Heidelberg Catechism, Question 98
Question 98
But may not images be tolerated in the churches, as books to the laity?
No: for we must not pretend to be wiser than God, who will have his people taught not by dumb images (Zech. 10;2); but by the lively preaching of his word (2 Tim. 3;16, 17).
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Zechariah 10:22For idols speak deceit and diviners see illusions; they tell false dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
Habakkuk 2:1818What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
Habakkuk 2:1919Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.”
Jeremiah 10:8-108But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood!
9Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz— the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their clothes are blue and purple, all fashioned by skilled workers.
10But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
2 Timothy 3:1616All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 3:1717so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
John 5:3939You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
Luke 16:2929But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’
2 Peter 1:1919We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Source and edition
Heidelberg Catechism. RCA English, E. R. Good & Bro., Tiffin, 1879. RCA English, E. R. Good & Bro., Tiffin, 1879
Public Domain (historic text); CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription). Source transcription.
Transcription licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0.
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