Shorter Catechism
Q. 49. Which is the second commandment?
A. The second commandment is, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments [p]. "
Q. 51. What is forbidden in the second commandment?
A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images [r], or any other way not appointed in his Word [s].
[r] Deuteronomy 4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves, (for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire,) Ver.16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female; Ver.17 the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air; Ver.18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: Ver.19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
Exodus 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an alter before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow is a feast to the LORD. Ver.8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
[s] Deuteronomy 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD which he hateth have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. Ver.32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Larger Catechism
Q. 109. What are the sins forbidden in the second commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising [a], counselling [b], commanding [c], using [d], and anywise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself [e]; tolerating a false religion [f]; the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever [g]; all worshipping of it [h],
or God in it or by it [i]; the making of any representation of feigned deities [k], and all worship of them, or service belonging to them [l], all superstitious devices [m], corrupting the worship of God [n], adding to it, or taking from it [o], whether invented and taken up of ourselves [p], or received by tradition from others [q], though under the title of antiquity [r], custom [s], devotion [t], good intent, or any other pretence whatsoever [v]; simony [w]; sacrilege [x]; all neglect [y], contempt [z], hindering [a], and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed [b].
The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising [a],
[a] Numbers 15:39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
counselling [b],
[b] Deuteronomy 13:6-8 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Ver.7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Ver.8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:
commanding [c],
[c] Hosea 5:11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. [Young's Literal Version: "When he pleased he went after the command." New King James Version: "Because he willingly walked by human precept."
Micah 6:16 For the statutes of [king] Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of [king] Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.
using [d],
[d] 1 Kings 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
1 Kings 12:33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
and anywise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself [e];
[e] Deuteronomy 12:30-32 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Ver.31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. Ver.32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
tolerating a false religion [f];
[f] Deuteronomy 13:6-12 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Ver.7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Ver.8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you. If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying,
Zechariah 13:2-3 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. Ver.3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
Revelation 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: Ver.14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. Ver.15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Ver.20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. Ver.16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. Ver.17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever [g];
[g] Deuteronomy 4:15-19 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Ver.16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, Ver.17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, Ver.18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: Ver.19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
Romans 1:21-23 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Ver.22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Ver.23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Ver.25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
all worshipping of it [h],
[h] Daniel 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Galatians 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
or God in it or by it [i];
[i] Exodus 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
the making of any representation of feigned deities [k],
[k] Exodus 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
and all worship of them, or service belonging to them [l],
[l] 1 Kings 18:26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. Ver.28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
Isaiah 65:11 But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.
End of Lesson, Day 72
For Further Study:
- Francis R. Beattie's The Presbyterian Standards
- James Fisher's Catechism on the Catechism
- John Flavel's Exposition of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism (Questions 49 to 52 combined)
- Matthew Henry's A Scripture Catechism in the Method of the Assembly's
- Thomas Vincent's The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture
- Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity
- John Whitecross' The Shorter Catechism Illustrated
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