Rev. 21:8  – “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

What does God want people to do with these graven images?

“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

“Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.” Micah 5:13

“And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.” Deut. 12:3

“The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.” Deut. 7:25

“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:” Num. 33:52

A demonstration of how it can be done:

Jesus taught us how to pray. He never taught to pray to Mary or saints:

Matt. 6:7
“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

John 14
“3And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.…”

Luke 11
“1One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2So Jesus told them, “When you pray say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.…”

Isaiah 57:13:
13 When you cry out,
Let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind will carry them all away,
A breath will take them.
But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land,
And shall inherit My holy mountain.”

Deuteronomy Chapter 4 reads:

“16 Lest ye corrupt [yourselves], and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 The likeness of any beast that [is] on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that [is] in the waters beneath the earth: 19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, [even] all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.”

Exodus Chapter 20 reads
“4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;”

“Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I [am] the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 26:1)

“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)

“But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of] Baal.” (Romans 11:4)

Idolatry, according to Webster, is “the worship of idols or excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing.” Carrying around Mary idols, bowing down towards Mary idols, burning incense for Mary idols, and praying to Mary idols is IDOLATRY by definition. The very definition of worship according to the Bible, is to bow down. So when Roman Catholic idolaters are bowing down, no matter how they try to justify it, it is IDOLATRY.

◄ 4352. proskuneó ►

Strong’s Concordance

proskuneó: to do reverence to

Original Word: προσκυνέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: proskuneó
Phonetic Spelling: (pros-koo-neh’-o)
Short Definition: I worship
Definition: I go down on my knees to, do obeisance to, worship.

◄ 7812. shachah ►

Strong’s Concordance

shachah: to bow down

Original Word: שָׁחָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shachah
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-khaw’)
Short Definition: worship

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to bow down
NASB Translation
bow (5), bow ourselves down (1), bow yourselves down (1), bow down (21), bowed (16), bowed in worship (1), bowed themselves down (2), bowed down (14), bowing (1), bowing down (1), bows down (1), did homage (1), down in homage (1), homage (1), lie down (1), paid homage (3), prostrate (2), prostrated (13), prostrating (1), weighs it down (1), worship (47), worshiped (31), worshiping (3), worships (2).

How many mediators are there?

“5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5)

“55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren [brothers], James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?” (Matthew 13:55-56)

“46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50; also in Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21)

^“12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren [brothers], and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. (John 2:12).

“³ His brethren [brothers] therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. ⁴ For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.⁵ For neither did his brethren [brothers] believe in him.” (John 7:3-5)

“¹⁴ These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren [brothers]” (Acts 1:4).

“¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.¹⁹ But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:18-19).

“⁴ Have we not power to eat and to drink? ⁵ Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?” (1 Corinthians 9:4-5).

Not a single Bible verse suggests that one should seek a relationship with Mary, come to her directly, do anything for her, love her, or pray to her.

However, numerous verses emphasize that one should seek a relationship with Jesus—coming to Him directly, loving Him, praying to Him, and being willing to do anything for His sake.

The Roman Catholic institution that is deceiving many teaches otherwise. However, God’s word stands and will never pass away.

The Bible focuses on Jesus (John 5:39).

How does one’s relationship with Christ affect one’s position before God?

Gal 3:26- “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

1 John 5:12- “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

Should a Christian come directly to Jesus?

Matt 11:28-30-“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

John 5:39-40-“You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life.”

John 6:35-“I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

John 6:37-“All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”

John 6:44-“No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him”

John 6:45-“Every one who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”

John 7:37-38-Now on the last day, the great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water'”.

John 12:32-“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

John 14:6-Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”

Heb 13:13-let us go forth to him [Jesus] outside the camp…

1 Pet 2:25-For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd [Jesus] and Overseer of your souls.

Can one know Jesus personally?

John 14:21-“I [Jesus] will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.”

John 17:3-“this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”

Phil 3:10-that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings…

How much should a Christian love Jesus?

Matt 20:37-“He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Eph 6:24-Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with a love incorruptible.

Phil 1:21-For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

What must a Christian be willing to do for Jesus?

Matt 16:25-“whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.”

Phil 3:8-Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ.

How close of a personal relationship should a Christian have with Jesus?

John 14:23-“We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.”

John 15:4-5-“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me…apart from me you can do nothing.” (Compare with Isaiah 60:21)

John 17:23-“I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.”

Rom 13:14-But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh…

1 Cor 1:9-you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Cor 6:16,17-“The two will become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit.”

2 Cor 12:9-I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

2 Cor 13:5-Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you…

Gal 2:20-I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Gal 3:27-For as many of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Gal 4:6-And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Gal 4:19-My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you!

Eph 3:16-17-that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…

Eph 4:15-we are to grow up in all [aspects] into Him, who is the head, [even] Christ.

Phil 4:7-And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Col 2:6-As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith.

Col 2:10-in Him you have been made complete…

Col 3:11-Christ is all, and in all.

1 Pet 3:15-sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts…

1 John 1:3-our fellowship is with…His son Jesus Christ.

Rev 3:20-Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Is it proper to pray to Jesus?

John 14:14 – “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.“

Acts 7:59-60- “And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon [the Lord] and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And having said this, he fell asleep.”

Acts 9:14-“and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy [Jesus’-vs. 17] name.”

Acts 9:20-21- “and immediately he [Saul] [began] to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all those hearing him continued to be amazed, saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and [who] had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?””

Acts 22:16-“Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His [Jesus’] name.”

Acts 22:17-19-“And it came about when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying…I saw Him [Jesus] saying to me…And I said ‘Lord…'”

Rom 10:9,11-13- “confess Jesus as Lord…For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed”…the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; for “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.””

1 Cor 1:2- “to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours:”

2 Cor 12:8-9- “Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

1 Ti 1:12- “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me…”

Rev 22:20- “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

Scriptures that suggest that Mary did sin:

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” – Isaiah 53:6

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” – Isaiah 64:6

^“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” – Ecclesiastes 7:20

“¹⁰ As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” – Romans 3:10-12

“for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” – Romans 3:23

“⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” – 1 John 1:8-10

The elevation of Mary:

According to the Scripture, God is a jealous God, so why would He want people to pray to, worship, or venerate other people? It is written, He will not give His glory to another nor praise to graven images (Isaiah 42:8).

There is no Biblical support for Mary being the Advocate, Helper, and Mediatrix (CCC 969), having no original sin (CCC 508), never committed sin (CCC 493), who brings us the gifts of eternal salvation (CCC 969), in her, the church is holy (CCC 867), who “delivers our souls from death” (CCC 966), that “Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity” (CCC 967), that we “pray to her” (CCC 2679), and we can “entrust all our cares and petitions to her” (CCC 2677). In fact, many of these Roman Catholic teachings squarely contradict the Scripture!

If a person truly believes the Roman Catholic Church is the true Church, I challenge one to show that such doctrines and practices of Rome are found in scripture.

The “Mother of God” title:

While the title “Mother of God” is central to Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition (CCC 2677), it is noteworthy that Jesus never addresses Mary as “mother” in the biblical record. Instead, He consistently refers to her as “woman” (John 2:4; 19:26). This linguistic choice suggests a deliberate effort to emphasize His divine mission over His earthly lineage, perhaps to prevent the very exaltation and veneration that later developed.

Jesus said that any woman who does the will of His Father is His mother:

^“46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. ⁴⁷ Then one said to Him, ‘Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.’⁴⁸ But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ ⁴⁹ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and MOTHER^”(Matthew 12:46-50; also in Luke 8:19-21 & Mark 3:31-35).

Since that is the case, why is Mary emphasized as “the Mother of God” when Jesus can have multiple mothers?

Moreover, it is emphasized that Mary is blessed. Though she is indeed blessed (Luke 1:48), Jesus taught that those who hear the word of God and keep it are blessed:

^“27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.²⁸ But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:27-28).

Does the Second Council of Nicæa contradict the Bible?

The Second Council of Nicæa (787 AD) is recognized as the last of the first seven ecumenical councils by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church and was deemed to be infallible. They stated:

“(15) If anyone shall not confess the Holy Ever-Virgin Mary, truly and properly the Mother of God, to be higher than every creature whether visible or invisible, and does not with sincere faith seek her intercessions as of one having confidence in her access to our God, since she bore him, let him be anathema.” (Source)

This is not true. Jesus said that there is no one greater born of women than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11).

Moreover, Psalm 8:4-5 notes that humans were made “a little lower than the angels.” To claim that a human is “higher than every creature… invisible” contradicts the biblical hierarchy, in which angels are higher than humans until the final glorification of the Church.

Also, Hebrews 4:16 commands all believers to boldly come unto “the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” because of our High Priest, Jesus (Hebrews 4:14–15; 8:1). The claim that we need Mary because of her “access” suggests that the average believer lacks direct access, which contradicts the “rent veil” of the temple (Matthew 27:51).

Furthermore, throughout the New Testament epistles, which provide instructions on prayer and doctrine, there is no command or example of a believer praying to or seeking the intercession of a deceased saint or Mary. Commands for intercession are always directed toward the living (e.g., “pray one for another” (James 5:16)).

An “anathema,” as defined in the New Testament, is for those who preach a gospel other than the one centered on Christ’s sufficiency (Galatians 1:8-9). According to the Second Council of Nicaea, “an anathema is nothing less than complete separation from God.”

The Second Council of Nicæa also reads:

“We, therefore, following the royal pathway and the divinely inspired authority of our Holy Fathers and the traditions of the Catholic Church (for, as we all know, the Holy Spirit indwells her), define with all certitude and accuracy that just as the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross, so also the venerable and holy images, as well in painting and mosaic as of other fit materials, should be set forth in the holy churches of God, and on the sacred vessels and on the vestments and on hangings and in pictures both in houses and by the wayside, to wit, the figure of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, of our spotless Lady, the Mother of God, of the honourable Angels, of all Saints and of all pious people. For by so much more frequently as they are seen in artistic representation, by so much more readily are men lifted up to the memory of their prototypes, and to a longing after them; and to these should be given due salutation and honourable reverence (ἀσπασμὸν καὶ τιμητικὴν προσκύνησιν), not indeed that true worship of faith (λατρείαν) which pertains alone to the divine nature; but to these, as to the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross and to the Book of the Gospels and to the other holy objects, incense and lights may be offered according to ancient pious custom. For the honour which is paid to the image passes on to that which the image represents, and he who reveres the image reveres in it the subject represented.” (Source)

However, the New Testament emphasizes the internal and invisible. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.“ Paul also warns in Acts 17:29 that we should not think the Divine Being is like “unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.“

Moreover, the term proskynesis (bowing/revering) is frequently rejected in the Bible when directed toward anyone but God. In Acts 10:25–26, when Cornelius bows (proskynesis) before Peter, Peter stops him: “Stand up; I myself also am a man.“ Similarly, in Revelation 22:8–9, when John falls to worship at the feet of an angel, the angel says, “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant.“

What about elevating tradition over the Scriptures? Jesus addressed it in Matthew 15:3–9, quoting Isaiah: “in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.“ He specifically rebuked the religious leaders for “nullifying the word of God for the sake of your tradition.” Jesus sharply rebuked them for honoring their traditions above God’s commands: “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8).

What about the claim that men are lifted up using things such as images? Believers are “lifted up” to Jesus, who is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), through the spiritual disciplines of prayer and the Word, rather than through material craftsmanship.

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Addendum

According to The Second Council of Nicæa (787),

“If anyone does not accept representation in art of evangelical scenes, let him be anathema.

If anyone does not salute such representations as standing for the Lord and his saints, let him be anathema.” (Source)

However, the historical record suggests that the early Church was essentially aniconic (avoiding images). Early apologists did not merely ignore images; they defined Christianity by their absence. They argued that because God is Spirit, any material representation was a step toward the ‘mechanical coarseness’ of paganism:

The early apologist, Marcus Minucius Felix (died c. 250), in his dialogue Octavius, noted the absence of images as a distinguishing feature of Christianity.

A pagan character accuses Christians:

“Why have they no altars, no temples, no acknowledged images?” (Octavius)

The Christian defender does not deny this but argues that God is invisible and needs no material representations.

Lactantius (c. 250-c. 325) argued that using physical images drags worship down to the material level and reverses the proper order (Creator above creation). Humans were designed to look up to God, not bow to handmade objects.

He wrote:

“What madness is it, then, either to form those objects which they themselves may afterwards fear, or to fear the things which they have formed? But, they say, we do not fear the images themselves, but those beings after whose likeness they were formed, and to whose names they are dedicated. You fear them doubtless on this account, because you think that they are in heaven; for if they are gods, the case cannot be otherwise. Why, then, do you not raise your eyes to heaven, and, invoking their names, offer sacrifices in the open air? Why do you look to walls, and wood, and stone, rather than to the place where you believe them to be? What is the meaning of temples and altars? What, in short, of the images themselves, which are memorials either of the dead or absent?” (The Divine Institutes, Ch. 2) 

“… [I]t is an inexpiable crime to desert the living in order that you may serve memorials of the dead, who can neither give life nor light to any one, for they are themselves without it: and that there is no other God but one, to whose judgment and power every soul is subject. [T]he sacred images themselves, to which most senseless men do service, are destitute of all perception, since they are earth. But who cannot understand that it is unlawful for an upright animal to bend itself that it may adore the earth? which is placed beneath our feet for this purpose, that it may be trodden upon, and not adored by us, who have been raised from it, and have received an elevated position beyond the other living creatures, that we may not turn ourselves again downward, nor cast this heavenly countenance to the earth, but may direct our eyes [upward] to that quarter to which the condition of their nature has directed, and that we may adore and worship nothing except the single deity of our only Creator and Father, who made man of an erect figure, that we may know that we are called forth to high and heavenly things. . . . But if it appears that these religious rites are vain in so many ways as I have shown, it is manifest that those who either make prayers to the dead, or venerate the earth, or make over their souls to unclean spirits, do not act as becomes men, and that they will suffer punishment for their impiety and guilt, who, rebelling against God, the Father of the human race, have undertaken inexpiable rites, and violated every sacred law… Wherefore it is undoubted that there is no religion wherever there is an image. For if religion consists of divine things, and there is nothing divine except in heavenly things; it follows that images are without religion, because there can be nothing heavenly in that which is made from the earth.” (The Divine Institutes, Ch. 19)

Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-c. 215) states that instead of focusing on material objects, the Law directed people toward the Maker and Father of the universe (God Himself, who is immaterial and spiritual).

He wrote:

“But it is clear to every one that piety, which teaches to worship and honour, is the highest and oldest cause; and the law itself exhibits justice, and teaches wisdom, by abstinence from sensible images” (The Stromata (Book II), Ch. 18)

He also states:

“It were indeed ridiculous, as the philosophers themselves say, for man, the plaything of God, to make God, and for God to be the plaything of art; since what is made is similar and the same to that of which it is made, as that which is made of ivory is ivory, and that which is made of gold golden. Now the images and temples constructed by mechanics are made of inert matter; so that they too are inert, and material, and profane; and if you perfect the art, they partake of mechanical coarseness. Works of art cannot then be sacred and divine.” (The Stromata (Book VII), Ch. 5)

Clement seemed to say that it is absurd and ridiculous for humans (who are themselves like “playthings” or creations of God) to try to create God (or representations of Him) through art. No matter how skillfully you craft them (“if you perfect the art”), they still belong to the coarse, physical world of human workmanship. They cannot be sacred or divine.

Tertullian (c. 155 AD – after 220) wrote an entire treatise dedicated to tracking and condemning idolatry. He went so far as to argue that the very act of manufacturing or carving an image—even if the artist does not worship it personally—is a sin because it provides the instruments for spiritual adultery. He traces how idolatry entered the world through human crafts (prompted by the devil). He etymologically defines “idol” and uses that to argue that making any representational image (form or likeness) is inherently idolatrous. He urged Christians to avoid any profession or action that involves creating such forms, as it entangles them in idolatry.

He wrote:

“But when the devil introduced into the world artificers of statues and of images, and of every kind of likenesses, that former rude business of human disaster attained from idols both a name and a development. Thenceforward every art which in any way produces an idol instantly became a fount of idolatry. For it makes no difference whether a moulder cast, or a carver grave, or an embroiderer weave the idol; because neither is it a question of material, whether an idol be formed of gypsum, or of colors, or of stone, or of bronze, or of silver, or of thread. For since even without an idol idolatry is committed, when the idol is there it makes no difference of what kind it be, of what material, or what shape; lest any should think that only to be held an idol which is consecrated in human shape. To establish this point, the interpretation of the word is requisite. Eidos, in Greek, signifies form; eidolon, derived diminutively from that, by an equivalent process in our language, makes formling. Every form or formling, therefore, claims to be called an idol. Hence idolatry is all attendance and service about every idol. Hence also, every artificer of an idol is guilty of one and the same crime, unless, the People which consecrated for itself the likeness of a calf, and not of a man, fell short of incurring the guilt of idolatry.” (On Idolatry, Ch. 3)

And:

“God prohibits an idol as much to be made as to be worshipped. In so far as the making what may be worshipped is the prior act, so far is the prohibition to make (if the worship is unlawful) the prior prohibition. For this cause— the eradicating, namely, of the material of idolatry— the divine law proclaims, You shall make no idol; and by conjoining, Nor a similitude of the things which are in the heaven, and which are in the earth, and which are in the sea, has interdicted the servants of God from acts of that kind all the universe over.” (On Idolatry, Ch. 4)

Arnobius (died c. 330) directly addressed pagan critics (Romans and others) who accused Christians of impiety because Christians refused to set up statues or images of gods and build altars.

He wrote:

“For you are here in the habit of fastening upon us a very serious charge of impiety because we do not rear temples for the ceremonies of worship, do not set up statues and images of any god, do not build altars, do not offer the blood of creatures slain in sacrifices, incense, nor sacrificial meal, and finally, do not bring wine flowing in libations from sacred bowls; which, indeed, we neglect to build and do, not as though we cherish impious and wicked dispositions, or have conceived any madly desperate feeling of contempt for the gods, but because we think and believe that they—if only they are true gods, and are called by this exalted name—either scorn such honours, if they give way to scorn, or endure them with anger, if they are roused by feelings of rage.” (Against the Heathen (Book VI))

Irenaeus (c. 125 – c. 202) described the practices of the Carpocratians, a Gnostic heretical sect founded by Carpocrates (and continued by his followers). He presents their use of images as one of their deviant, pagan, non-Christian behaviors.

 He wrote:

“[The Carpocratian heretics] also possess images, some of them painted, and others formed from different kinds of material; while they maintain that a likeness of Christ was made by Pilate at that time when Jesus lived among them. They crown these images, and set them up along with the images of the philosophers of the world that is to say, with the images of Pythagoras, and Plato, and Aristotle, and the rest. They have also other modes of honouring these images, after the same manner of the Gentiles.”

(Against Heresies (Book I, Ch. 25))

He also prohibited praying to angels; he said all our prayers should be directed to the Lord:

“Nor does she [the Church] perform anything by means of angelic invocations, or by incantations, or by any other wicked curious art; but, directing her prayers to the Lord, who made all things, in a pure, sincere, and straightforward spirit, and calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, she has been accustomed to work miracles for the advantage of mankind, and not to lead them into error.” (Against Heresies (Book II, Ch. 32))

If icon-veneration were an Apostolic tradition, why does Irenaeus—a student of Polycarp, who was a student of the Apostle John—list the “honoring of images” as a mark of a heretical cult rather than a mark of the Church?

Hippolytus (c. 170 – c. 235) wrote:

“And [the Carpocratian heretics] make counterfeit images of Christ, alleging that these were in existence at the time (during which our Lord was on earth, and that they were fashioned) by Pilate.” (Refutation of All Heresies (Book VII), Ch. 20)

Origen (c. 185 – c. 253) wrote:

“It is not therefore true that we object to building altars, statues, and temples, because we have agreed to make this the badge of a secret and forbidden society; but we do so, because we have learnt from Jesus Christ the true way of serving God, and we shrink from whatever, under a pretence of piety, leads to utter impiety those who abandon the way marked out for us by Jesus Christ.” (Contra Celsum, Book VIII, Ch. 20)

The following is from the Recognitions of Clement, which are not straightforward records of 1st-century apostolic Christianity. They are 4th-century (or late 3rd–early 4th-century) works with roots in earlier traditions. Still, scholars widely regard them as valuable sources for understanding certain strands of early Christianity, particularly Jewish-Christian perspectives:

“Through the mouths of others also that serpent is wont to speak in this wise: We adore visible images in honour of the invisible God. Now this is most certainly false. For if you really wished to worship the image of God, you would do good to man, and so worship the true image of God in him. For the image of God is in every man, though His likeness is not in all, but where the soul is benign and the mind pure. If, therefore, you wish truly to honour the image of God, we declare to you what is true, that you should do good to and pay honour and reverence to man, who is made in the image of God; that you minister food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, hospitality to the stranger, and necessary things to the prisoner; and that is what will be regarded as truly bestowed upon God.” (Recognitions of Clement, Ch. 23)

Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–339 AD) was a bishop and is commonly known as the “Father of Church History.” Constantia (sister of Emperor Constantine the Great) requested an image of Christ. Eusebius strongly opposes making images of Christ, citing the Second Commandment (Exodus 20:4) and arguing that such practices are forbidden and unknown in churches:

“Opposition to Christian Portraiture

Eusebius, Letter to Constantia: You also wrote me concerning some supposed image of Christ, which image you wished me to send you. Now what kind of thing is this that you call the image of Christ? I do not know what impelled you to request that an image of Our Saviour should be delineated. What sort of image of Christ are you seeking? Is it the true and unalterable one which bears His essential characteristics, or the one which He took up for our sake when He assumed the form of a servant?  . . . Granted, He has two forms, even I do not think that your request has to do with His divine form. . . . Surely then, you are seeking His image as a servant, that of the flesh which He put on for our sake. But that, too, we have been taught, was mingled with the glory of His divinity so that the mortal part was swallowed up by Life. Indeed, it is not surprising that after His ascent to heaven He should have appeared as such, when, while He—the God, Logos—was yet living among men, He changed the form of the servant, and indicating in advance to a chosen band of His disciples the aspect of His Kingdom, He showed on the mount that nature which surpasses the human one—when His face shone like the sun and His garments like light. Who, then, would be able to represent by means of dead colors and inanimate delineations (skiagraphiai) the glistening, flashing radiance of such dignity and glory, when even His superhuman disciples could not bear to behold Him in this guise and fell on their faces, thus admitting that they could not withstand the sight? If, therefore, His incarnate form possessed such power at the time, altered as it was by the divinity dwelling within Him, what need I say of the time when He put off mortality and washed off corruption, when He changed the form of the servant into the glory of the Lord God. . . ? … How can one paint an image of so wondrous and unattainable a form—if the term ‘form’ is at all applicable to the divine and spiritual essence—unless, like the unbelieving pagans, one is to represent things that bear no possible resemblance to anything. . . ? For they, too, make such idols when they wish to mould the likeness of what they consider to be a god or, as they might say, one of the heroes or anything else of the kind, yet are unable even to approach a resemblance, and so delineate and represent some strange human shapes. Surely, even you will agree that such practices are not lawful for us.

But if you mean to ask of me the image, not of His form transformed into that of God, but that of the mortal flesh before its transformation, can it be that you have forgotten that passage in which God lays down the law that no likeness should be made either of what is in heaven or what is in the earth beneath? Have you ever heard anything of the kind either yourself in church or from another person? Are not such things banished and excluded from churches all over the world, and is it not common knowledge that such practices are not permitted to us alone?

Once— I do not know how—a woman brought me in her hands a picture of two men in the guise of philosophers and let fall the statement that they were Paul and the Saviour—I have no means of saying where she had had this from or learned such a thing. With the view that neither she nor others might be given offence, I took it away from her and kept it in my house, as I thought it improper that such things ever be exhibited to others, lest we appear, like idol worshippers, to carry our God around in an image. I note that Paul instructs all of us not to cling any more to things of the flesh; for, he says, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more.

It is said that Simon the sorcerer is worshipped by godless heretics painted in lifeless material. I have also seen myself the man who bears the name of madness [painted] on an image and escorted by Manichees. To us, however, such things are forbidden. For in confessing the Lord God, Our Saviour, we make ready to see Him as God, and we ourselves cleanse our hearts that we may see Him after we have been cleansed. . .” (Cyril Mango, The Art of the Byzantine Empire 312-1453, pp. 16-17)

Also, the Council of Elvira (c. 300–314 AD, Spain), a local synod, explicitly prohibited images in churches. It is purportedly the earliest known council decree on church art, which makes its prohibition even more significant—it’s the first time the Church felt the need to issue a formal rule on the subject.

Canon 36 states:

“There shall be no pictures in churches, lest what is worshipped and adored be depicted on walls.” (source)

Why is there not a single document from the first 300 years where a Christian leader defends the use of icons against pagan critics? Every other “weird” Christian practice (the Trinity, not sacrificing to Caesar) was defended in writing. The use of icons was never defended because it likely wasn’t being practiced.

The cumulative evidence from the first three centuries reveals a “theological silence” regarding images that is impossible to ignore. From the apologies of Minucius Felix to the strict canons of Elvira, the early Christians did not merely lack icons; they defined their worship in direct opposition to the “materiality” of the surrounding Pagan world. By identifying the veneration of images as a trait of Gnostic heretics (as Irenaeus did) and labeling the depiction of the Divine as “mechanical coarseness” (as Clement did), the early Church established a clear boundary: God is Spirit, and He is to be worshipped in spirit and truth, not through the “inert matter” of earthly art. This period demonstrates that for the very early Church, the absence of icons was not a lack of resources, but a deliberate theological conviction.

Scholarship agrees that icon veneration was an innovation. Scholars Leslie Brubaker and John Haldon wrote:

“Although the surviving theological literature written before the fifth century is generally opposed to religious imagery…” (Byzantium in the Iconoclast Era, C. 680-850: A History, Leslie Brubaker, John Haldon, p. 42)

And:

… But holy portraits did not carry the same range of meanings in late antiquity as they did in the Byzantine Middle Ages, and their significance changed profoundly over the course of the sixth, seventh and eighth centuries. By the year 800, the icon’ could serve as an intermediary
between the viewer and the holy person represented; this was not the case around the year 400, nor even around the year 600. The stages in the development of the concept of the sacred portrait have been obscured by an assumption that the evolution was seamless and organic. In fact, however, it was only in the seventh century that all of the features we now associate with holy portraits fell into place, and only in the eighth and ninth that they were codified. (Ibid., 50-51)

And:

“In this context, the iconoclasts of 754 were right when they condemned image veneration as an innovation that ran counter to the venerable traditions of the church: holy portraits were not new, but their magnified role was an ongoing contemporary development and their veneration was a recent phenomenon.” (Ibid., p. 63)