graven image

It is not uncommon for Protestants to attack the Catholic Church for producing and having "graven image". Many Protestants point to there version of Ten Commandments to try to prove there case against the Church. But one may ask, are not the Protestants themselves guilty of this charge as well? The answer is YES, not only did they have graven images but they placed them in a location of great honor and respect, in there Bibles among there scriptures.

For almost four hundred years the King James Bible has been the standard for English speaking Protestants, what most people realize is that this Bible has a long history of "graven image". the very fist edition of the KJV known as the Great "HE" Bible printed by Robert Barker had many illustrations called woodcuts. the images were created by taking a wooden block [ later copper and steel plates were used ], and carving a pictorial or design in to it's surface. This image was used as a sort of stamp, ink was applied to its carved surface and it was pressed against the parchment of paper.

Some of the 1611's woodcuts are remarkable for there quality. Some, are are remarkable for other reasons, not so nice reasons, such as Nudity. Bellow are many examples of these woodcut

Printed in London by John Baskett and by the affigns of Thomas Newcomb and Henry Hills, deceas'd 1716. It is loaded with about 174 copper engraved plates that depict numerous scenes in the Bible, also a series of the Kings of the Old Testament and Apostles of the New Testament. By the late twentieth century early twenty-first century the Protestant organizations even went so far as to establish competitions and awards for the publishers with finest graven images in there Bibles. below are a few examples of some of these:

This is the title page of the Old and New Testaments it is from a original printing of the 1611 King James Version. Note all of the wood cuts [graven images] of men. We can see Moses holding the ten commandments, which included "not make unto thee any graven image". We also can see Aaron and all of the apostles, including St. Peter and St. Paul.

Click HERE to see a scan of the title page of the 1616 New Testament edition of the KJV. again we find it covered with wood cuts [graven images]. It included large images of two woman, grapevines, a Pagan unicorn, and a lion.

Click HERE to see a scan of the title page of the Old and New Testaments it is from a original printing of the 1622 King James Version. Note that again, all of the wood cuts [graven images] of men. It included small images all of the apostles, and four large ones of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. the Gospel writers.

Click HERE to see a scan of the title page of the Old and New Testaments it is from a original printing of the 1648 King James Version. Note that again, it has wood cuts [graven images] of men. it has Moses, Aaron and includes a wood cut of seventeen century London

Click HERE to see a scan from the opining page of the book of Geniuses in the 1715 printing of the KJV. in it we see Christ, the Holy Ghost [a Dove] several angles, We can see Moses again holding the ten commandments, Aaron [who is using incense, a act of worship], Mathew, Mark, Luke and John all in what appears to be a Church [house of worship]. We also can see a Pagan unicorn, and a lion

Click HERE to see a Scan of the title page of the New Testament in the 1717 Printing of the KJV. On it you will see a This Beautiful graven image of the Annunciation of the Angle Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary

By 1879 the number of images in the KJV had multiplied to the point that some editions such as the one printed by The Richardson Co. of Boston advertised on there opening page " 2,000 Illustrations ".