Question 262: What Is The Second Commandment?

An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)

Question 262: What is the Second Commandment?

The Second Commandment is: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image… You shall not bow down to them or serve them.” This command teaches us to worship the true God in the way He has appointed, not according to human imagination. It forbids idolatry in all forms—whether of images, ideas, or anything that distorts God’s nature—and calls us to pure, spiritual worship. (Exodus 20:4–6, Deuteronomy 4:15–16, Isaiah 42:8, John 4:24, Romans 1:22–23)

Full Scripture References

“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” – Exodus 20:4–6 (BSB)

“You saw no form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore be very careful, so that you do not act corruptly and make for yourselves an idol in the form of any figure.” – Deuteronomy 4:15–16 (BSB)

“I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.” – Isaiah 42:8 (BSB)

“God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” – John 4:24 (BSB)

“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” – Romans 1:22–23 (BSB)

Expanded Explanation of Catechism Question

The Second Commandment teaches that we must worship the true God as He has revealed Himself—not as we imagine or prefer. It forbids all idolatry, especially the use of physical images in worship, but also warns against reducing God to a mental picture, emotion, or ritual. Fr. Keith Allen (AMiA, St. Brendan’s Anglican Church, AL) writes, “The danger is not only in false gods, but in false thoughts of the true God. The Second Commandment guards the purity of worship.” (Decalogue and the Heart, 2019)

This commandment calls us to reverent, truthful worship shaped by Scripture. Bishop Julian Dobbs (ACNA, Diocese of the Living Word) explains, “We are not free to worship God however we choose. Worship is not a creative act—it is a faithful response to divine revelation.” (Pastoral Address on Worship, 2021) True worship is offered in spirit and truth, not by human invention.

Gerald Bray (ACNA-affiliated, Beeson Divinity School) emphasizes the protective nature of this command: “The Second Commandment shields us from the greatest danger—making God in our image. It demands that we be remade in His.” (God Is Love, 2012)

Historically, Anglicanism has honored this command by avoiding depictions of the divine nature in worship and focusing instead on Word and Sacrament. Canon George Grant (ACNA, Parish Presbyterian Church, TN) notes, “The Reformers saw rightly that images often displace the gospel. The commandment reminds us that God is to be adored, not visualized.” (Recovering Anglican Piety, 2018)

Fr. Jon Shuler (AMiA, New Anglican Mission) puts it simply: “This commandment is about who is in charge. Worship begins when we stop remaking God and start submitting to the One who has spoken.” (Catechesis on Worship, 2016)

Early Church Fathers On Catechism Question

“God is invisible and incomprehensible. To make an image of Him is to lie about His nature. The commandment teaches reverence.” – Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Greeks, c. 190 AD

“The law says, ‘You shall not make idols.’ Why? Because the true God has no likeness—He is beyond the grasp of our hands and eyes.” – Tertullian, Apology, c. 197 AD

“We worship God not by images, but by truth. The command is spiritual, and so our worship must be.” – Origen, Against Celsus, c. 248 AD

“The Second Commandment was given that man might know the difference between the Creator and the created—and worship accordingly.” – Augustine of Hippo, On Christian Doctrine, c. 397 AD

An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)

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An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)