William H. Barnes, Th.D.


                          THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

   
A. INTRODUCTION.

   1. Moral limits for the good of humankind.
   2. Covenant stipulations demonstrating the believer's loyalty to his 
      or her God. Note the PRIOR saving activity of God as described in 
      Exodus 12-19.


B. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

   1. Negative commands include the opposite positive good; e.g., "Thou 
      shall not murder" is not fulfilled solely by abstaining from 
      killing, but also by seeking to aid and preserve the lives of 
      others.
   2. These commandments include implicitly the inward desires which 
      lead to sin; cf. especially the 10th commandment which helps to 
      protect one against breaking the 6th-8th commandments.
   3. The first three commandments (references to the divine) take 
      precedence over the last seven; commandments 4 and 5 represent 
      transitional, pre-Adamic positive limits, while commandments 6-10 
      represent negative, post-Adamic limits.
   4. The entire context is one of GRACE and redemption (cf. Exod 20:2, 
      considered to be the first commandment by the rabbis).


C. SPECIFIC COMMENTS  (biblical references are to Exodus 20, but cf. 
   Deut 5:6-21 for a mostly identical repetition of the "Ten Words").

     I. NO OTHER GODS (v 3)--God our ultimate concern.
    II. NO GRAVEN IMAGES (vv 4-6)--no idolatry, superstition, attempts 
            to manipulate God.
   III. NOT TAKE NAME IN VAIN (v 7)--no idle abuse of God's character, 
            reputation; no carelessness in our worship; also, no magic 
            incantations.
    IV. KEEP SABBATH (vv 8-11)--a limit from creation for our good; 
            nonetheless, "Sabbath made for humans, not humans for the 
            Sabbath" (Mk 2:27). Note creational motive in Exod 20:11, 
            but references to redemption in Deut 5:15.
     V. HONOR PARENTS (v 12)--the family the earliest and most impor-
            tant human relationship; includes care in old age!
    VI. NO MURDER (v 13)--sanctity of life.
   VII. NO ADULTERY (v 14)--sanctity of marriage.
  VIII. NO STEALING (v 15)--sanctity of property.
    IX. NO LYING, PERJURY (v 16)--sanctity of truth.
     X. NO COVETING (v 17)--sanctity of inward desires, of godly 
            contentment.

N.B. Probably the only commandment able to be broken inadvertently is 
     the sixth commandment; whence the "cities of refuge" of Numbers 35 
     for the "manslayer" who has acted unintentionally.