Question: Is the second Commandment redundant since the first Commandment already forbids other gods? What's the difference?
- Phil Gay, area director for Young Life, Prince William County, Va.
Answer: The first of the Ten Commandments is found in Exodus 20:3 and repeated in Deuteronomy 5:7. We state it as God saying, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me (besides me, or in addition to me)." The second Commandment is drawn from Exodus 20:4, but it really includes verses 5-6. Deuteronomy 5:8-10 repeats it. We usually summarize it as, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." Note that, although the Commandments were a covenant for all Israel, they're to be kept by each individual. Although these 2 Commandments sound repetitious, they deal with separate aspects of our relationship with the Creator God.
The first Commandment is predicated on Exodus 20:2 and the revealed power of the True God. It's saying, "Make the only Almighty God your priority." Thoughtfully, we could ask: "Are there really any other Gods?" Of course, the answer is, "There are no other Gods (capitol G)." Isaiah 45:5 says, "I am Yahweh and there is none else, no God besides me." However, there are pantheons of other gods (little g). The Israelites were exposed to many gods in Egypt. Men have invented gods in the stars and the zodiac, mythological gods, gods of nature and beasts, gods of ancestors and saints, and gods of culture and world religions. Satan and men have conjured gods of their imagination, specters of man and beasts. Of course, Satan's purpose is to lead us from worshipping his arch Enemy, but men have an innate nature to worship a higher power because they can't handle life alone. Therefore, this Commandment calls for loyalty to the "King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God" (1 Timothy 1:17).
The second Commandment forbids worship of man-made things that represent false gods. We usually think of "graven images" as idols, but we can make idols of anything we place before Jehovah. Here, God was covering all bases. Not only must we not place any imagined god ahead of the Lord, but we must not confine the omnipresent God to an image made with our minds or hands. God is above and beyond even his own creation. He cannot be contained in physical images. Even a cross used as a good luck charm or worn as a popular fad is a graven image if one doesn't know the Christ of the Cross. This Commandment is teaching that nothing should take the place of the personal presence of the Invisible God. Remember: He sets the standards by which we may relate to him, and we must each come to him on his terms - repentance and faith in his Son, Jesus.
- Dr. Tom Lovorn is pastor of God's Storehouse Baptist Church in Richmond [www.godsstorehousebc.org]. He writes a weekly column on religion for The Progress-Index in Petersburg. Columns and audio sermons may be found at the church's website. Readers are invited to submit their questions to [email protected] .
FAQs
Therefore, this Commandment calls for loyalty to the "King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God" (1 Timothy 1:17). The second Commandment forbids worship of man-made things that represent false gods. We usually think of "graven images" as idols, but we can make idols of anything we place before Jehovah.
What are the 1st and 2nd great commandments? ›
Gospel of Matthew
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
What is the explanation of the Second commandments? ›
The Second Commandment refers to and deals with the way Abrahamic worshippers of the true God worship. The second commandment's most obvious aspect governs the use of physical "helps" or "aids" in worshipping the spiritual God. The second of the Ten Commandments, refers to: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
What are the two categories of commandments of God? ›
The two divisions of the Ten Commandments are the commandments that pertain to our relationship with God and those that pertain to our relationships with each other. You shall have no other gods before me.
Is the second commandment about idolatry? ›
The second commandment forbids idolatry. Kevin DeYoung says, “If the first commandment is against worshiping the wrong God, the second commandment is against worshiping God in the wrong way.” Any type of representation of God that is worshiped is wrong. Secondly, worshiping God in the wrong way is also forbidden.
Does wearing a cross break the second commandment? ›
The second commandment forbids the use of any physical representation of something used in the worship of God. It prohibits anything that tries to represent divinity in a physical way, such as pictures or statues. The crucifix (an image of Jesus on the cross) certainly fits into this category.
What did Jesus say about the two commandments? ›
[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
How to obey the second commandment? ›
The first thing we need to do in order to obey the second commandment is bow the knee to Jesus Christ. To accept Him as Lord and Savior and never again dare to come into the presence of the Heavenly Father without clinging to His sacrifice and person.
What is the second commandment sermon? ›
You shall not worship them or serve them. Again, very straightforward, God's people are not to worship images of other gods; they are not to worship images of Him. This phrase further specifies that not only must we think of Him in accordance with His word, we must worship Him in accordance with His word.
What are the two versions of the commandments? ›
The two best known are in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. They are not identical but contain the famous rules we normally associate with the Ten Commandments.
Cussing is viewed as inappropriate and unbecoming for believers. While the Bible discourages unwholesome speech and encourages edifying language, the focus is more on the quality and impact of words rather than labeling specific words as sinful.
What two parts are the commandments divided into? ›
The first three commandments govern the relationship between God and humans, the fourth through eighth govern public relationships between people, and the last two govern private thoughts.
What is the 1st and 2nd commandment New Testament? ›
[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. [40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
What does the 1st commandment mean? ›
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.
What does thou shalt make no graven image mean? ›
In a number of places the ancient texts assert that God has no shape or form and is utterly incomparable; thus no idol, image, idea, or anything in creation could ever capture God's essence.
