The first three commandments of The Ten Commandments outline the proper relationship between man and God. The last seven commandments define proper relationships between men.
Various translations have slight variations in how they are written out. For example, some translations lump "coveting of your neighbor's wife or female servant" with coveting (envy) of his material possessions.
The Ten Commandments show up twice. Once in Exodus Chapter 20 and again in Deuteronomy. The First Commandment shows up three times in the Old (Jewish) Testament. It is first mentioned in Deuteronomy is in Chapter Five but is repeated again in Chapter 6. In fact, Chapter 6 has some very specific directions to ensure that we keep the First Commandment on the top-of-our-stack.
Today I went around and installed Mezuzah cases on our door posts with the appropriate text inside of them.
The words
You shall not have other gods beside me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or serve them.
seemed to be a particularly timely reminder as the "State" stridently demands that it be our god.
Keep your eye on the prize!
In case anyone is interested, here is the First Commandment / First Word in Hebrew:
ReplyDeleteאָנֹכִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים
‘anoki YHVH ‘Eloheyak ‘asher hotse’thik me’erets Mits’rayim mibeyth `abadim
I am YHVH your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery.
This is how the Ten Commandments / Ten Words have always been numbered in the Hebrew. Catholics omit the first word and split the tenth into two. Protestants omit the first word and split the second into two.
As Christians, there is much to learn from the Old Testament. When our children were young, we explained and celebrated many of the Jewish feast days. It highlighted much of the Old Testament.
ReplyDeleteERJ
ReplyDeleteGlad you’ve posted mezuzah. It’s a food reminder for everyone and a nice conversation starter for visitors. We have the commandments posted at the door for all to see and as frequent reminder for our youngish children. Biblical parenting provides a lot of wisdom; better than playing it by ear.
“Write the commandments on your doorsteps and write them on your hearts.
Raise your children in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it.”
Those two quotes should be frequent advice for all new parents. Reminds me that we congregate to worship so we can lift one another up when things are tough.
Much wisdom in the Old Testament.
Out here in the Kaw River Valley we study the scriptures and try hard to live by them.
Very good Joe. Woody
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