10.2: The Ten Commandments

Read Exodus chapter 20, verses 1-17

This is the Ten Commandments. Learn them now. Write them out if you wish. Note that they are divided into the commandments to honour God, the first three, ending with the command to keep the sabbath. The next seven are about respecting your neighbour. Note that only one of these seven says what we should do, which is honour our father and mother. The rest say what we must not do. They tell us to avoid doing harmful things to others.

Choose two of these seven and show why breaking them does harm to others

Some people say that coveting (desiring) your neighbours wife and goods are the same thing, so should be included in one commandment. Others say that they are very different things, because people are not goods. What do you think?

What is meant by taking God’s name in vain? Why is it so bad.

The first commandment forbids idolatry, which once meant worshipping statues etc, but now can mean thinking something in the world is more important than God or can be valued independently of Him. The Bible proclaims that idolatry always brings evil. Why is this?

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