In a recent public presentation I tried to define two concepts of idolatry, but I wasn’t quite happy with either of them.
So here’s the 2.0 version, submitted to you for criticism and comment:
- idolatry (def 1): the practice of honoring a representation or symbol as if it were a god or a person worthy of honor.
This is literal idolatry, which is the rule rather than the exception in the world’s religions – bowing, etc. to things like this Jain statue I photographed in Bombay. It was this sort of practice which was forbidden in the ten commandments:
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them… Exodus 20:4-5, ESV
“Serve” here, I think, clearly signifies religious worship specifically. It is not clear, I think, that it is against any sort of respect for images, e.g. saluting a flag. But it is against the sort of image honoring typical of ancient near eastern religions.
Apart from this command, it seems to me, it is by no means obvious that the one God shouldn’t be worshiped by means of some object, be it representational or abstract. After all, millions, probably billions of people do this, either for some god or for the one God.
But very often in the New Testament, it is not the above concept which is in view. Instead, they have in mind something which is by definition a sin:
- idolatry (def 2): the sin of honoring something or someone other than God in disobedience to God.
Unless excused by ignorance, this is the sin Christians believe that idolaters typically commit in their idolatry (in the first sense, definition 1). Prime examples would be the sinful Jewish kings preceding the Babylonian captivity.
Christian preachers are fond of this extended concept. Often, they denounce celebrity worship, covetousness (Colossians 3:5), or too much attachment to one’s own theory as “idolatry.” None of these is literal idolatry (def 1) but any of these satisfies the 2nd concept of idolatry.
If def 2 is correct, here are some interesting consequences:
- It doesn’t necessarily matter who you intend to worship using the idol. Arguably, in Exodus 32, the Hebrews meant to worship Yahweh by means of the golden calf. Despite this intention, it was a big sin, due to the command they’d received, quoted above.
- God has exalted Jesus to his right hand, or to his throne – to a position of honor. Hence, as we’ve seen, it is appropriate to worship Jesus. And no, it is not idolatry, for it is in obedience to his and our God.
Dale
You’re right. The Septuagint translates the Hebrew abad as latrevo, sacred/religious service. This word is also used in the same context in the NT, reserved for God alone:
* in a religious sense to worship God (Mat 4:10; Luk 1:74; 2:37; 4:8; Act 7:7; 24:14; 27:23; Rom 1:9; Phi 3:3; 2Ti 1:3; Heb 9:14; 12:28; Rev 22:3);
* used in an absolute sense (Act 26:7; Sept.: Deu 6:13; 10:12; Jos 24:15);
* “worshipping creatures [other] than the Creator”, in other words, assuming Deity (Rom 1:25; Sept.: Deu 4:28; Jdg 2:11, 13);
* particularly to the performing of the Levitical service (Heb 8:5; 9:9; 10:2; 13:10);
of the celestial temple (Rev 7:15);
* to offer sacrifice, to worship (Heb 9: 9; 10:2; cf. Sept.: Ex 3:12; 7:16).
So it should be noted that this TYPE of religious/sacred service is NEVER applied to Jesus in the NT [see Wainright, The Trinity in the New Testament, p 103; Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle, p 257-260]
How do you account for the fact that the Davidic king is worshipped [1Chro 29.20] and sang hymns to [Ps 45] in the OT?
So if YHWH authorizes the worship it is not a sin? As He does with many other people in the Bible?
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