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On Idolatry

Tertullian

Chapter 3

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter III.—Idolatry: Origin and Meaning of the Name.

Idol in ancient times there was none. Before the artificers of

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this

monstrosity

had

bubbled

into

being

,

temples

stood

solitary

and

shrines

empty

,

just

as

to

the

present

day

in

some

places

traces

of

the

ancient

practice

remain

permanently

.

Yet

idolatry

used

to

be

practised

,

not

under

that

name

,

but

in

that

function

;

for

even

at

this

day

it

can

be

practised

outside

a

temple

,

and

without

an

idol

.

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

.

Notes

1
“Boiled out,” “bubbled out.”
2
Or, brass.
3
i.e., a little form.
4
Idolatry, namely.
5
[Capitalized to mark its emphatic sense, i.e., the People of God = the Jews.]
6
See Ex. xxxii.; and compare 1 Cor. x. 7, where the latter part of Ex. xxxii. 6 is quoted.