"New Economy of Images"

[Rahn]

Hi,

I’m currently going through the Great Adventures Bible study program (by Jeff Cavins) at a nearby church. We just did the Exodus Part 2 section last night, the section that covers the 10 commandments.

I’ve always had a bit of a problem with the way I see people in the church interpret Exodus 20:4-6, which looks every bit like a separate commandment, and, not only that, but a commandment with emphasis. However, at best, it seems to be assimilated into the first commandment, and, at worse, ignored all together, and so, I was really looking forward to what Jeff would say about it. He started out stating that some have a problem with it, asking why Catholics seem not to follow it… is it still valid? He then said that it was valid, but then it changed with the incarnation of Christ. He then went on to briefly reference the new Economy of Images, and provided CCC 2130-2131 as reference.

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm#IV

CCC 2131 references the justification of the veneration of icons against the iconoclasts at the seventh ecumenical council at Nicaea as the source of this teaching, so I reviewed that, using various sources:

orthodoxwiki.org/Seventh_Ecumenical_Council

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Council_of_Nicaea

newadvent.org/cathen/11045a.htm

What came across from reading these sources was that this teaching arises out of more of a societal/political war between the iconoclasts and the iconodules, with the iconodules winning. And, I thought of the similarities of that to how this plays out in society today, with issues like abortion and same sex marriage. Factions argue, one gains the upper hand, and policy is made.

Please don’t misunderstand, I get the Catholic Church’s position on Icons and I’m not for getting rid of them, my issue is reconciling that teaching with verses of scripture that seem very clear and definite, with the idea that God doesn’t change His mind. And, I’m finding the CCC lacking in that regard.

 

[Gary12]

Much of what you reference focuses on why veneration of images is ok. Less prominent in the CCC and other documents is an explanation of what exactly is prohibited in the commandment and why it is prohibited. The explanation I’ve heard, and find very persuasive, is related to the context. The Israelites were coming from Egypt where the Egyptians believed that they could control a god by depicting that god in in pictures or sculptures. Carving images gave the carver power over God. This would clearly be a violation of the 1st commandment, since it would place the person above the god being depicted. Exodus 20 doesn’t make it clear that this is the intent of the prohibition, but given that God commands the carving of the Cherubim on the Ark just a few chapters later, it seems to be implied. Creating an image to honor Jesus would therefore be good (just as Cherubim on the Ark was good), but creating an image in order to gain some superiority or power over Jesus would be a grave sin and violation of the 1st commandment (just as the worship of idols in ancient Egypt was wrong).

 

[dmar198]

Hi,

I’m currently going through the Great Adventures Bible study program (by Jeff Cavins) at a nearby church. We just did the Exodus Part 2 section last night, the section that covers the 10 commandments.

Great program! I am grateful that Jeff Cavins made it and that he continues to add to it.

I’ve always had a bit of a problem with the way I see people in the church interpret Exodus 20:4-6, which looks every bit like a separate commandment, and, not only that, but a commandment with emphasis. However, at best, it seems to be assimilated into the first commandment, and, at worse, ignored all together

If I may present a defense of it for a bit, I think it falls into a category of relative commands rather than absolute ones. A relative command is one like the following:

Proverbs 23:31 – “Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.”

Deuteronomy 4:19 – “And beware lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and worship them and serve them.”

Exodus 20:4-5 – “You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them.”

All of these are relative commands. If they were absolute commands, rather than relative commands, they would result in contradictions, because there are other passages that command sharing wine (Proverbs 31:6), looking at the heavens (Isaiah 40:26), and making images (Exodus 25:18). Therefore, the command has to be interpreted relatively: don’t do these things under certain conditions. The conditions have to be learned from the context. In the case of looking at the heavens and making images, the context prohibits worshiping them: “[lest] you be drawn away and worship them and serve them,” “you shall not bow down to them or serve them.” The command not to look at the heavens and not to make images is connected to the command not to worship them and is qualified by it. Making images for other purposes is allowed because the command is only relative, it is related to the command not to worship anything but God.

I hope that defense makes sense to you.

I was really looking forward to what Jeff would say about it. He started out stating that some have a problem with it, asking why Catholics seem not to follow it… is it still valid? He then said that it was valid, but then it changed with the incarnation of Christ. He then went on to briefly reference the new Economy of Images, and provided CCC 2130-2131 as reference.

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm#IV

CCC 2131 references the justification of the veneration of icons against the iconoclasts at the seventh ecumenical council at Nicaea as the source of this teaching, so I reviewed that, using various sources…

What came across from reading these sources was that this teaching arises out of more of a societal/political war between the iconoclasts and the iconodules, with the iconodules winning. And, I thought of the similarities of that to how this plays out in society today, with issues like abortion and same sex marriage. Factions argue, one gains the upper hand, and policy is made.

Please don’t misunderstand, I get the Catholic Church’s position on Icons and I’m not for getting rid of them, my issue is reconciling that teaching with verses of scripture that seem very clear and definite, with the idea that God doesn’t change His mind. And, I’m finding the CCC lacking in that regard.

God hasn’t changed His mind about images. Sacred images were Not prohibited in the Old Testament, they were used in the Temple of Solomon and on the Ark of the Covenant. What changed between the Old and New Covenants is that now, God has taken on a bodily form, and we can therefore obtain grace by honoring images of Him.

Regarding the social/political context of the seventh ecumenical council, there was a political struggle involved, but it is important to recognize two things about it: first, the council was protecting the ancient faith, which had always made use of sacred images, and second, God protects His Church from error. The first truth is important because all worthy struggles are a struggle between good and evil. The Church must fight efforts to remove parts of the faith, and sacred images are just as much a part of the faith as any other thing.

The second truth is important because it helps us see something supernatural in a struggle that could otherwise be seen as merely human. It is worth noting that the Church was persecuted by several powerful emperors over its stance in favor of sacred images, yet it survived the persecution and several saints and martyrs showed heroic courage during it. It was not really a political battle, it was a spiritual one, and our side only “won” because God was with us and with His saints.

I hope that you can come to recognize the spiritual nature of this struggle and maybe read the lives and writings of some of the saints who took part in it, such as St. John Damascene, St. Germanus I of Constantinople, and St. Stephen the Younger. Regarding the way the ancient Church used sacred images, you may find these articles helpful:

Sacred Images in the New Testament
historyandapologetics.com/2015/02/five-arguments-for-sacred-images-from.html

Sacred Images in the Early Church Fathers
historyandapologetics.com/2015/02/sacred-images-and-pre-nicene-fathers.html

I hope this helps. Please let me know. God bless!

 

[Rahn]

Thank you both. Your responses are excellent, just what I was looking for!