#BibleStudy. Timeless Truths. Living With Each Other

 

COMMANDMENTS 5-10. 

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Exodus 20:8, 18

• The reaction to the 10 Commandments by Israel just to ask Moses to keep God at a distance. 
• The last six Commandments deal with human-human relationships. 
• Thomas Aquinas says, “the 10 Commandments are rightly ordered.”
• These six commandments were the focus of the rich young ruler. 

#5 verse 12.

This includes a promise of long life. It stresses the importance of generational respect. The command is written for adults to model for their children. 

• Worship. Parents are household priests.
• Forgiving. Learning to forgive their parents helps children to forgive others.

#6 verse 13.

• Murder also includes carelessness or neglect. 
• The real commandment is not to put yourself in God's place.

#7 verse 14.

• Adultery carries a connotation of idolatry in the Old Testament. God has consequences for living outside this boundary.

#8 verse 15.

• Aquinas equated stealing with taking advantage in the marketplace. 
• Hoarding is also stealing from those in need.

#9 verse 16.

• Being truthful is supposed to make the church unique. 
• Your life should be a testimony of truth. 
• Being truthful does not guarantee popularity. 
• Speak the truth in love.

#10 verse 17.

• Coveting brings the commandments back to God as you need to focus on Him.

 

ALL THE COMMANDMENTS TELL US

• Life matters. Killing, stealing, lying, and coveting deal with taking all or part of lives.
• Giving is important. Christians have something to give.
• God's way is not a social structure but a way of living.
• Relationships matter. Breaking communication dampens relationships, and they are hard to repair once damaged.

 

If you drop a dinner plate and it shatters, putting the pieces back together will not fully restore the plate. It's the same with relationships broken by gossip and neglect.

 

One of Jesus’ last actions (the Last Supper) was about strengthening relationships.

  

Thanks to Dr. Scott Peterson for the primary teaching in his post.

 

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