Idolatry in the New Testament

Abstract

The New Testament inherits its attitude toward idolatry from the Old Testament and early Judaism. In all three, idolatry is the primal sin and is connected with sexual immorality and avarice. Both Jesus, in his response to the question about tribute, and Paul; in his treatment of food sacrificed to idols, reflect the conflict between revulsion against idolatry and the need to survive in an idola-trous world. Moreover, Paul and the Johannine literature respond to the Jewish charge that Christianity itself is idolatrous. Appropriation of New Testament attitudes toward idolatry for our own pluralistic society is complicated by their variety and their apparent caricature of pagan religion.