First let’s survey a summary of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20.1-21, Deuteronomy 5.)
– 1 Purity of Devotion: No other gods
– 2 Purity of Worship: No idols
– 3 Sanctity of God’s Name: Not taken in vain
– 4 Sabbath: Remember the “Rest” to keep it holy
– 5 Honor father and mother
– 6 Honor God’s image: Do not murder
– 7 Purity of Marriage: Do not commit adultery
– 8 Sanctity of property: Do not steal
– 9 Sanctity of speech: No lies to harm your neighbor
–10 Guard your heart: Do not covet
SCOPE OF THE LAW
The scope of the Decalogue – the Ten Commandments – is far reaching. It addresses your
Internal Relation to God Internal Relation to neighbor
1 10
External Relation to God External Relation to neighbor
2, 3, 4 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Interesting to note that #10 Covetousness, leads to #6-8: Murder, Adultery, Theft.
When we look in the next post to the Sermon on the Mount, we will need to key in on the fact that God was ALWAYS concerned with internal heart motivations. Not just outward actions. Jesus is making a big deal of this fact.
