The 2nd Commandment

[highrigger1]

I agree, we are only to give divine worship to God and to give divine worship to anyone or anything else is idolatry. However, the Original Post asked specifically about that part of the Commandment dealing with the things “in heaven above” and that is how I framed my answer. The other parts of the Commandment deal with land and sea creatures, respectively. Of course, the things “in heaven above” might also refer to the sun, the moon, the planets, the stars, etc. or even the angels. However, since the breakdown in the Commandment somewhat follows the creation narrative for animals found in Genesis 1:20-25, the context, to me, favors an understanding of birds and other flying creatures as the things “in heaven above.”

Todd,

Read it again. It clearly refers to ANYTHING above or below. Peace, JohnR

 

[Tantum_ergo]

tantum,

It is fine to respect but not to worship anyone or anything but God. Peace, JohnR

I absolutely agree, John, so long as we understand that the word worship as it is used (for example by the British in regard to titles of judges) was not always used in the understanding of 'for God alone."

So just by seeing the English word “Worship” in a sentence we cannot assume it means ‘something offered to God alone.’

In the Episcopalian marriage service, there is a part of the service where the husband speaks to the wife, and the wife responds to the husband, "with my body I thee worship’.

Now obviously the husband and wife do not think of each other as god, nor are they worshipping each other as god even if they use the term ‘worship’. They are using the term in the ORIGINAL understanding of ‘worship’ --that is, something of WORTH.

I have no problem asserting that worship in the sense of giving one’s all (praise, glory, adoration, ultimate worship, laud, etc.) to God is indeed for God alone. . .

But if the word ‘worship’ is used (usually from older works of literature or practice) in its ORIGINAL sense of simply something ‘of worth’ I do not think that we have to knee jerk assume “Oh my goodness, the British are calling judges ‘your worship’, they worship their judges and not god alone”. Correct??

 

[Todd_Easton]

Todd,

Read it again. It clearly refers to ANYTHING above or below. Peace, JohnR

Certainly, the spiritual sense of the Commandment is that we are give divine worship to God alone and to nothing else whatsoever. And, it is possible that the literal sense of the Commandment also prohibits the making images of absolutely ANYTHING for the purpose of offering them divine worship and not simply images of animated creatures as I suggest but then you must explain the redundant three-fold division of things into those which are in heaven above, those which are on the earth below, and those which are in the water under the earth? Why not simply say ANYTHING and leave it at that? Why divide things the same way animated creatures are divided in the Genesis creation narrative unless animated creatures are not primarily meant?

 

[highrigger1]

. .
But if the word ‘worship’ is used (usually from older works of literature or practice) in its ORIGINAL sense of simply something ‘of worth’ I do not think that we have to knee jerk assume “Oh my goodness, the British are calling judges ‘your worship’, they worship their judges and not god alone”. Correct??

I agree with what uou said before but I think in fact the British went too far to start that Your Worship stuff.
It confuses people who are easily confused. It sends the wrong message.

But I would also say that to call any individual Holy also goes too far since only God is holy.

Peace, JohnR

 

[highrigger1]

Certainly, the spiritual sense of the Commandment is that we are give divine worship to God alone and to nothing else whatsoever. And, it is possible that the literal sense of the Commandment also prohibits the making images of absolutely ANYTHING for the purpose of offering them divine worship and not simply images of animated creatures as I suggest but then you must explain the redundant three-fold division of things into those which are in heaven above, those which are on the earth below, and those which are in the water under the earth? Why not simply say ANYTHING and leave it at that? Why divide things the same way animated creatures are divided in the Genesis creation narrative unless animated creatures are not primarily meant?

todd,

I think that is to emphasize anything at all under the sun (or above) But we know when we are worshipping something or someone and of course that is different from respecting. Peace, JohnR