The Ten Commandments
Mr. Richards
Fall 2008
Introduction
• Most people know the Ten Commandments — or
perhaps it is better to say that they think they
know the Ten Commandments. The
commandments are one of those cultural
products that people imagine that they
understand, but in reality, they frequently can't
even name all of them, let alone explain them.
People who already think they know all they
need are unlikely to take the time to research
the subject with any great care and precision.
1st Commandment
• Thou Shalt Not Have Any Gods Before Me
• There is only one God
• Regards Pagan Gods
– God of the sun, moon, trees, war, love
2nd Commandment
• Thou Shalt Not Make Graven Images
3rd Commandment
• Thou Shalt Not Take the Name of the Lord
in Vain
• No blasphemy, stupid!
• Prohibition was limited to the use of the
name of God in any frivolous manner.
• Prohibition against the use of the name of
God in magical or occult practices.
• Geez…Thank God!??!
4th Commandment
• Remember the Sabbath, Keep It Holy
• Only ritualistic commandment
• Hebrews seem to be the only ones to have
set aside an entire day every week as
sacred, reserved for honoring and
remembering their god
5th Commandment
• Honor Thy Father and Mother
• True in ancient societies where life could
be precarious and it’s a good way to
ensure the maintenance of important
social bonds
• Is the Fifth Commandment something that
everyone should obey?
6th Commandment
• Thou Shalt Not Kill
• The most basic and easily accepted of all
the commandments
• Relies upon a superficial and uninformed
understanding of what is going on
• Self-defense
• Contradictory to members of the military?
7th Commandment
• Thou Shalt Not
•
•
Commit Adultery
Any act of sexual
intercourse outside of
marriage
Any act of sexual
intercourse between a
married person and
someone who is not
their spouse
8th Commandment
• Thou Shalt Not Steal
• A prohibition against stealing from another
individual or just against the government
• A starving man steals bread for his
family…
9th Commandment
• Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness
• Prohibit lying in a court of law (perjury)
• For the ancient Hebrews, anyone caught
lying during their testimony could be
forced to submit to whatever punishment
would have been imposed upon the
accused — including death
10th Commandment
• Thou Shalt Not Covet
• The most difficult to justify imposing upon
others, and in some ways the least
reflective of modern morality—materialism
• “If I see myself as what I actually am, as
the house of the Holy Spirit, as the temple
of God” What then belongs to me?
Catholic/Lutheran
(As per Augustine, around
400 A.D.)
Protestant/Orthodox Churches and
Communities
(As per Origen around 200 A.D.)
1
I am the Lord your God: you shall
not have strange Gods before
me.
I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out
of the land of Egypt. Thou shalt have no
other gods before Me.
2
You shall not take the name of
the Lord your God in Vain.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image.
3
Remember to keep holy the
Lord's Day.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy
God in vain.
4
Honour your father and your
mother.
Remember the Sabbath Day.
5
You shall not kill.
Honor thy father and mother.
6
You shall not commit adultry.
Thou shalt not kill.
7
You shall not steal.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8
You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbour.
Thou shalt not steal.
9
You shall not covet your
neighbour's wife.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor.
10
You shall not covet your
Neighbour's goods.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house nor
his wife nor anything that belongs to him.
Enforcement…
• Who enforces the 10 commandments?
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