Deuteronomy 4:19 (WEB)
and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.
Catechism · 1
“It is intended to limit the pride of fallen humanity” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Acts 17:26-27; Dt 4:19; Dt (LXX) 32:8.
Fathers and councils · 8
Origen
- Origen, Against Celsus IV.31Book IV
“Venerable, too, and grand was this prohibition of theirs: “Lift not up thine eyes unto heaven, lest, when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and all the host of heaven, thou shouldst be led astray to worship them, and serve them.”” — editor's note: Cf. Deut. iv. 19.
Read the whole comment “…moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldst be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations.”” — editor's note: Cf. Deut. iv. 19.
Read the whole comment“But the Lord hath taken us, and brought us forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.”” — editor's note: Cf. Deut. iv. 19, 20.
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Irenaeus of Lyons
“And he does thus explain what are meant by the things in heaven: “Lest when,” he says, “looking towards heaven, and observing the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and all the ornament of heaven, falling into error, thou shouldest adore and serve them.”” — editor's note: Deut. iv. 19.
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Justin Martyr
“…and show us that the Spirit of prophecy admits another God besides the Maker of all things, taking care not to speak of the sun and moon, which, it is written, God has given to the nations to worship as gods; and oftentimes the prophets, employing this manner of speech, say that ‘thy God is a God of gods, and a Lord…” — editor's note: Deut. iv. 19, an apparent [i.e., evident] misinterpretation of the passage. [But see St. John x. 33–36.]
Read the whole comment“God formerly gave the sun as an object of worship, as it is written, but no one ever was seen to endure death on account of his faith in the sun; but for the name of Jesus you may see men of every nation who have endured and do endure all sufferings, rather than deny Him.” — editor's note: So Justin concludes from Deut. iv. 19; comp. chap. lv. [The explanation is not very difficult (see Rom. i. 28), but the language of Justin is unguarded.]
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John Chrysostom
“This is a peculiar mode of speech in Scripture, as also the, “He gave them over unto a reprobate mind” ( Rom. i. 28 ), and the, “He divided them to the nations,” that is, allowed, permitted them to go.” — editor's note: ἀ πένειμε τοῖς ἔθνεσι. The words are found in Deut iv. 19 , LXX., but are there spoken concerning the heavenly bodies.
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Clement of Alexandria
“And He gave the sun, and the moon, and the stars to be worshipped; “which God,” the Law says, made for the nations, that they might not become altogether atheistical, and so utterly perish.” — editor's note: Deut. iv. 19.
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Cross-references · 19
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 121.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 55.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 121.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.10.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.10.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.10.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 121.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 121.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 55.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 55.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 55.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 55.
Cited together in Dialogue with Trypho Chapter 121.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.10.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.10.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.6.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.6.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.6.
Cited together in Against Celsus V.10.