Lord's Day 35

Question 96. What doth God require in the second commandment?
Answer. That we in no wise [a] represent God by images, nor worship [b] him in any other way than he has commanded in his word.

Question 97. Are images then not at all to be made?
Answer. God neither can, nor [c] may be represented by any means: but as to creatures; though they may be represented, yet God forbids to make, or have any resemblance of them, either in order to worship them [d] or to serve God by them.

Question 98. But may not images be tolerated in the churches, as books to the laity?
Answer. No: for we must not pretend to be wiser than God, who will have his people [e] taught, not by dumb images, [f] but by the lively preaching of his word.
A Brief Topical Index to the
Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day

Lord's Day #

  1. Our Only Comfort and its Enjoyment
  2. The Knowledge of our Misery by the Law
  3. The Source of our Misery, not by Creation but by the Fall, and its Extent
  4. The Justice of God and the Necessity of Satisfaction and Atonement
  5. The Way of Satisfaction, not by any mere Creature
  6. The Mediator We Need, Jesus Christ
  7. Saved by Christ of Grace though True Faith
  8. The Triune God
  9. God the Father, Creation
  10. The Providence of God
  11. Jesus the Complete Savior
  12. Christ's Anointing and Ours in Him
  13. The Only Begotten Son, Our Lord
  14. The Birth of Christ, our Mediator
  15. Jesus Suffering an Accursed Death
  16. Jesus' Death, Burial, and Hellish Agony
  17. Jesus' Resurrection
  18. Jesus' Ascension to Glory
  19. Jesus' Exalted Glory and Coming to Judge
  20. The Holy Ghost
  21. The Church of Christ
  22. The Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting
  23. Righteous before God in Christ by Faith Without Works
  24. Works, Not our Righteousness but its fruit and Graciously Rewarded
  25. Faith Wrought of the Spirit by the Word and Confirmed by the Sacraments
  26. The Sign and Seal of Baptism
  27. The Washing by the Blood and Spirit of Christ, Signified, Embracing also the Infants of Believers
  28. The Sign and Seal of the Lord's Supper
  29. The Spiritual Presence of Christ, Signified, and Communion with Him
  30. The Error of the Mass and the Necessity of Supervision of the Lord's Supper
  31. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, Preaching and Church Discipline
  32. The Necessity of Conversion and the Fruit of Good Works
  33. The Grace of Conversion and its Elements
  34. The Law the Rule of Gratitude and the First Commandment
  35. The Second Commandment
  36. The Third Commandment
  37. A Godly Oath in God's Name
  38. The Fourth Commandment
  39. The Fifth Commandment
  40. The Sixth Commandment
  41. The Seventh Commandment
  42. The Eighth Commandment
  43. The Ninth Commandment
  44. The Tenth Commandment and the Imperfect Christian
  45. Prayer the Chief Part of Gratitude, The Requisites of Prayer
  46. Our Father, Which Art in Heaven
  47. Hallowed be Thy Name
  48. Thy Kingdom Come
  49. Thy Will Be Done
  50. Prayer for Daily Bread
  51. Prayer for Forgiveness of sins
  52. Temptation and Deliverance, Concluding Prayer
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Scriptural Proof
  1. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Deut. 4:15;

    To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? Isa. 40:18;

    And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. ... Rom. 1:23 &c.;

    Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. Acts 17:29

  2. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 1Sam. 15:23;

    Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Deut. 12:30

  3. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves , and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, Deut. 4:15,16;

    To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? Isa. 46:5;

    And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Rom. 1:23

  4. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. Ex. 23:24;

    But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Ex. 34:13,14;

    Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: Numb. 33:52;

    But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. Deut. 7:5

  5. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2Tim. 3:16;

    We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2Pet. 1:19

  6. Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. Jer. 10:1-5 &c.

    What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? 19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. Hab. 2:18,19
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