Exodus 20

Ex 20:1-26.

THE

TEN

COMMANDMENTS.

1. And God spake all these words--The Divine Being Himself was the

speaker

(De 5:12, 32, 33),

in tones so loud as to be heard--so distinct as to be intelligible by

the whole multitude standing in the valleys below, amid the most

appalling phenomena of agitated nature. Had He been simply addressing

rational and intelligent creatures, He would have spoken with the still

small voice of persuasion and love. But He was speaking to those who

were at the same time fallen and sinful creatures, and a corresponding

change was required in the manner of God's procedure, in order to give

a suitable impression of the character and sanctions of the law

revealed from heaven

(Ro 11:5-9).

2. I am the Lord thy God--This is a preface to the ten

commandments--the latter clause being specially applicable to the case

of the Israelites, while the former brings it home to all mankind;

showing that the reasonableness of the law is founded in their eternal

relation as creatures to their Creator, and their mutual relations to

each other.

3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me--in My presence,

beside, or except Me.

4, 5. Thou shalt not make . . . any graven image

. . . thou shalt not bow down thyself to them--that is,

"make in order to bow." Under the auspices of Moses himself, figures of

cherubim, brazen serpents, oxen, and many other things in the earth

beneath, were made and never condemned. The mere making was no sin--it

was the making with the intent to give idolatrous worship.

8. Remember the sabbath day--implying it was already known, and

recognized as a season of sacred rest. The first four commandments

[Ex 20:3-11]

comprise our duties to God--the other six

[Ex 20:12-17]

our duties to our fellow men; and as interpreted by Christ, they reach

to the government of the heart as well as the lip

(Mt 5:17).

"If a man do them he shall live in them"

[Le 18:5;

Ne 9:29].

But, ah! what an if for frail and fallen man. Whoever rests his

hope upon the law stands debtor to it all; and in this view every one

would be without hope were not "the LORD OUR

RIGHTEOUSNESS"

[Jer 23:6; 33:16]

(Joh 1:17).

18-21. all the people saw the thunderings and the

lightnings--They were eye and ear witnesses of the awful emblems of

the Deity's descent. But they perceived not the Deity Himself.

19. let not God speak with us, lest we die, &c.--The phenomena

of thunder and lightning had been one of the plagues so fatal to Egypt,

and as they heard God speaking to them now, they were apprehensive of

instant death also. Even Moses himself, the mediator of the old

covenant, did "exceedingly quake and fear"

(Heb 12:21).

But doubtless God spake what gave him relief--restored him to a

frame of mind fit for the ministrations committed to him; and hence

immediately after he was enabled to relieve and comfort them with the

relief and comfort which he himself had received from God

(2Co 1:4).

22, 23. the Lord said unto Moses--It appears from

De 4:14-16,

that this injunction was a conclusion drawn from the scene on

Sinai--that as no similitude of God was displayed then, they should not

attempt to make any visible figure or form of Him.

24. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me--a regulation

applicable to special or temporary occasions.

25. thou shalt not build it of hewn stone, &c.--that is, carved

with figures and ornaments that might lead to superstition.

26. by steps--a precaution taken for the sake of decency, in

consequence of the loose, wide, flowing garments of the priests.