Graven Images

As a Christian, is it wrong to have graven images in your home as referenced in the 2nd Commandment? (Exodus 20:4-6)

What about religious relics such as: statues of the Virgin Mary or even crucifixes? What about a manger scene? Does your answer show that your culture is informing your practice, or that the Scriptures are informing your practice? Can you support your position with Scripture?

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Hi Noel,

I would not consider a photograph to be a graven image. In my opinion, a graven image is something carved from wood or stone as an OBJECT OF WORSHIP, or maybe even shaped or molded from a metal; such as the "golden calf" or a "budda". This is just my heart and my thoughts.

Why did God command that the children of Israel create a couple of gold images of cherubim to place upon the top of the ark of the covenant? (Exodus 25:18)
Why did God tell Moses to fashion a bronze serpent to hold up before the children of Israel to look upon to be healed after being bit by poisonous snakes? (Numbers 21:

Didn't God say, "Do not make make for yourself any graven image?"

Pastor Noel

Definitions of graven on the Web:

* cut into a desired shape; "graven images"; "sculptured representations"
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

* Graven is, simply put, something fashioned by man, or something man-made. Anything made by man's hands to a material state is graven. To 'engrave' something is to carve into it, and carving is done by the hands of man.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graven (word)

I thought these definitions were interesting... by the common definition I am hearing, graven is usually thought to be something carved, or sculpted... if that is the case, would it be ok to just draw a picture of Buddha?

Graven – translated from Hebrew – pasil (idol) ‏פֶּסֶל‎ (pesel) <H6459> idol, image.Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament For the different words for idol, cf. gillûI and also ʿaṣāb.Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.

The issue is not whether it must be carved or molten, then formed, or just a picture. The issue is; not to create an image for the purpose of worship.

I believe the Word is clear that the issue is worship. We are not to have graven images for the purpose of worship. We are to worship the Creator not the creation.
Habakkuk 2:18 (NIV)
18 "Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
Exodus 20:4 (NIV)
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
Leviticus 26:1 (NIV)
1 "'Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God. (emphasis mine) gracie

Great post!

So, would it be ok to have a Buddha statue in your house as long as you did not worship it?

Are you worshipping it, or do you just like the sculpture? Would it cause another brother or sister to stumble?

definite no to the first question, but how could I be sure of the second question... I wonder what other items in my possession might lead others astray... [and no, I don't own {or plan on owning} a buddha statue... ...just asking questions] ...

Another question. Would the same apply to a picture of the Buddha? Or other image known to worshipped by others? And is that the criteria to use to determine if it could cause another to stumble? Do we go to the extreme of the Islamics and not allow images of any kind? That is why they have only geometrics in their art.

What if I decide to worship a triangle?

On the other hand, is that triangle the trinity?

LOL ... good point... I guess we really brought that one around the full circle

I really do not know why God had them make cheribum for the ark of the covenant, but I was thinking possibly He had them made to be used as symbols to represent the throne of God. What do you think?

And the snake, possibly to show God's power and grace to a repentant people. What do you think about this one?

Yes, God said "do not make for yourself any graven image". I thought Weston research was interesting. I looked up graven image in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and thought it was interesting, too:

graven image n [graven, pp. of grave] (14c) : an object of worship carved ususally from wood or stone : IDOL

I do not think that God has any problem with statues or images or carvings. But God seems to have a BIG problem with people bowing down to worship anything but Him. He is a jealous God. He wants our full attention. Anything that is taking God's place in your life is an idol, something to be worshiped besides Him. Everytime in Scripture, God takes offense at this! Great thoughts by everyone! Keep posting!

What about in countries where you are supposed to bow to the King/Emperor?

Is this breaking the second commandment?