Exodus 20:1-17

20:1-17 | The Ten Commandments, also referred to as the Decalogue (Deut. 5:6-22), were written in the form of great king-vassal treaties from the second millennium BC, complete with preamble, prologue, and a statement of responsibilities and conditions. Earlier, the Lord had stipulated how He would bless the people if they honored this covenant.

20:1-12 | The phrase the LORD your God is repeated five times here to emphasize the authority behind these commandments as well as His personal relationship with His people.

20:3-4 | The people of Israel were constantly beset with the idea of many gods. Yet only one true God exists, and He insists on no other gods before or besides Him. In ancient times, true monotheism (belief in one god) was unique to Israel.

20:4-6 | The second commandment banned all idolatrous images in Israel. The Lord is jealous for His singularity in the lives of His people and will not tolerate any rivals for their affection (Zech. 1:14; 8:2; James 4:5). This is an expression of His love; He wants the very best for His people.

20:5-6 | Every person is, in part, a product of certain choices by parents, grandparents, and other ancestors. But God lavishes His mercy on those who love Him, emphasizing not decades of generational curses but centuries of blessings.

20:7 | This third commandment is based on the sacredness of God’s holy name, Yahweh. In vain means to regard as having no worth. The name of the LORD should never be used manipulatively (Num. 22:18), caustically, crudely, or casually, because it trivializes the character and work of God.

20:8-11 | Rooted in the Creation account (Gen. 2:1-3), the fourth commandment provides a weekly reminder of God’s holiness. For the people of Israel, the requirement of Sabbath meant no member of one’s household – not even one’s cattle – should do any work at all on “Rest-Day.” It also served as a special sign between the Lord and Israel (Neh. 9:13-15; Ezek. 20:12-20), for no other nations officially observed this.

20:12 | The fifth commandment means to treat one’s father and mother with dignity and respect. The idea is the opposite of the term in vain in 20:7. Paul notes that this commandment is the first one with a promise (Eph. 6:2): that your days may be long upon the land. As such, it ought to inform and encourage God’s people today to respect age and care for the elderly, whether or not they are relatives (Lev. 19:3; Deut. 27:16; Prov. 1:8; 16:31; 20:20; 23:22; 30:17).

20:13 | The sixth commandment not only prohibits the unlawful taking of human life but honors the sacredness of all innocent life including that of unborn children. The Law made provisions for self-protection (22:2), military service (Num. 1:3), public executions (21:12), and accidental death (21:13-14).

20:14 | The seventh commandment honors marriage. Adultery is such a serious transgression that it was a capital crime according to the law (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). Jesus taught that even lustful looks may constitute betrayal (Matt. 5:27-30).

20:15 | The eighth commandment respects and validates the sanctity of owning personal property. You shall not steal safeguards individuals as well as entire societies.

20:16 | The ninth commandment honors truth-telling, even to the point of prohibiting slander (23:1; Prov. 10:18; 12:17; 19:9; 24:28; Titus 3:1-2; James 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:1). The best opportunity for justice rests on the assumption of truthfulness in sworn witness.

20:17 | The tenth commandment is about controlling the desires of the heart. Sinful thoughts beget sinful actions (Matt. 15:19; James 1:14-15), so it is no surprise that covetous people often break the commandments in order to satisfy their greed.