What is a graven image?

[Catherineanne]

Yes, Adstar is right. That is the dictionary definition of the adjective. As I said, in my first response, the exhortation here in the commandment is to not worship a carved image. That doesn't mean it's wrong to have carved images or even venerate carved images. But, we are encouraged to recognise that God is the centre of our worship, and that we should not worship any object. In our context, this extends to anything we may place above God.

The original word, as I posted above, is in Hebrew and, in Hebrew, it can be translated as 'carved.'

Good grief.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

What is a graven image or creating an image in God's likeness mean? How do we avoid doing that?

If you are talking about the second commandment it is really two things:

One is giving priority to something in your life other than God and/or robbing God of his likeness and replacing it with something else. We usually do that by humanizing God. Meaning we ascribe human attributes to his being.

"I could never forgive him so God wouldn't either"

"My mercy has limits so I doubt God will forgive"

A big one we hear all the time is "God could never forgive me/you"

 

[ViaCrucis]

I was indeed thinking of the hand, the eye, the rays of light etc.

And most importantly, the Rublev Trinity.

Those aren't problematic; it is a direct portrayal of the Father that is problematic; such as depicting Him as a grandfatherly old man; it is theologically inappropriate not only because it paints a theological perspective that God is "an old man in the sky" but also because the Divine Essence is incomprehensible, ineffable, and invisible.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Catherineanne]

Those aren't problematic; it is a direct portrayal of the Father that is problematic; such as depicting Him as a grandfatherly old man; it is theologically inappropriate not only because it paints a theological perspective that God is "an old man in the sky" but also because the Divine Essence is incomprehensible, ineffable, and invisible.

-CryptoLutheran

The Rublev Trinity isn't problematic?

Not being awkward, but isn't it a direct image of the Trinity?