Exodus 20 - Introduction
_GOD DELIVERS THE LAW OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: THE PEOPLE CANNOT SUSTAIN THE MAJESTY OF GOD: MOSES ENTERS THE CLOUD: GOD DIRECTS AN ALTAR OF EARTH TO BE RAISED TO HIM._ _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
_GOD DELIVERS THE LAW OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: THE PEOPLE CANNOT SUSTAIN THE MAJESTY OF GOD: MOSES ENTERS THE CLOUD: GOD DIRECTS AN ALTAR OF EARTH TO BE RAISED TO HIM._ _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THESE WORDS— These refer to all that is spoken to the end of the 17th verse; i.e_._ to the ten _words_ or _commandments,_ as Moses calls them, Deuteronomy 4:13 which words God himself spoke from _the midst of the fire,_ Deuteronomy 5:22 on which account it is called _a fiery law,_ Deuteronomy 33... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE LORD THY GOD, &C.— This is supposed, by some, to be the preface of the first commandment; but it appears, rather, to be the general introduction to them all, especially as it is found in Leviticus 19:25; Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 19:34, &c. subjoined to a great variety of commandments. Jeh... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME— After the general preface follow the commandments; which, as we read hereafter, were delivered by God to Moses in _two tables;_ the one containing, according to that division which has since generally prevailed, the four first commandments, which comprize our... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT MAKE UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE— The _having_ or worshipping any kind of false gods, is absolutely forbidden in the first commandment. Here the _mode_ of worshipping them, which generally prevailed among idolaters, and which was peculiarly offensive to Jehovah, is forbidden: the Israe... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF, &C.— This fully shews the meaning of the prohibition in the former verse. As a strong sanction to secure its observance, the LORD adds, that he is a _jealous God, i.e_. (speaking of God after the manner of men) so _zealous_ for his own honour, as not to bear a rival... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN— Our Saviour, who, it must be allowed, was the best expositor of the commandments, has given us (Matthew 5:33.) the true meaning of this, which is, primarily, _thou shalt not forswear thyself;_ which he further explains, by adding, _but shalt... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER THE SABBATH-DAY, &C.— _Remember the day of rest, to keep it holy_] "Let that day still, as usual, be considered as a day set apart and sanctified to my service;" (Jeremiah 21:14.) and that in such manner as follows; Exodus 20:9 and for the reason given, Exodus 20:11. The manner in which thi... [ Continue Reading ]
SIX DAYS SHALT THOU LABOUR, &C.— See note on Genesis 2:3. The plain meaning of these verses is, that men should dedicate six days of the week to the common and ordinary business of life; but should wholly abstain from such business on the seventh day, and consecrate it to the nobler employment of se... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HALLOWED IT— _Sanctified it._ See Genesis 2:3. REFLECTIONS.—Never before, nor since, was such an auditory, or such a speaker. God himself appears from heaven to promulge that sacred law which once was written on the heart, but by sin was defaced and obliterated. Observe, 1st. The preface. He i... [ Continue Reading ]
HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER— This is the _first_ commandment of the second table, and therefore called by St. Paul _the first with promise,_ Ephesians 6:2. A promise, which, in the letter and its primary sense, manifestly refers to _the land_ of Canaan, which the Lord was about to give the Hebr... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT KILL— For a full exposition of this commandment we refer to that of our Saviour, Matthew 5:21; Matthew 5:48 see Genesis 9:6. The words are better rendered, _thou shalt do no murder._ And if we are not to murder _others,_ certainly not _ourselves,_ so that suicide is here plainly and a... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY— After securing the _life,_ the Lord proceeds to secure that part of property which is often as dear, or dearer to human creatures, than life itself. The Hebrew word here used ףּתנא _tinap,_ plainly shews that the prohibition in this commandment primarily refers to that... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT STEAL— That is, "Thou shalt not _defraud_ thy neighbour by any method, secret or violent, of any part of his just property." See Leviticus 11:13.Mark 10:19. Ephesians 4:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR— A further security is here given to man's life and property (of which _reputation_ may well be esteemed a considerable part) by forbidding the sin of bearing false testimony against another; either by the highest and most atrocious act of it i... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT COVET— Prohibitions being given against particular vices, God concludes his commandments with a prohibition against vice in general; discountenancing that concupiscence and restless desire of our corrupt nature, which prompts discontent with our station and property, and leads, in con... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS, &C.— That is, _perceived;_ were sensibly affected with the noise, and with the light; insomuch, that they shrunk back with terror, and removed to a distance from those bounds near the mountain which were appointed for them. See ch. Exodus 19:12; Exodus 19:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID UNTO MOSES, &C.— _They,_ that is, the heads of the tribes, the elders of the people. See ch. Exodus 19:7 and Deuteronomy 5:23 where this event is related more at large.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR GOD IS COME TO PROVE YOU— See ch. Exodus 16:4 and Deuteronomy 8:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES DREW NEAR UNTO THE THICK DARKNESS— See note on ch. Exodus 19:20. See also ch. 24: REFLECTIONS.—With pomp of terrible majesty God thus proclaims his holy will: an emblem of the dispensation the people were under, begetting terror and bondage; and designed to make the reception of the grace and... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE SEEN THAT I HAVE TALKED WITH YOU FROM HEAVEN— "Ye have had sufficient and convincing proofs, from the awful manifestations before you, that I, the JEHOVAH, have spoken to you myself from the heavens or firmament;" i.e_._ the superior regions of the air, commonly called the heavens. See notes... [ Continue Reading ]
AN ALTAR OF EARTH THOU SHALT MAKE UNTO ME— The service of the tabernacle being not yet appointed, that there might be no superstition attached to any altars of a curious or costly sort, God enjoins that they should, for the present, form them only of such plain turf and common earth as could easily... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THOU WILT MAKE ME AN ALTAR OF STONE, &C.— The Lord will have an altar of _turf,_ or _natural stone,_ not put together with much art. _For if thou lift up thy tool upon it,_ it is added, _thou hast polluted it: i.e_. thou hast rendered it _unfit for my use and worship;_ it must be no longer co... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER SHALT THOU GO UP, &C.— God forbids the altar to be erected high, with many _steps,_ as were the altars of the heathen _celestial_ deities. REFLECTIONS.—Idolatry being the sin to which God saw the people most inveterately addicted, he gives Moses some particular directions to guard them from... [ Continue Reading ]