the New Testament God was made man, He can
be adored in His corporeal image.

Reply Obj. 2: The Apostle forbids us to have anything in common with
the "unfruitful works" of the Gentiles, but not with their useful
works. Now the adoration of images must be numbered among the
unfruitful works in two respects. First, because some of the Gentiles
used to adore the images themselves, as things, believing that there
was something Divine therein, on account of the answers which the
demons used to give in them, and on account of other such like
wonderful effects. Secondly on account of the things of which they
were images; for they set up images to certain creatures, to whom in
these images they gave the veneration of _latria._ Whereas we give
the adoration of _latria_ to the image of Christ, Who is true God,
not for the sake of the image, but for the sake of the thing whose
image it is, as stated above.

Reply Obj. 3: Reverence is due to the rational creature for its own
sake. Consequently, if the adoration of _latria_ were shown to the
rational creature in which this image is, there might be an occasion
of error--namely, lest the movement of adoration might stop short at
the man, as a thing, and not be carried on to God, Whose image he is.
This cannot happen in the case of a graven or painted image in
insensible material.

Reply Obj. 4: The Apostles, led by the inward instinct of the Holy
Ghost, handed down to the churches certain instructions which they
did not put in writing, but which have been ordained, in accordance
with the observance of the Church as practiced by the faithful as
time went on. Wherefore the Apostle says (2 Thess. 2:14): "Stand
fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by
word"--that is by word of mouth--"or by our epistle"--that is by word
put into writing. Among these traditions is the worship of Christ's
image. Wherefore it is said that Blessed Luke painted the image of
Christ, which is in Rome.
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FOURTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 25, Art. 4]

Whether Christ's Cross Should Be Worshipped with the Adoration of
_Latria_?

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's cross should not be
worshiped with the adoration of _latria._ For no dutiful son honors
that which dishonors his father, as the scourge with which he was
scourged, or the gibbet on which he was hanged; rather does he abhor
it. Now Christ underwent the most shameful death on the cross;
according to Wis.