Note that God made an image of fire. And he ordered a serpent to be made which was not the image of him, but was erected for no other purpose than that those who had been bitten or wounded by snakes might look upon that image and be made whole (Num. 21[:9]). That image was given by God himself and was not created by a human mind. Nevertheless, Scripture praises King Hezekiah (2:18[:4]) for breaking the bronze serpent in pieces because the Jews sacrificed to it.*
Our images are not from God; indeed, they are forbidden by God. Still we try to defend them, heedless that the many poor people who offer them candles and money, who kneel and uncover their heads before them, injure and do harm to themselves in that way. Yet we go on defending idols and images, preserve them in the churches, and allow the poor innocent lambs of God to come to grief through such terrible abuse. And we want to honour them as books.
Therefore I must again speak of the uselessness of images. But everything according to Scripture, for I do not desire anyone to believe me or accept my authority. Indeed, may the Devil thank you if you believe me and accept my authority. Turn your ears and eyes to Scripture, which says: The makers of images are nothing and there is no profit in the most precious and most cherished thing [Isaiah 44:9].
They themselves witness that their images see and understand nothing (Isaiah 44[:9]). Here make note, you idolatrous unbeliever, that the maker of an image is nothing and that his very best work avails nothing. Yes, certainly, they are of no use for salvation. You yourself must confess that you will not ask an image-maker what profits you for salvation because he is a image-maker. How, therefore, can Pope Gregory make so bold as to say, Images are the books of the laity, when artists can teach nothing useful for salvation? Note that your artists can see, hear, and understand and bear witness to the fact that their images can neither see nor hear, nor have understanding. And you do not and ought not to want image-makers as books. How, then, could you take images for books?
How could images be useful to you as books? Who can deny that books are useful? No one. Who may say that images are useful when your maker of images is useless? No one. Now I want to briefly demonstrate that images in themselves are also useless, proving everything with reference to Isaiah 44. He is an evangelical prophet. Isaiah says [44:9–11]: Who has formed or made God and made the graven image that profits nothing? Behold, all the makers and friends of images are shamed. They shall all be gathered together and be frightened and made to tremble.
And he goes on to tell, almost mockingly and sarcastically, how the idols are made and are of no profit [44:12–16].
Nor can I pass over in silence the fact that God cannot suffer any of the bowing and scraping and stooping with which we honour the idols. Thus God speaks through Isaiah.
The maker of images makes an image and bows before it. He bows before it and prays and says: Free me, deliver me, for you are my god [Isaiah 44:17].
Thus, they have forgotten that the eyes of the image do not see and they have no understanding in their hearts and do not consider what they have said before: I have burned half the wood with which I have made this god. And with one half of the branch I have roasted my meat and fired my oven. With the other half I have made this idol. Before this chunk of wood I want to fall down [Isaiah 44:18–19]. At the end of the same chapter God says: I am the Lord who made all things and no one with me (Isaiah 44[:24]).
If I had time and space I would gladly treat Isaiah more thoroughly, but for the sake of brevity I will begin with the end and then come back to the start, thereby returning to the introductory material. See, and note well, that images in churches are contrary to the first commandment. And that God does not tolerate our placing anything created next to him. Thus he proclaims: I am the Lord who made all things and none with me.
* The brazen serpent, the cherubim of the mercy seat and the images of the Temple of Solomon were for the Catholic theologians clear proof that God approved images. Karlstadt, needless to say, mentions the serpent only to record its destruction at the hands of Hezekiah.
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