Why the Mass is Idolatry
by John Knox 1550
Precised by Colin Melbourne into contemporary English from; Selected Writings of John Knox: Public Epistles, Treatises and Expositions to the year 1559
© 01-08 Born-Again-Christian.Info
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them. Holy Bible Deut. 5:8 NIV
Summary
Knox stresses that all Church practices and procedures for honouring God must have a clear biblical warrant if they are to be valid in God's sight. Forms of worship that are the invention of man, and not sanctioned by God's Word are idolatrous. Knox proves that the Roman Catholic Mass is entirely a human invention, and therefore idolatry.
Background
Rome held a stranglehold on Europe from Nero's persecution of Christians until the Reformation of the sixteenth century. God's Word was locked in Latin, a tongue incomprehensible to the majority of people. Papal authority extended over kings, nations, and rulers, and was fiercely enforced on pain of death.
Anybody who dared question Roman Catholic doctrine was branded a 'heretic', excommunicated, tortured, and killed. The Spanish Inquisitors boasted of butchering more than three million people in Spain alone. The pope's dictums were elevated above the Holy Bible, and even when they contradicted God's Word, nobody dared to challenge them.
Finally, in the midst of the Dark Ages, the Lord raised up valiant light bearers. Men and women who read the Holy Bible for themselves and believed it enough to confront Catholicism's heresies and expose its glaring falsehoods.
One such man was John Knox, stalwart of the Scottish Reformation, and founder of the Presbyterian Church. He saw through the Roman Catholic Mass, fearlessly denouncing it as an abomination to God, and blatant idolatry. Encouraged by the English Reformers, he played a vital role in breaking Rome's grip on the souls of Scottish, English, and ultimately, North American people.
John Knox was a diligent scholar and a fiery preacher who was appointed chaplain to the teenage King Edward VI of England. (A Protestant monarch truly loved by the people. His final prayer to God was, 'O Lord God, defend this realm from papistry and maintain thy true religion.')
On being arraigned in 1550 by the ruling Catholic bishops for denouncing Catholicism, Knox gave an historic address before his peers exposing the idolatrous nature of the Catholic Mass. The clarity of his discourse was a landmark in the Protestant Reformation, stunning and silencing the papists.
Here follows a precis of the main points of his address in contemporary English, that need to be trumpeted today to spark a further reformation. Although Catholics claim that they have changed their doctrines, they still hold each of the heresies John Knox exposed 450 years ago. Colin Melbourne
Knox's Introductory Remarks
How difficult it is to pull from the hearts of the people the object of their devotion. As Paul discovered in Ephesus when preaching Christ to those who worshipped the idol of Diana. Catholic priests have gained great advantage by idolatry, so too the leaders of the Diana cult felt threatened, and forced a riot. (See Acts 19:23-41) 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!' they chanted, moved by indignation that the goddess in whom they'd trusted for so long, was being called into question.
I know that the Mass has for centuries been regarded as a means of honouring God, and cemented a sacred foundation of the Roman Catholic faith. Deep it has pierced the hearts of men and women, and painful is the unveiling of its true nature. I shall now prove by Scripture that the Mass is idolatry, blasphemous to the death and suffering of Christ, and contrary to the Lord's Supper. My hope beloved, is that the fear, love, and obedience of God, who in the Scriptures has spoken all truth necessary for our salvation, will move you to give way to the same.
Part One
All Worship Invented by Man is Idolatry
Samuel, God's prophet and high priest, rebuked King Saul for offering a sacrifice to the Lord, and his kingdom was taken from him because of this presumptuous sin.
"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command." 1 Sam 13:13-14
Saul had been anointed king at God's command, his enemies were approaching, his army dwindling, and he sought help from the Lord by offering sacrifices. But in doing so, usurped the office of the Levitical priesthood to which he was not appointed. This was an abomination before God warranting severe punishment. Notice that God made no allowance for the fact that Saul's enemies were bearing down on him, that he was the king, nor his good intentions. Despite these mitigating circumstances, Saul was pronounced foolish and vain, because God accepts no honouring, sacrifice or worship save that which has His express command. No instruction was given to Saul to sacrifice, and because he did offer sacrifice he and his blood line lost all honours in Israel.
Saul also erred by not obeying God's command to kill all of his Amalekite enemies (1 Sam.15) The king gave the excuse that he had saved the feeble Amalekite ruler and the best of the plunder to offer them as a sacrifice to God. Samuel delivered God's withering reply;
"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." 1 Sam. 15:22-23
Notice particularly that God likens Saul's rebellion to witchcraft (divination) and his arrogance (or stubbornness) to idolatry. Both sins are abominable to God, who had asked only simple obedience. Disobedience is the same as idolatry to God. In defence, Saul claimed his actions were righteously intended, but to no avail. God called them rebellion and idolatry.
Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God. Deut. 4:2
Aaron's sons were the principal priests after their father. But by burning incense using unauthorized fire they were instantly burned to death by the fire of the Lord. They were not covetous or adulterers, nor looking for worldly honour, yet God did not spare them. They tried to honour God their own way using common fire instead of using the fire from the altar as God had commanded, and so they perished. (See Lev. 10:1-3)
Gideon was used by God to lead Israel to a notable victory over the Midianites. The people called for him to rule over them, but he wisely refused the honour saying; I will not... the Lord will rule over you. Yet he stumbled into the sin of idolatry by making an ephod (a priest's breastplate) from plundered gold. He set it up in his town and Israel 'prostituted themselves' by worshipping it there, and it became a snare for Gideon and his family. (See Judges 8:27)
These examples show that no man on Earth has authority to set up any way of honouring God other than that commanded in His Word.
Roman Catholics claim that the Church has power to set up, or invent new ways of honouring God as it sees fit, and God accepts them, but this is clearly not the truth.
You are not to do as we do here today, everyone as he sees fit. (v.31) You must not worship the LORD your God in their way... (v.32) See that you do all I command, do not add to it or take away from it. Deut. 12:8, 31, 32
Paul confirms this by saying the Church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. (Eph.2:20) Meaning the Law and the Gospel. So the Church cannot command anything that is not in either. If it does, it moves away from the foundation that God lays, and so ceases to be the Church of Christ. Notice also in Revelation 2:24-25 the Spirit of God calls anything added to Christ's message, the doctrine of the devil, Satan's invention. As also does Paul in 1 Tim.4:1-3. Jesus Himself says,
I will lay on you no other burden. Rev. 2:24
"O, God eternal, have you laid any other burden on us than Christ laid by His Word? Then who has burdened people with all these ceremonies, prescribed routines, fastings, compelled chastity, unlawful vows, praying to saints and the idolatry of the Mass?"
The Devil, the Devil brothers and sisters, invented all these burdens to load you down to Hell!
Paul added not one thing to the Lord's Supper. Only passing on precisely that which Christ gave to us to continue in until He returns.
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Co.11: 23
Moses likewise, never added a single command to that which God gave him.
Plainly, anything added to God's command is idolatry.
Catholics object, claiming the apostles in the Council of Jerusalem set up new precepts to honour God. (See Acts 15) But this is false. Each conclusion they made was based upon Scripture, and intended merely to facilitate fellowship between Jews and Gentiles until the Jews could fully embrace their new liberty in Christ to eat all things with a clear conscience.
In contrast the AntiChrist's councils gather for private gain, setting up idolatry and abominations contrary to the Scriptures and according to the papists own wisdom and foolish brains. It is astonishing that they disregard the fact that the book of God was sealed and confirmed in the days of the apostles, its effects and contents published. So that it is extremely impious to make any alteration to that proclaimed by God's own voice.
"O, Papists! Where will you hide from God's presence? You have perverted His Law, you have taken away His ordinances, you have placed your own. Woe and damnation abide on you! All men whose eyes Satan has not blinded can see that man cannot change any commandment of God."
The point is proven. All worshipping, honouring, or service to God invented by the brain of man without God's command is idolatry.
The Catholic Mass is the Invention of Man
If the Roman Catholic Mass is the ordinance of God, then it is not idolatry, but I will now prove that it is the mere invention of man without any commandment of God, and is therefore idolatry.
What spirit tells us that the Mass is a sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead, the Spirit of God or the spirit of man? The Catholics shamelessly claim Peter and John celebrated the first Mass, but they have not one shred of Scriptural proof. The truth is, Pope Sixtus was the first to institute the altars, Felix consecrated them, Boniface added the altar cover, Gregory instituted candles and special clothes, and so on, each pope adding until at last the whole blasphemous idol was established. Yet, they claim Saint Peter said the first Mass despite the fact that for hundreds of years after Peter there was no Mass yet invented.
But they plead, the ceremonies are not the heart of the Mass, they are added for a good cause. What command of God have they for adding anything for whatever reason? None! What is the heart of the Mass?
"The canon with the words of consecration." they answer.
Who wrote the canon?
Be careful to remember that canon signifies full, sufficient rule, which in all points is perfect. In the past Catholics claimed it was used by the apostles, and passed to the popes. The Vatican's own historical records confirm that Popes Sergius, Leo, and two Alexanders each added to this 'holy' canon. Such bold impiety to amend what they hold to be the ordinance of God.
Within the canon are solemnly whispered the names of men not yet born at the time of the apostles, and unmentioned in credible histories. "O, no wonder you whisper it so, for if anyone heard you they would see straight through the diabolical nonsense!"
The term 'words of consecration', they claim was given by Jesus Christ, but nowhere can they prove this from Scripture. The term comes from man, not God.
What are the words Jesus spoke?
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Mtt.26: 26-28 (See also; Mk. 14:23-24, Lk. 22:19-20, 1 Co. 11:23-24).
Let us check if anything is added, changed, or removed.
In the Mass is spoken the Latin phrase, Accipite et manducate ex hoc omnes. Hoc est enim corpus meum. Similiter et calicem post quam coenavit, dicens... etc.
Which means; "Take and eat you all of this, for this is my body. In like manner, he took the cup after supper, saying ..."
First: 'all of this' ex hoc omnes was not spoken of the bread anywhere in the Scriptures, but of the cup.
"O, Catholics! You have altered the words of the Lord!"
Second: They say 'for this is my body' Hoc est enim corpus meum but the word 'For' enim is not in the Scriptural account. They have added it, and why? They say it is because the Virgin Mary conceived in five words. Of what account is this? Is God limited by the number of words in performing His intent? Who exalted you above Christ to know better than He? He said only; This is my body. Hoc est corpus meum. You deem it necessary to 'perfect it'. You have added of your own invention to Christ's words. Thirdly; They steal from Christ's words too. They remove Christ's words from the sentence;
Which is given for you (or which is broken for you).
The very words from which a real Christian derives their whole comfort, they remove, and do not mention. What could be more bold and wicked than to add to or diminish Christ's words? Why not simply quote Christ's words with nothing changed?
The point is proven that the Mass is a human invention devised by the foolish brain of man, and cannot be but idolatry.
It does them no credit to claim the Gospel message is in the Catholic Mass. The Gospel is not the heart of the Mass, those discredited 'words of consecration' they claim as its heart. But even if the Gospel were the heart of the Mass, still it would be idolatrous. What good does it do Satan to speak the words of the Gospel? In doing so, neither he nor his false prophets are made holy. In the Mass, the words of the Gospel are merely used as a cloak, a mask to hide the evil idolatry beneath. A few good words do not make the abomination holy! But even if the Mass were the exact command of God (which it is not) I will now prove it still to be an abomination.
