Theme · ethical
Idolatry
The golden calf at Sinai becomes the paradigm of idolatry: Israel exchanges the glory of the invisible God for an image of a bull. The first commandment — 'You shall have no other gods before me' — is the commandment from which all others flow. The prophets mock idols that cannot see, hear, or save, and warn that those who worship them become like them. Elijah's contest on Carmel forces the issue: the LORD or Baal. The New Testament broadens idolatry beyond statues to include greed, which Paul calls idolatry, and anything that claims the ultimate allegiance that belongs to God alone.
Related doctrines
Passages expressing this theme
- 1Chr 10:13 — So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire
- 1Cor 5:11 — But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one n
- 1Cor 6:9 — Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
- 1Cor 8:1 — Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
- 1Cor 8:4 — As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
- 1Cor 10:14 — Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
- 1Cor 12:2 — Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
- 1John 2:15 — Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
- 1John 2:16 — For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
- 1John 2:18 — Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
- 1John 3:12 — Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
- 1Kgs 12:28 — Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egyp
- 1Kgs 18:21 — And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
- 1Kgs 21:20 — And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
- 1Pet 4:3 — For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
- 1Sam 7:3 — And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the
- 1Sam 8:7 — And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
- 1Sam 15:23 — 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 26:19 — Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be t
- 1Thess 1:9 — For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
- 1Thess 2:16 — Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
- 1Tim 4:1 — Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
- 1Tim 6:5 — Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
- 2Chr 17:3 — And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;
- 2Cor 10:5 — Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The Church Fathers on Idolatry
Idolatry is not confined to casting incense upon an altar with finger and thumb or to pouring libations of wine out of a cup into a bowl. Covetousness is idolatry, or else the selling of the Lord for thirty pieces of silver was a righteous act. Lust involves sacrilege, or else men may defile with common harlots…
Idolatry is condemned, not on account of the persons which are set up for worship, but on account of those its observances, which pertain to demons. "The things which are Caesar's are to be rendered to Caesar." It is enough that He set in apposition thereto, "and to God the things which are God's.
What is as similar to the play of children as the worshiping of idols?
Then he excuses himself from the sin of superstition, which is against God. In ancient times idol-worshipers worshipped the stars of heaven, especially the great lights because of their great brightness. He shows he does not saying, "If I looked at the sun when it shone and the moon moving in splendor," which caused…
For the stars and the luminaries were given to men to shine upon them, but not for worship; although the Israelites, by the perverseness of their temper, "worshipped the creature instead of the Creator," and acted insultingly to their Maker, and admired the creature more than is fit. And sometimes they made a calf,…
Thinking that you would prove to be better than the Persians, you said, "I am and there is no other," and you were encouraged by the oracles of demons and astrologers. And you called on a hope that was fornication and that was far removed from God. For the association between God and all humanity by nature is very…