God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses after delivering his people from captivity in Egypt and after having established the Mosaic covenant with them. The Lord's deliverance was apart from the law. The commandments were given to assert God's uniqueness and to set apart His people from all others. The Israelites had been immersed in Egyptian culture and exposed to foreign gods for generations and no doubt needed a reminder of who their God is and who He called them to be. The commandments were originally written by God's hand and given to the Israelites as principles to live by. They begin with God identifying himself as the deliverer, "…who brought you out of Egypt…out of…slavery." He instructs them to have no other Gods before Him, to come with full devotion, to worship only Him. His Name is to be Holy as it represents His perfection and glory. God even set aside a day to be kept holy to honor Him as Creator and to know His rest. The remainder of the commandments deals with their relationships with each other and their conduct as a people in community. The commands include honoring your father and mother. They are admonished not to: murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, and covet. Today these commandments are the foundation of Western law. They continue to bring peace when followed.
It is interesting to note that God gave His people ten basic principles to live by that gradually grew to 613 commandments of Jewish tradition. The extensive scope and burden they impose serve to testify to man's inability to keep the law and earn salvation apart from God. The Pharisees, teachers of the law, distinguished themselves by their stringent adherence to the rules and ascribed to themselves positions of importance because of their 'earned superior sanctity' and self-righteousness. Christ recognized the Pharisees' prominent position in the community and warned his followers not to model their lives after them "for they do not practice what they teach." It was more than their actions that Jesus was testifying against. The Pharisees focused on the letter of the law while missing the spirit of the law. They were spiritually dishonest with themselves and with their followers. They did not deal with the fundamental issues of the heart. They did not approach God with pure hearts but with pride and arrogance. They were hard-hearted and stubborn, lacking love, sympathy, and understanding. The ultimate purpose of the law was to lead people to God. The Pharisees had made the duty of law so unreasonable that it caused men hardship and grief. It became a stumbling block that separated people from God.
The law became so broad in scope and wrought with loopholes that who could truly know and understand it but the religious teachers? Who could follow it? Jesus was able to simplify it so that the average man with the most basic ability could understand it. He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 22:37. The remainder of the commandments flow from this elegant summary that leads us to God. We are reminded that apart from our relationship with God our Father, Jesus our Savior, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are unable to live and love as we should. Lord, let our lives be living acts of worship reflecting your goodness and glory. Holy Spirit, fill us with Your love. Bind Your commands to our hands that they might govern all that we do. Write them on the tablet of our hearts. Let them never depart from us or us from them- that we will walk always in Your wisdom and understanding.
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