Nicole Reardon
Sunday school children are taught to recite them, Cecil DeMille received high praise for his film about them and, more recently, Rev Dr Francis McNab has caused great controversy with his public declarations on them. There is no denying the Ten Commandments have had an impact.
Unpack the issues...
While most of us know of the Ten Commandments, how many of us can recite these laws or put them into context? More importantly, is there any point in doing so? Dr Suzanne Boorer, lecturer in Old Testament history and theology at Murdoch University, provides some insight.
“The Ten Commandments are a series of law codes within the Old Testament of the Hebrew Bible. There are two versions of them, outlined in the book of Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter five.”
According to these chapters of the Bible, the Ten Commandments were given by God to the Jewish people at Mt Sinai after they had escaped from Egypt whilst Ramses was Pharaoh.
“What distinguishes these laws from many of the other laws written particularly in Exodus, is that they are phrased mainly in the form of prohibitions,” says Sue. “Or in other words, there are lots of ‘you shall nots’.”
Sue is quick to point out that, on first reading, the Ten Commandments may appear to be outdated and no longer have relevance to our society.
“The way in which these laws are set up establishes the relationship between God and God’s people and relates it to appropriate ethical behaviour that is healthy for a community,” says Sue.
“In that sense I think they are relevant. But I think that, as with all biblical texts including both Old Testament and New Testament, they need to be dialogued with to determine their meaning in terms of what they might have originally meant and in terms of our society now.”
For instance, in modern Western society we might not be likely to 'covet' (desire) someone else’s donkey, the principle behind the original commandment of respecting other people’s property is readily recognised in our own judicial code, not to mention our social and moral codes.
Sue also points out that the Ten Commandments reiterate the very positive message of loving God and loving your neighbor, which is the basis of the Christian re-interpretation of the Jewish laws through Jesus (read Matthew chapter 22, verse 37–40).
“Apart from this, the Ten Commandments also provide us with some deep insights into the nature of the Christian God,” says Sue.
“The fifth commandment, which relates to the Sabbath, portrays a caring God who wants his people to take rests, emphasising that it’s beneficial for human life to slow down and take a break once in a while."
Perhaps most interestingly the Ten Commandments warn humankind not to create images of God to worship and in doing so emphasise the mystery of God.
“By stopping followers from making idols to God, this law protects the freedom of God. It warns us to try not to tie God up in static human categories. God is always beyond this — which is something that is revealed through the ongoing experience of the people of Israel as shown in the Bible.” Unpack the issues...
God spoke all these words: I am God, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of a life of slavery.
No other gods, only me.
No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don't bow down to them and don't serve them because I am God, your God, and I'm a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. But I'm unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.
No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter; God won't put up with the irreverent use of his name.
Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don't do any work — not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day.
Honour your father and mother so that you'll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you.
No murder.
No adultery.
No stealing.
No lies about your neighbour.
No lusting after your neighbour's house — or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that is your neighbour's.
(Exodus 20 from The Message Bible translation)
Unpack the issues...
- How are the Ten Commandments still relevant in today's society?
- Which commandment do you believe is the most important?
- What do you think the Ten Commandments reveal about God?
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written by mark , February 17, 2009
I believe no commandment is more important than others-if everyone followed the law of not stealing including white collar crime-you would end world wide poverty and everyone would be living in prosperity. Also, Adultery is the main reason or side effect divorces occur-50% of marriages breaking up is the reason why so many teenager and adult problems exist from split up families. If these simple 10 laws were followed think of the prosperity that would follow-God is no idiot.
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