Read Exodus 20 here or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
20:1 {s} And God spoke all these words, saying
20:2-6 {s} Israel shall have no gods before YHVH
20:7 {p} Israel shall not take the name of YHVH in vain
20:8-11 {s} Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart
20:12 {s} Honor your father and mother
20:13 {s} You shall not murder
20:14 {s} You shall not commit adultery
20:15 {s} You shall not steal
20:16 {s} You shall not bear false witness
20:17a {s} You shall not covet your neighbor’s house
20:17b {p} You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor’s
20:18-21 {s} The fear of God prevents us from sinning
20:22-26 {p} Explanation of the first three commandments
In today’s chapter, we conclude some Strong Themes. The first is this:
19:1-25 {s} YHVH descended upon Mt Sinai in fire, to enact the marriage covenant with Israel
20:1 {s} And God spoke all these words, saying
20:2-6 {s} Israel shall have no gods before YHVH
20:7 {p} Israel shall not take the name of YHVH in vain
It seems like a mismatched series of paragraphs. What could be the point to dividing up the theme in the middle of the Ten Commandments, and putting it with the previous chapter? The chiastic structure gives us our answer:
Notice that in this strong theme, the first three commandments, Have no gods before Me; Do not make graven images to worship; and Do not profane YHVH’s name, are all included in the 2A pair. The structure is teaching us, therefore, that YHVH first loved us (1A pair) by bringing us to Himself and treasuring us as His people above all the people on the earth, and proposing this marriage covenant with us as He desired us as His wife, and we respond in love to Him (2A pair) by keeping His commandments that teach us how to love YHVH, which are, commandments 1-3.
19:1-20:7 {sx3+p} Strong Theme: How God has first loved us, and we love Him back
Next:
20:8-11 {s} Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart
20:12 {s} Honor your father and mother
20:13 {s} You shall not murder
20:14 {s} You shall not commit adultery
20:15 {s} You shall not steal
20:16 {s} You shall not bear false witness
20:17a {s} You shall not covet your neighbor’s house
20:17b {p} You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor’s
What could the unifying theme be? Yeshua taught us, when He was asked which commandment was greatest. He said,
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Mat 22:37-40
20:8-17 {sx7+p} Strong Theme: How we love ourselves and others
Next:
20:18-21 {s} The fear of God prevents us from sinning
20:22-26 {p} Explanation of the first three commandments
Fearing God is not the same as being terrified. The fear of God defined biblically is worshiping, and submitting to the One whom you recognize as greater than yourself. Healthy fear prevents a person from living unrestrained; from running out into the middle of a busy street, from driving 200 miles per hour down a highway, from injuring others in a fit of rage, or from stealing from an employer.
Good parents instill healthy fear into their children, to keep them from unthinkingly going with strangers, or running away from Mommy or Daddy in a crowd. Instilling healthy fear is an act of love, which the parent does because he loves his child and does not want to see him come to harm.
The fear of YHVH is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Pro 1:7
Why do I say that 20:22-26 {p} explains the first three commandments? The first three commandments are:
- Worship YHVH alone; Have no gods before Him
- Do not make idols
- Do not profane YHVH’s name
And YHVH said to Moses: Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. You shall not make anything with Me—gods of silver, or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings, and your peace offerings, your sheep, and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you. And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have profaned it. Neither shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be uncovered on it. Exo 20:22-26
20:18-26 {s+p} Strong Theme: The fear of God helps us keep His commandments.
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Yare, “To fear,” Strong’s H3372 – Christine Miller
Chalal, “To profane,” Strong’s H2490 – Christine Miller
The Ten Commandments Index of Studies – Christine Miller
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