Commentary on Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

The Ten Commandments present God’s gracious intentions for a divinely liberated people formed through the Sinai covenant. The Decalogue, or “ten words” in Hebrew (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13;10:4), sets high standards for the Israelites’ religious, personal, and communal behavior and still instructs us today. For example, a little-known dimension of the prohibition against stealing (Exodus 20:15) is that it includes kidnapping and selling people into slavery (Exodus 21:16). This prohibition underscores the sinful legacy of slavery in US history with which we are still grappling.

For both church and synagogue, following the commandments is a response to God’s freeing power. Jews were freed from Egypt in the exodus, and Christians celebrate freedom from sin in Jesus’s death and resurrection. Over the centuries, Jews have adapted the 613 mitzvot (commandments), originally connected to agriculture in the land of Israel and to the Jerusalem Temple, to changing cultures and circumstances. Christianity’s love ethic similarly reaches across the breadth of human life. Obeying the commandments signals acceptance of the moral life that honors the one God.

In response to a question about the greatest commandment, Jesus quotes two scriptural verses, one to love God and the other to love the neighbor (Deuteronomy 6:4–6; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–31; see also, Luke 10:25–28). The Ten Commandments are organized similarly, with commandments directed toward God first (Exodus 20:2–11), followed by commandments directed toward other people (Exodus 20:11–17).

Most commandments are prohibitions, placing limits on behavior to promote reverence for God and the common good. Two commandments, to observe the Sabbath and honor parents, are expressed in positive terms (Exodus 20:8–12).

The tablets engraved with the commandments become a symbol of the Sinai covenant. They are placed in the ark of the covenant during the wilderness wanderings (Exodus 16:33–34; 25:16; see also Hebrews 9:4) and later brought to the Jerusalem Temple with the ark’s relocation (1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chronicles 5:10).

The Ten Commandments appear twice in the Hebrew Bible, with variations (Exodus 20:1–17; Deuteronomy 5:1–22), indicating that they circulated independently from early times. In both cases, the Decalogue appears before legal codes from different periods (the ancient Covenant Code in Exodus and the later Deuteronomistic Code in Deuteronomy). This common introduction identifies the case laws that follow as part of the Sinai covenant.

In the New Testament, the Ten Commandments continue to guide moral behavior. When Jesus cites the commandments in answering the rich ruler’s question about gaining eternal life (Luke 18:20; see also Matthew 19:18–19; Mark 10:19; Hosea 4:2), the ruler asserts that he has observed them since youth.

Today’s placement of the Ten Commandments on capitol grounds, in courthouses, and in schoolrooms elicits a great deal of controversy. They are powerful symbols of a core commitment to justice, rule of law, and ethical behavior. However, in addition to First Amendment concerns within the religious pluralism of the United States, there will always be a sharp dissonance whenever the Ten Commandments are enlisted to support human institutions. The wilderness setting of the Sinai covenant ensures that ultimate allegiance belongs to God alone, not to any human king, empire, or government.

The Sinai covenant in Exodus 19–24 (see also Deuteronomy) follows the political model of treaties made by powerful Hittite and Neo-Assyrian kings, for the purpose of exacting submission from weaker vassals. The purpose of the Sinai covenant is radically different. Rather than enforcing servitude, God initiates the Sinai covenant by self-identifying as liberator of the Israelites: “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:1).

As an icon of Western religious and cultural heritage, the Ten Commandments may lull us into a false sense of familiarity. Details reveal that this composition is from a different time and place, requiring creative adaptations for today.

The biblical text itself depicts “all the people” as experiencing the unmediated revelation of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1, 18; see also “your whole assembly,” Deuteronomy 5:22), suggesting an inclusive audience. However, the masculine singular commands are addressed only to male heads of agrarian households that include wives, children, and slaves and who hold wealth in houses, livestock, and land. Are these principles applicable for women and non-binary people, urban dwellers, youth, and people with limited means?

The polytheism assumed in the commandment to “have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) is also foreign to modern Jews and Christians. The exclusive worship of one deity among many assumed in this commandment is known as “henotheism.” In Western contexts where monotheism has prevailed, allegorical interpretations are often offered. Idolatry is extrapolated to apply to anything that competes with God, whether wealth, fame, pleasure, or work.

Even considering the strangeness of aspects of the Ten Commandments, Christians are called to wrestle with their meaning. One way to deepen our appreciation and implementation might be to select just one of the ten for reflection over the coming year. For example, an individual or church might focus on the fifth commandment: “You shall not murder.” Most Christians do not think of ourselves as potential murderers, but Martin Luther’s explanation of this commandment is expansive: “What does this mean? We are to fear and love God so that we neither endanger nor harm the lives of our neighbors but instead help and support them in all of life’s needs.”

Wrestling with this single commandment challenges us to address matters of faith and civic life. As people freed by Christ’s grace, how do we direct our freedom toward helping and supporting our neighbors and ensuring that life’s needs are met? Such considerations might include access to mental and physical health care, due process for immigrants, availability of shelter and basic food requirements, clean air and water, gainful employment in an age of global capitalism and AI, and employing diplomacy to resolve international conflicts.

Despite their apparent simplicity, the Ten Commandments can lead us ever deeper into the love of God and our neighbors that is the Christian vocation. They are indeed words for life.