For us Catholics, regarding the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgment of the Magisterium that the Ministry of guarding and interpreting the word of God. The interpretation of sacred texts is thus subject to the discernment of the Church. Its not every faithful to the sacred texts direction he wants. If this were the case, we would as many interpretations as there are people. Considering the context ... The Church is a servant of the Word. We interpret the Bible as a whole. It does not read a Bible verse and interpret it without considering other biblical texts, without considering the context of the drafting history, the intention of the author. This is why our way of approaching the Bible differs from that done in the churches say awakened. We therefore do not read the Bible fondamentaliste. Lets comment this passage from Exodus 20 with the Church understanding! God condemns here, the idolatrous worship of other gods and pagan idols: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Ex 20: 3). This cult is traditionally practiced on statues, pictures or idols. Hence even after the verse quoted: ... you shall not bow down to them, nor serve you. (Ex 20.5; Lev 26.1). But the Catholics, he believes in one God revealed by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Immediately recognize that the passage from Exodus 20: 4-5, taken in the strict sense, undoubtedly leads to absurdities. Indeed, take the verse as it is presented to us, means that God himself is an idolater, because the latter, five chapters later, recommends two cherubim which are yet heavenly creatures (Exodus 25 18-21). Just ask, to those who accuse the Catholic idolatry because it makes representations, if God Himself is an idolater. Then, something we can easily see: most of the time, the Exodus 20 passage is usually truncated (deliberately?). Indeed, verse three is not often quoted! It is usually quoted from verse four. This leads unavoidably to the error. Having accepted in good faith that the verse cannot be taken in the strict sense of the term because of the reasons stated above, some cling claiming that God forbids to worship images, statues, but does not forbid the representation it -even. This is where the three verses of Exodus passage says: You have no other gods before Me. And right after that sentence is the sentence: Thou shalt not make any graven image ...; and finally, comes the sentence: You shall not bow down before these gods. Having analyzed these three sentences, one thing is clear evident that the Lord condemns the representations that are taken as gods; moreover, it is proved the literal translation of verse five. Do not bow down to THEM (implied gods Now this is not the case of Catholics, our images of the people we represent know who actually existed and who had an exemplary life. When in front of a statue, it tilts, it will respect and honor, not the statue, but one that it is. It should be emphasized that this chapter 20 of Exodus is then that which relates the Ten Commandments of God given to His people Israel because of their idolatry of the golden calf (read Exodus 32). The people diverted in the absence of Moses, who lived a long time on Mount Sinai with God Almighty. Let us remember that this people has barely out of slavery in Egypt, a country very polytheistic gods worshiped through statues that were ubiquitous in the city and in the lives of Egyptians. They had gods of rain, sun, birth, harvest ... So the people of Israel remained long on the side of such a polytheistic people, had probably lost monotheistic habits to acquire idolatrous habits . Thus the Jews being released here they walk through the desert, forgot the God who saved you to plunge into the graven images they would likely be worshiped in Egypt under Pharaoh flogging. It was necessary that the Lord tells them that only He who deserves worship and not a single image, a statue or a deified human skull. Therefore, it is not wise to disconnect the biblical Exodus and Leviticus passage context. Lord REPROVES here idolatry which is of course deify an object or creature to the point of taking the place of God (Isaiah 44: 17), as shown in the preceding verse: Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exodus 20: 3), and the following verse: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve you (Exodus 20.5 / Leviticus 26.1). It was so pagan idols and the golden calf (Exodus 32). In view of the foregoing, the Catholic Church in her Catechism number 2111 and after, has always condemned idolatry and superstition, divination, magic, anything that opposes the worship of the God true and unique. Moreover Yahweh himself recommends some statues. This is the case of two gold cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25: 18-20). This is also the case of the brazen serpent in the wilderness (Numbers 21) that Jews should not watch and worship, to be saved from snake bites. We can also mention all the representations of the cherubim or animals that adorned the temple of Jerusalem (1 Kings 6 and 7, etc). Prescribed by God statues are not idols but God then contradict. Rather, they are signs that remind us of the Creator, Supreme Master of heaven and earth. They are there to arouse our attention and our faith call us. The statues are not the subject of worship. Thus claim that Catholics are idolaters is to misunderstand their doctrine with all these scriptures that prescribe worship performances Deepen to understand In the Bible, God commands specifically the manufacture and use of statues for religious purposes. The following verse should once and for all crush the misconception that the Bible condemns the use of real statues and religious images. Exodus 25: 18-19- And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, beaten with 2 ends of the propitiatory gold. Make one cherub on one end and one cherub at the other end. You will get the mercy seat at its two ends. God specifically directs the manufacture of two statues of cherubs. Cherubim are angels. It is done with the idea (fake) that making statues or graven images is prohibited. Such an idea is a total distortion of the teaching of Scripture. Other passages in the Bible where we see references to Gods command to make statues for truly religious are: Exodus 26:11; 1 Kings 6 (3 Kings 6, Vulgate); and 1 Kings 7: 25-36 (3 Kings 7: 25-36, Vulgate). God commanded Moses to make a poisonous snake that looks at the people and heal them. Numbers 21: 8 And the Lord said to him [Moses]: Make yourself a poisonous snake and place it on a pole. Anyone bitten look that will survive. Further evidence: the Lord asks Moses to make an ark of the covenant which was a kind of sanctuary and allow God to dwell among the Israelites (Exodus 25: 8), and further, the Lord said to Moses: C that is where I will meet you (verse 22). Now we know that the ark of the covenant was an object, a sculpture that God commanded to do ... See how the Catholic faith is in harmony with the Bible, when the Israelites were fleeing their enemies, being away from Jericho Joshua tore his clothes, bowed face against the ground before the ark of the LORD until the evening, and the elders of Israel, and all sprinkled dust on their heads, until the Lord answered him and demand to rise (Joshua 7: 6-11). Moses took the tent and crashed for him outside the camp, away from the camp. He called Tent of Meeting, and whoever had to consult Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose up, each posted himself at the entrance of his tent, and followed Moses out of sight until he went into the tent. Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the entrance of the tent and he spoke with Moses. And all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, each at the entrance of his tent (see Exodus 33.7 to 10); As for David, he whirled with all his might and danced before the Ark of the Covenant (though an object), and the house of Israel uttered cheers and sounded the horn before the ark (II Samuel 6: 14-15 ). Michal, Sauls daughter saw it and despised David, or David replied: It is I dance before the Lord [...] I will dance before the Lord (II Samuel 6: 21). It is observed that, although David danced before an object, a sculpture (the ark of the covenant), it nevertheless stated he danced before the Lord God, because he did not dance to the subject, but one that is represented! It is the same for Catholics, we bow not before the sculpture, but what is it in our minds. For despised David, Michal, until his death, had no children! (II Samuel 6: 23). Indeed, mocking the ark of the covenant, she laughed at what it represented: the Lord. So then why attack the Catholics? We should know that God has revealed himself to the prophets only in pictorial form, not in its true essence, because we can not see God and live (Exodus 33.20); yet Isaiah says: ... my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 6.5). Again, listen to how God speaks to the prophet Hosea: I will speak to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions and prophetic means I represent me (Hos 12, 10). So if Ezekiel prostrated before God, as he had seen in the form of a man on the throne above the tank, it is just before a prostrate form, but this form was a picture . And having found it necessary, God took human form (John 1, 14).
Posted on: Sat, 08 Nov 2014 13:43:28 +0000
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