Institutes Book 1, Chapter 11: (I)

It Is Unlawful to Attribute a Visible Form to God, and Generally Whoever Sets Up Idols Revolts Against the True God.

Section 1: We Are Forbidden Every Pictorial Representation of God.

Calvin opens this section stating that Scripture, distinguishing the true God from false gods, "particularly contrasts him with idols." Thus the Lord better exposes the foolishness of the world "in searching for God when all the while each one clings to his own speculation." Instead, "God himself is the sole and proper witness of himself," so whenever idols are made to represent him, "God's glory is corrupted by an impious falsehood."

Section 2: Every Figurative Representation of God Contradicts His Being.

God forbids images because he has presented no image of himself to his people. Instead, as we read in Deuteronomy 4:12, 15-16, the people saw no form, but only heard his voice. "We see how openly God speaks against all images, that we may know that all who seek visible forms of God depart from him." For how could we take measure of our immeasurable God in order to fit some piece of material to him? It was not only the Jews who were prone to such idolatry, but all peoples--we are all inclined toward such superstition.

Section 3: Even Direct Signs of the Divine Presence Give No Justification For Images.

Here Calvin speaks about those instances in Scripture where it is recorded that God himself came to earth in one form or another. He appeared to his people at Sinai in clouds, smoke and fire so that the minds of men might be restrained--how do you make an image of such things? But even when he appeared as more physical forms (the Spirit as a dove, God as a man to Abraham, etc.), these appearances do not give us permission to make images of God. Such appearances were transitory simply for the purpose of showing that God cannot be made into any form. Even the mercy seat on the ark, Calvin argues, cannot be used to show that God can be represented by a form, for this seat was shrouded in cloud, and represented the fact that God's glory was covered up for our protection.

Section 4: Images and Pictures Contrary to Scripture.

Any visible form of Gods, and indeed "all we conceive concerning God in our own minds is an insipid fiction." The very fact of idols is itself ridiculous. Weak and transient men form God out of dead materials which are otherwise used for different purposes, think of Isaiah 44:12-17. All of this are the works of men's hands--not God's. "For surely there is nothing less fitting than to wish to reduce God, who is immeasurable and incomprehensible, to a five-foot measure!" But God does not simply forbid idols, but even pictures are forbidden as representations of himself. Here Calvin specifically mentions the Greek Orthodox tradition, which has many icons as part of its worship.

Section 5: Scripture Judges Otherwise.

Pope Gregory had declared images to be the "books of the uneducated." But the testimony of Scripture declares that "whatever men learn of God from images is futile, indeed false." Even though the prophets in the Old Testament spoke out against those who put idols to impious use, they spoke of them as entirely sinful, not just the use to which they are put.

Section 6: The Doctors of the Church, Too, Partly Judged Otherwise.

The early Church Fathers also spoke out against images. Calvin mentions Lactantius, Eusebius and Augustine on this matter, each teaching that images are forbidden. Images, it is argued, do not aid in worship, but in fact diminish the fear of God in men, for they make God more material, more like his creatures, and less majestic and Divine. While idols were not the cause of man's error, once idols were introduced, such errors multiplied greatly. "Whoever, therefore, desires to be rightly taught must learn what he should know of God from some other source than images."

Section 7a: The Images of the Papists Are Entirely Inappropriate.

Even though the Roman Catholic Church uses images as 'books for the uneducated,' the images they use are inappropriate for such a purpose, as they are not always 'virtuously and modestly clad.'

Section 7b: There Would Be No 'Uneducated' At All If the Church Had Done Its Duty.

Here Calvin gets to the crux of the matter of education and images: "those in authority in the church turned over to idols the office of teaching for no other reason than that they themselves were mute." Instead, all are to be educated by God's revelation alone. Those whom the Papists call 'uneducated' are those "whom the Lord recognizes as his disciples, whom he honors by the revelation of his heavenly philosophy, whom he wills to be instructed in the saving mysteries of his Kingdom." Calvin argues against such 'books for the uneducated' by pointing to the ministry of teaching of the Church:

"What purpose did it serve for so many crosses--of wood, stone, silver, and gold--to be erected here and there in churches, if this fact had been duly and faithfully taught: that Christ died on the cross to bear our curse, to expiate our sins by the sacrifice of his body, to wash them by his blood, in short, to reconcile us to God the Father? From this one fact they could have learned more than from a thousand crosses of wood or stone. For perhaps the covetous fix their minds and eyes more tenaciously upon gold and silver than upon any word of God."

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Reflection: This last section, in which Calvin blames the church itself for the 'necessity' of idols, is a very interesting section. While throughout the rest he speaks of material idols and the falseness of images to teach about God, here he hits on something entirely universal: the church is charged with teaching the doctrine of God, revealed in his Word, and if the church fails in her duty in the matter, errors will abound, not least from the church herself. This means that it is a great responsibility to have a role of leadership in the church, for not only is one then charged with teaching properly and effectively about God from his Word alone, but also that therefore one must have the proper understanding of God firmly fixed in his or her mind so that he or she does not even unwittingly propagate errors about God. Positions of authority (I include not only pastors and elders, but even teachers, parents, etc.) are positions of great responsibility.

While Calvin speaks of these things in more of a formal, official sense, I also think of it in an informal sense--the task that I have as a father to teach my son the truth of God. Not only do I have to have my theology right, and my doctrine straight from Scripture itself, but I must also be able to communicate it well to a child. Now, of course, there are some things that he will necessarily learn later, but when it comes to the doctrine of God I must be able to give my son the proper foundation upon which his relationship with God will be planted. What a great responsibility, but also what a great privilege.

I only pray that in any capacity, I may represent God as he has revealed himself to his people, not as I might want him to be. I pray to be guarded from the errors which as a sinful human being I am prone to commit.