GerardPaul, this is fairly simple.
The bottom line is this, one can listen to the erroneous traditions and translations of men or listen to the traditions of Christ. Refer to 2 Thess 2:15, 2 Tim 2:2, 2 Tim 1:13, and 1 Thess 2:13. You see the written Word is inerrant, yes, but it is the reader-no matter how sincere- which creates error. Thus, this leads to mis-interpretation of scripture and thus requires interpretation/teachings of Christ provided to and entrusted to faithful men, the apostles and their succesors, who have been “able to teach others also” for nearly 2000 years now. A prime biblical example of this is found in Acts 8:26-35, where the Eunuch requires the divine interpretation provided by ones whom have “heard” (oral tradition) the word of God through Philip, "30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31"How can I," he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. " (oral teaching tradition, established the year Christ founded his Church, not any time thereafter, much less 1521 AD).
How do you suspect a mis-interpretation- when your interpretation leads to a false contradiction of scripture. You see, if he takes the 1st commandment for what it is worth, it means God alone is number one, true. But that does not mean that we reject those that are one WITH God in heaven or in faith here on earth. Otherwise, then that would contradict Luke 10:16 “He who listens to you (those with God) listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
Similarly, regarding the 2nd commandment, if God intended for no image to be formed, even if intended as a representation to glorify him, then he is obviously contradicting himself just 5 chapters ahead. In Exodus 25, He commands graven a images in the form of a heavenly cherubim (angels!) to be made upon the Ark of the Covenant, “**And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover…”(**Ex 25:18). Again, the issue is, are people placing these images above God or are they using it as something which glorifies God; something that reminds us of the power of God above. Just as a “moving” image, a motion picture (/“image”), as “The Passion of Christ” which reminds us, and places us spiritually at calvary allowing us to appreciate the true sacrifice at the Cross. Thus, the key question is: is the image pointing worship toward God (Catholic worship OF God), or is worship directed at the image (the actual condemnable act and interpretation of the 2nd commandment).
If a person can not understand this difference or tolerate ANY image then he should not watch TV, much less, a motion picture/“image” of Christ.
The person, ultimately, must ask him/herself, where are they receiving these contradictory signals. Are they biblical teachings of Christ which have been provided by Apostles, presbyters, and deacons- such as Philip in Acts 8- or have they received them from their own private interpretations or other men’s interpretations, “traditions” of men, created well after the establishment of “the Church”? (Mt 16:17-19; Mt 18:17-18).
