quote: "The other species of idolatry is more properly condemned in the second commandment, and is termed superstition, because it adds to the commandments of God the inventions of men. Those are called superstitious who corrupt the worship of God by their own inventions." (Exposition)
Several biblical passages are cited to support the condemnation of will-worship, emphasizing the importance of following God's commands over human traditions in matters of worship.
Quotes: "But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matt. 15:9); "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men..." (Col. 2:8); "...which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship..." (Col. 2:23)
3. Distinction Between Idolatry Forms:
The text distinguishes between two principal kinds of idolatry:
Worshipping a false god instead of or besides the true God (more directly addressed by the First Commandment).
Worshipping the true God in a false or unprescribed manner (the focus of the Second Commandment).
Quote: "The first commandment forbids one form of idolatry, as when another God is worshipped; the second forbids another species of idolatry, as when the true God is worshipped differently from what He ought to be." (Exposition, Answer to Objection)
4. Lawful and Unlawful Uses of Images of Creatures:
The commandment does not absolutely forbid the making or having of all images. Arts like painting and sculpture are seen as God-given gifts.
Quote: "...this commandment does not absolutely forbid us to make, or to have images, likenesses and statues, because the art of painting, sculpture, casting and embroidery, is reckoned among the gifts of God which are good and profitable to human life..." (Exposition, Question 97)
The prohibition focuses on the abuse of images, specifically making or using them to represent or worship God or creatures with divine honor.
Quote: "The law does not, therefore, forbid the use of images, but their abuse, which takes place when images and pictures are made either for the purpose of representing or worshiping God, or creatures." (Exposition, Question 97)
Images of creatures can be lawful if kept away from churches, without the appearance of idolatry or superstition, and serve a political (historical, symbolic) or ornamental purpose (e.g., lions on Solomon's throne, Caesar's image on coins).
Quote: "Those images of creatures, however, may be lawful which are made and kept away from the churches, which are without danger and appearance of idolatry, superstition, or offence, and which are for some political benefit, such as is historical or sym-bolical, or for some becoming ornament." (Exposition, Question 97)
5. Rejection of Images in Christian Churches:
The text strongly argues against tolerating images of God or saints in Christian churches, regardless of whether they are actively worshipped.
Quote: "We must, however, maintain the opposite, which is, that images and likenesses of God, or of the saints, are not to be tolerated in Christian churches, but abolished and removed from the sight of men, whether they be worshipped, or not." (Exposition, Question 98)
Several reasons are given for this stance:
It contradicts God's express command.
Images have historically been the cause of idolatry (especially in the "Papal Church").
God commanded the removal of idols.
It is necessary for a clear confession against idolatry.
Pious kings in Scripture were commended for destroying idols.
To avoid offense, superstition, and idolatry, especially among the ignorant.
To prevent enemies of the church from being further alienated and blaspheming the truth.
Historically, images have led God's people astray.
6. Human Precepts and Ecclesiastical Traditions:
The text distinguishes four classes of human commandments:
Divine precepts communicated by humans in God's name. Obedience to these is worship.
Civil ordinances necessary for observing the moral precepts of the second table. Obedience is worship in its relation to God's moral command.
Ecclesiastical or ceremonial ordinances concerning the first table (time, place, form of worship). These do not inherently constitute worship nor bind conscience, except to avoid offense.
Human enactments opposed to God's commands. These must be disobeyed.
The authority of ecclesiastical traditions is carefully limited. They should be observed for order and to avoid offense, not as if they were divinely necessary or binding on conscience in the same way as civil laws (which have God's authority delegated to magistrates).
Quote: "...he has given no such authority to the church, or to her ministers, but requires merely that their laws and ordinances be observed according to the rule of charity: that is, with a desire of avoiding offence, and not as if there were any necessity in the case, as though the conscience were bound thereby." (Exposition, Answer to Objection, Question 98)
7. Exhortation and God's Attributes:
The exhortation attached to the Second Commandment ("For I the Lord your God am a jealous God...") highlights five attributes of God to motivate obedience:
Our God: Emphasizes the ingratitude of disobedience to our creator and benefactor.
A mighty God: Stresses His power to punish the wicked and reward the obedient, demanding fear and worship.
A jealous God: Underscores His intense defense of His honor and displeasure with those who turn from Him or corrupt His worship.
Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children...: Reveals the greatness of His wrath against persistent disobedience across generations.
Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments: Magnifies His mercy and invites obedience through the promise of salvation for those who love and obey Him.
8. Rejection of Arguments for Images as "Books for the People":
The argument that images serve as books for the unlearned is refuted.
Quote: "No; for we must not pretend to be wiser than God, who will have his people taught not by dumb idols, but by the lively preaching of his word." (Answer to Question 98, A.)
The text asserts that God ordained preaching as the means of teaching His people, not "dumb idols" which are seen as "teachers of lies."
Quote: "What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof has graven it; the molten image and a teacher of lies?" (Hab. 2:18, cited in Exposition, Question 98)
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, not by viewing images.
Conclusion:
Lord's Day 35 provides a comprehensive theological argument against the making and worshipping of images of God, as well as any form of worship not explicitly commanded in Scripture. It carefully distinguishes between the prohibition of representing God and the limited lawful use of images of creatures. The text strongly advocates for the removal of religious images from Christian churches to prevent idolatry, superstition, and offense. It underscores the supreme authority of God's Word in matters of worship and emphasizes the importance of obedience motivated by His attributes of justice, jealousy for His honor, and abundant mercy. The commentary firmly rejects the notion that human traditions can supersede or add to God's prescribed forms of worship.
How does the commentary define the acceptable and unacceptable forms of worship?
This source defines acceptable worship as that which is commanded by God in His Word and performed in faith, with the assurance that both the person and the work are pleasing to God through the mediator, and with the intention of glorifying God. To worship God truly is to worship Him in the manner He has prescribed in His Word. This encompasses every internal or external work commanded by God, done in faith. Obedience to divine precepts, proposed by men as ministers and messengers of God, is also considered the worship of God because these are not human but divine commands.
The source identifies several unacceptable forms of worship:
Idolatry: This is defined as a false or superstitious worship of God.
Gross and palpable idolatry involves worshipping a false god or giving worship due to the true God alone to some other thing or object. This is particularly forbidden in the first and partly in the third commandments.
Subtle and refined idolatry (superstition or will-worship) occurs when the true God is supposedly worshipped, but the kind of worship paid is false because it is not prescribed by divine law but consists of human inventions added to God's commandments. Those who corrupt the worship of God with their own inventions are called superstitious. This form of idolatry is specifically condemned in the second commandment. Examples of will-worship mentioned include traditions of men, rudiments of the world, and commandments and doctrines of men concerning meat, drink, etc..
Worshipping images and creatures for God.
Representing the true God by any image or figure.
Worshipping God at or by images. The source argues that when God condemns worshipping Him at or by images, He also condemns all other forms of false worship that grow from this root.
Imagining a different worship of God from what He has prescribed is likened to imagining another will of God and thus another God, making those who do so guilty of idolatry.
Hypocrisy: This involves putting on the appearance of true piety and worship by performing external works commanded by God without true faith, conversion, or inward obedience.
Profanity: This includes a voluntary renunciation and contempt of all religion and the worship of God, both internal and external, or some parts of it.
Will-worship (not instituted by God but by men): All kinds of worship not instituted by God but by men, as well as those which contain the same reason why they should be prohibited, are forbidden in the second commandment. This includes prescribing and performing things as worship of God, or supposing God is honored by performing them and dishonored by neglecting them, even if those things are indifferent in themselves (neither commanded nor prohibited by God).
The source emphasizes that God alone has the authority to prescribe how He should be worshipped. Any deviation from His commands, including the addition of human inventions or the use of images to represent or worship Him, is considered unacceptable and a violation of the second commandment.
How are divine and human precepts distinguished here?
The source distinguishes between divine precepts and several categories of human precepts based on their origin, authority, the nature of obedience they require, and whether they constitute worship of God.
Divine Precepts:
Origin and Authority: Divine precepts originate from God Himself. Men propose these precepts for observance not in their own name but by the authority of God, acting as ministers and messengers. This includes the doctrine revealed from heaven (preached by ministers), parental instruction based on God's law, teachings by teachers, and the Decalogue made known by magistrates.
Nature of Obedience: Obedience to these commandments is considered and called the worship of God. This is because they are not human but divine precepts, and obedience is necessary even without human endorsement and even if all creatures commanded the contrary.
Human Precepts:
The source outlines four classes of things concerning which humans give commandments:
Divine Precepts Proposed by Men: As mentioned above, men can convey divine precepts, but they act as messengers, not authors. Obedience to these is worship.
Civil Ordinances Prescribed by Men:
These include arrangements necessary and useful for securing the observance of the moral precepts of the second table (commandments concerning our neighbor). Examples include laws made by magistrates, parents, teachers, and masters.
Obedience to these ordinances is considered worship of God insofar as it respects the general moral command from God to obey authority, but not in the specifics of the action or its circumstances.
These ordinances bind the conscience and must be complied with unless doing so would lead to public scandal.
Actions commanded by the magistrate (like bearing arms) do not inherently constitute worship but become so accidentally due to the general divine command to obey magistrates.
Ecclesiastical or Ceremonial Ordinances Prescribed by Men:
These involve determining circumstances necessary or useful for maintaining the moral precepts of the first table (commandments concerning God). Examples include the time, place, form, and order of sermons, prayers, church readings, fasts, and the election of ministers.
The general aspect of these laws, if correctly and profitably made, is considered moral and thus the worship of God.
However, the specific ceremonies themselves do not constitute the worship of God and do not inherently bind men's consciences. Their observance is necessary only when neglecting them would cause offense.
Individuals have the liberty to omit or do these things differently without offending God, provided it's not done out of contempt, wantonness, ambition, or a desire to offend others. The primary concern for the church in establishing these ordinances should be order and avoiding offense, not asserting authority.
Human Enactments in Opposition to the Commands of God:
God forbids compliance with these, regardless of whether they come from civil authorities or the church. The principle is that "we ought to obey God rather than men".
In summary, the key distinctions lie in the origin and authority of the precepts. Divine precepts come directly from God, and obedience to them is worship. Human precepts, on the other hand, originate from human authorities. Obedience to civil and ecclesiastical ordinances is related to the worship of God in a more indirect way, tied to the divine command to respect authority or to maintain order and avoid offense in matters related to worship. Human enactments that contradict God's commands are to be disobeyed. The source is particularly concerned with preventing human inventions from being added to or replacing divinely instituted worship.
What constitutes true worship of God?
Drawing on the sources, true worship of God is fundamentally defined as that which God Himself has commanded in His Word and is performed in the manner He has prescribed. This encompasses several key aspects:
Divinely Commanded: True worship consists of every internal or external work commanded by God. It is not based on human imagination or invention but on what God has revealed. The design of the second commandment is that God be worshipped under a proper form, according to what is pleasing to Him, "and not with such worship as that which is according to the imagination and device of man".
Performed in Faith: Acceptable worship is done in faith, which rests fully assured that both the person and the work please God for the mediator’s sake. This faith, according to the response to Objection 5, is linked to God's Word.
For God's Glory: True worship is performed with the design that we may glorify God thereby.
Obedience to Divine Precepts: Obedience to divine precepts, even when proposed by men acting as God's ministers and messengers, is considered worship because these precepts originate from God, not humans.
Staying Within Prescribed Bounds: True worship involves sacredly and conscientiously keeping ourselves within the bounds which God has prescribed and not adding anything to or corrupting divinely instituted worship.
In contrast to true worship, the sources extensively detail what constitutes false or unacceptable worship:
Will-worship (Superstition): This is when individuals imagine they are worshipping or honoring God by performing any work not prescribed by divine law but are human inventions added to God's commandments. This is condemned throughout Scripture.
Idolatry: This is a false or superstitious worship of God. It includes:
Worshipping a false god or giving the worship due to the true God to another object.
Worshipping the true God in a manner different from what He has commanded, often involving images. The source argues that even if one intends to worship the true God through an image or in a way not prescribed, it constitutes idolatry because it imagines a God different from the one revealed in Scripture.
Worshipping images and creatures for God or representing God by any image or figure.
Hypocrisy: Performing external acts of worship without true inward faith and obedience.
Profanity: Renouncing and showing contempt for all or parts of the prescribed worship of God.
The source emphasizes that God alone has the authority to institute how He is to be worshipped. Any form of worship not explicitly commanded by Him, especially those involving human inventions or the use of images to represent Him, is considered a violation of the second commandment and is not true worship.
What
are the four classes of human commandments discussed?
The source discusses four classes of things concerning which men give commandment. These are distinguished by their relationship to divine precepts and whether obedience to them constitutes worship of God.
Divine precepts, which God desires that men should propose unto themselves for their observance, not, however, in their own name, but by the authority of God himself, as being the ministers and messengers, and not the authors of these precepts.
This includes ministers preaching the doctrine revealed from heaven, parents teaching their children God's law, teachers instructing pupils, and magistrates making known the precepts of the Decalogue.
Obedience to these commandments is, and is called the worship of God, because they are not human, but divine precepts.
Civil ordinances prescribed by men, which include the arrangement, or fixing of those circumstances which are necessary and useful for securing the observance of the moral precepts of the second table.
These are positive laws from magistrates, parents, teachers, masters, and others in authority.
Obedience is the worship of God in as far as it has respect to the general, which is moral and commanded by God, and includes obedience to the magistrate and others in authority. However, the specific details of these ordinances are not, in themselves, the worship of God.
These ordinances bind the conscience and cannot be disregarded without offense to God. Actions commanded or prohibited by the magistrate (like bearing arms) become related to divine worship because of the general command to obey authorities.
Ecclesiastical or ceremonial ordinances, prescribed by men, which include the determinations of circumstances necessary or useful for the maintenance of the moral precepts of the first table.
Examples include the time, place, form, and order of sermons, prayers, reading in church, fasts, and the election of ministers.
The general aspect of these laws, if made correctly and profitably, is considered moral and therefore the worship of God.
However, the specific ceremonies themselves do not constitute the worship of God, do not inherently bind consciences, and their observance is necessary only to avoid offense. Individuals have liberty in these matters as long as it does not lead to contempt, wantonness, ambition, contention, novelty, or offense to the weak. The church should ensure these ordinances are observed for the sake of order and avoiding offense, not out of regard for the church's authority alone.
Human enactments which are in opposition to the commands of God.
God forbids us to comply with these, whether they are enjoined by civil magistrates or by the church. The guiding principle is, "We ought to obey God rather than men".
What distinguishes divine precepts from civil ordinances?
Based on the sources and our conversation history, divine precepts and civil ordinances are distinguished primarily by their origin, authority, and the nature of obedience they entail, especially in relation to the worship of God.
Divine Precepts:
Origin and Authority: Divine precepts originate directly from God Himself. Men who propose these precepts, such as ministers, parents, teachers, and magistrates (when teaching the Decalogue), do so not in their own name but by God's authority, acting as ministers and messengers. They are not the authors of these precepts.
Nature of Obedience: Obedience to divine precepts is considered and called the worship of God. This is because they are not human but divine commands, and obedience is necessary regardless of human endorsement, even if all creatures commanded the contrary.
Civil Ordinances:
Origin and Authority: Civil ordinances are prescribed by men, specifically those in civil authority such as magistrates, as well as parents, teachers, and masters. These ordinances involve the arrangement of circumstances necessary and useful for securing the observance of the moral precepts of the second table of the Decalogue (those concerning our neighbor).
Nature of Obedience: Obedience to civil ordinances is considered worship of God insofar as it respects the general, moral command from God to obey those in authority. The source states that obedience to the magistrate and others in authority is part of this general moral command. However, the specific details of the civil ordinance or the circumstances connected with it do not, in themselves, constitute the worship of God. They are not actions that would necessarily be performed due to a direct command from God if the magistrate had not issued the ordinance.
Binding of Conscience: Civil ordinances bind the conscience, meaning they must be complied with and cannot be disregarded without offense to God, even if done without public scandal. This binding arises from the general divine command to obey legitimate authority.
Accidental Relation to Worship: Actions commanded by civil authorities (like bearing arms) do not inherently constitute worship. They become related to divine worship "by accident, on account of the command of the magistrate". The underlying principle being violated by disobedience is the general divine command to obey the magistrate.
In summary, the key distinction lies in the source of authority: divine precepts come directly from God, and obedience to them is intrinsically an act of worship. Civil ordinances originate from human authorities, and obedience to them is considered worship in a more indirect sense, stemming from the divine command to respect and obey those authorities within their legitimate sphere. The specifics of civil ordinances are not divine worship in themselves but become connected to it through this broader principle of obedience.
Why does the text argue against images in churches?
The text provides several reasons for arguing against the toleration of images and pictures in Christian churches. These arguments are primarily based on interpretations of the second commandment and concerns about idolatry and proper worship. Here are the key reasons presented:
It is contrary to the express command of God. The commandment states, "You shall not make unto yourself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is," etc.. Since God prohibits the making of images to represent Him or to be worshipped at, the text argues that He would also not permit images made by others to be tolerated or retained in churches.
Images have been the occasion and means of horrible idolatry in the Papal Church. The historical use of images has led to what the text considers idolatrous practices.
God expressly commanded that idols should be removed, along with every corruption of true doctrine and worship, to demonstrate His displeasure against idolatry. Citations are given to Exodus 33:24, 34:13, and Numbers 33:52.
The removal of images is necessary for our confession of sincere worship and hatred of idolatry, which should be evident not just in words but also in outward actions and signs. Deuteronomy 7:5 and 1 John 5:21 are cited in this context.
The Scriptures commend pious kings like Asa, Jehu, Hezekiah, and Josiah for destroying images and idols that had been set up. Examples from 1 Kings 15:13, 2 Kings 10:30, 18:4, and 23:24 are mentioned.
Removing images helps in avoiding offense and preventing superstition and idolatry, protecting the church and its members from the dangers that led past generations astray.
The presence of images, which resembles idolatry, can drive enemies of the church further from the truth and lead them to reproach it. Judges 2:3 is quoted to support this point. The text specifically mentions that Jews are offended by seeing statues and images in Christian churches, leading them to hate Christianity more.
Images have never resulted in any good for those who have had them. The history of the Jewish people is cited as evidence, showing they were frequently seduced by idols. Leviticus 26:30 and Judges 2:3 are referenced to illustrate the punishments associated with idolatry.
Furthermore, the text refutes the idea that pictures can be tolerated in churches as "books for the people":
God will have His people taught not by dumb idols, but by the lively preaching of His word. It is argued that God's chosen method of instruction is through the spoken word, not inanimate images.
The prophets describe graven and molten images as "teachers of lies" and state that "the idols have spoken vanity", citing Habakkuk 2:18 and Zechariah 10:2. Images cannot truly represent God and thus convey falsehoods about Him.
While images might teach the unlearned, faith comes from hearing the word of God, not from seeing images.
The text also addresses the example of Solomon placing images in the temple:
The images in the temple (cherubim, lions, oxen, palm trees) were ordered by the special command of God, which is different from images set up in churches without such a specific command.
The nature of those images was such that they could not easily lead to superstitious practices, unlike images of God and the saints which have historically caused idolatry.
The images in the temple served as types of spiritual things, a purpose that is now fulfilled in Christ.
Finally, the argument that images are not worshipped in Reformed churches is countered by stating that God forbids not only the worship of images but also their making and possession, as they are a constant occasion for superstition and idolatry, especially among the ignorant, and they cause offense to those outside the church.