Der dritte Teil: Von der Dankbarkeit — 35. Sonntag
The Prohibition of Images
God commands that He must not be represented by images and must be worshipped only as He has prescribed.
What does God want in the second commandment? God wants us not to represent Him in any way. Furthermore, we shouldn't worship Him in any way other than He has commanded in His Word.
The Limits of Representation
While creatures may be depicted, God forbids the creation of any images intended for the purpose of worshiping Him.
Can we really make any images at all? God cannot and must not be represented in any way. Creatures may be represented, but God forbids making and having images of them to worship or serve Him.
The Sufficiency of the Word
God instructs His people through the living preaching of His Word rather than through man-made idols.
Aren't images allowed to be tolerated in churches as 'the books of the laity'? No; we shouldn't consider ourselves wiser than God, who wants to teach His people not through mute idols, but through the living preaching of His Word.
Read the original Latin
Was will Gott im zweiten Gebot? Gott will, dass wir ihn in keiner Weise abbilden, Jes; 40, 18-20. 25 noch ihn auf irgendeine andere Art verehren, als er es in seinem Wort befohlen hat.
Darf man denn gar kein Bild machen? Gott kann und darf in keiner Weise abgebildet werden. Die Geschöpfe dürfen abgebildet werden, aber Gott verbietet, Bilder von ihnen zu machen und zu haben, um sie zu verehren oder ihm damit zu dienen.
Dürfen denn nicht die Bilder als „der Laien Bücher“ in den Kirchen geduldet werden? Nein; denn wir sollen uns nicht für weiser halten als Gott, der seine Christenheit nicht durch stumme Götzen, sondern durch die lebendige Predigt seines Wortes unterwiesen haben will.
Heidelberg Catechism (Heidelbergse Catechismus) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit