The Ten Commandments

Deuteronomy 5: 1-21

Moses convened all Israel, and said to them:

Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I am addressing to you today; you shall learn them and observe them diligently. ² The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. ³ Not with our ancestors did the Lord make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today. ⁴ The Lord spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the fire.  (At that time I was standing between the Lord and you to declare to you the words of the Lord; for you were afraid because of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

⁶ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; ⁷ you shall have no other gods before me.

⁸ You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁹ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me, ¹⁰ but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation^] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

¹¹ You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

¹² Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. ¹³ Six days you shall labor and do all your work. ¹⁴ But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you. ¹⁵ Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

¹⁶ Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

¹⁷ You shall not murder.

¹⁸ Neither shall you commit adultery.

¹⁹ Neither shall you steal.

²⁰ Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.

²¹ Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife.

Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

²² These words the Lord spoke with a loud voice to your whole assembly at the mountain, out of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, and he added no more. He wrote them on two stone tablets, and gave them to me.

Today, we will begin a series on the Ten Commandments.

In today’s post, we will discuss briefly them as a structured whole, and then we will do a post on each one.

Here are a few important points regarding them overall:

1)      They are part of the revealed law that we spoke of last post.   They are a super natural revelation of God.  This specific instance where God comes as a flame of fire is sometimes called a “theophany”.   The Commandments are unique in that they are the only laws mentioned that are written directly by the finger of God, as opposed to men.   All good written laws come from God ultimately, but they are usually written by human agents.  The 10 Commandments are different in that regard.   

2)       However, as we stated last post, all supernaturally revealed law in no way contradicts the natural law.   In fact, the Catechism (p.2070) calls the Commandments “a privileged expression of the natural law”   Revealed law, which include these Commandments, helps those who have difficulty discerning the natural law.  It brings the natural law to light for all, and in the process, helps teach the world the fundamental rights and duties of man.  Because of this, the Ten Commandments have a high standing in human history as a moral guide and foundation for civil law.

3)      The 10 Commandments originally were introduced at the stage of the revealed law known as the Old Law.  They were revealed to God’s chosen people by Moses.  However, they remain just as relevant, and even more so, as part of the New Law, which has enhanced, fulfilled, and surpassed the Old.  Here is proof that they remain just as relevant: Christ was asked what one must do to have eternal life and he stated,  "If you would enter life, keep the commandments." And he cites for his questioner the precepts that concern love of neighbor: "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother." Finally Jesus sums up these commandments positively: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 19:16-19).  So, Our Lord obviously did not do away with the moral obligations of the 10 Commandments.  He does, however, supplement that teaching with more teaching which stresses the spirit of the law, and going beyond just mere observance of the Commandments, to live lives of moral and spiritual perfection.  

4)      There are 10 individual Commandments, but they form an organic whole.  One cannot infringe on one without in some way infringing on all the others.   Just as they are a whole, so they too unify our lives, bringing our personal and spiritual dimensions together with our social ones.

5)      These indeed are commandments, not suggestions.  All mankind from the time they are revealed until the end of time are obliged by them.   They are not just laws written on tablets.  They bring to light natural law, so they are inscribed in the human heart.  Therefore, it is not cruel or unjust to hold mankind accountable to them.

6)      The Commandments need to be seen in the light of the covenant between God and his people, which is a central theme in the Bible.  A covenant is a love relationship, not a legal one.  As with any love relationship, there are obligations and duties, but there is meaning and purpose behind them.   There is a meaning and purpose behind the 10 Commandments.   They lead us to life.  (We may speak more about this theme and reality of covenant in a future post.)

7)      Finally, the Commandments have of primordial importance in the tradition of the Church, occupying a predominant place in catechesis and sacramental preparation.   The language used has been translated from the Scripture passages, such as the one quoted at the beginning of this post, to more concise, simple expressions, easier to memorize.   We will use those formulations as we discuss each one.

And now, let us begin our journey into these wonderful, life-giving words of God that are such an important part of his overall love letter to us.

Joseph, most obedient, pray for us.