Lecture 3 Notes The First Commandment

Question 1

Historical Context for the giving of the Commandments 1

Answer 1

i. The people of Israel were in the beginning stages of the exodus.
ii. They had escaped Egypt and were making their way to the Promised Land.
iii. They had not yet refused to enter the Promised Land. (Num 13–14)
iv. The people were to become ceremonially clean prior to receiving the Decalogue.

Question 2

Historical Context for the giving of the Commandments 2

Answer 2

v. Given at Mount Sinai
1. Thunder and lightning (Ex 19:18; 20:18)
2. Thick cloud (Ex 19:16; 20:21)
3. The sound of the trumpet (Ex 19:16; 20:18)
4. Fire and smoke (Ex 19:18)
5. Earthquake (Ex 19:18)
6. The voice of God (Ex 19:9; Deut 5:2)

Question 3

Historical Context for the giving of the Commandments 3

Answer 3

vi. Written by the finger of God (Ex 31:18)
1. Symbolizes the permanence of the commandments
vii. Spoken by the voice of God (Deut 5:2)

Question 4

Theological Context for the giving of the Commandments 1

Answer 4

i. The Ten Commandments are built upon the foundation of God’s deliverance of the people from slavery.
1. “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Ex 20:2
2. This is a reminder of God’s deliverance and his expectations of obedience as a response to what he has already done for them.

Question 5

Theological Context for the giving of the Commandments 2

Answer 5

ii. Serve as terms of the covenant God established with Israel.
1. Placed inside the Ark of the Covenant as a reminder of the covenant. (Ex 40:20; Deut 10:1–5)
2. Never intended to be a means to salvation.

Question 6

Theological Context for the giving of the Commandments 3

Answer 6

iii. Affirmed in the NT.
1. Jesus expounds on the 10 Commandments in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:21–30).
2. Summarized by Jesus as loving God and loving others. (Matt 22:35–40)
3. NT quotations
a. Jesus quoted 5th commandment. (Matt 15:4; Mark 7:10)
b. Jesus quoted the 6th and 7th commandments in Sermon on the Mount. (Matt 5:21, 27)
c. Jesus quoted the 5th through 9th commandments. (Matt 19:17–19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20)
d. Paul quoted the 10th commandment. (Rom 7:7)
e. Paul quoted the 6th through 10th commandments. (Rom 13:9)
f. Paul quoted the 5th commandment. (Eph 6:2–3)
g. James quoted the 6th and 7th commandments. (James 2:11)

Question 7

Interpreting the 10 Commandments 1

Answer 7

i. All of the commandments have both broad and narrow interpretations.
1. We see this as Jesus expands the meaning of the commandments in the Sermon on the Mount.

2. The commandments have specific, real world applications while at the same time offering broad categories of ethical behavior.
3. We should not focus on either set of interpretations to the exclusion of the other.

Question 8

Interpreting the 10 Commandments 2

Answer 8

ii. The commandments are to be interpreted by synecdoche.
1. What is a synecdoche?
a. Figure of speech where the part represents the whole

2. When a specific sin in mentioned, the commandment also covers a range of related sins.

Question 9

Interpreting the 10 Commandments 3

Answer 9

iii. Preaching Christ from the Decalogue (Frame)
1. The Decalogue presents the righteousness of Christ.
2. The Decalogue shows our need of Christ.
3. The Decalogue shows the righteousness of Christ imputed to us.
4. The Decalogue shows us how God wants us to give thanks for Christ.
5. Christ is the substance of the law.

Question 10

Numering the Commandments

Answer 10

• Jewish: Preamble is command 1, command 1 and 2 are combined.
• RC: Combines the first two separates no coveting of wife and of property as 9 and 10
• Lutheran: Combines first two, separates no coventing of wife and of property as 10 and 9

Question 11

The First Commandment

Answer 11

“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Ex 20:3; Deut 5:7)

Question 12

1st Comm. Ethical Impact: Exclusive worship of the Lord.

Answer 12

1. While false gods do not actually exist in reality, the worship of imagined gods can be enslaving.
2. Worship of false gods led to many distortions related to the character of the divine.
   a. Human sacrifices required usually children
   b. Pagan Sexuality – Temple Prostitution
3. Worship of false gods in Israel
   a. The worship of false gods seemed to be common by the time of the Judges.
   b. Solomon built altars to false gods at the end of his reign. (1 Kings 11)
   c. The worship of false gods ultimately led to the exile of both the northern and southern kingdoms.
4. If we view ethics as an act of worship, then our desires, intentions, and motives must be rightly directed toward God in all aspects of our lives to fulfill the command of exclusive worship.

Question 13

1st Comm. Ethical Impact: Orthodoxy

Answer 13

1. Having no other gods requires that we have an orthodox understanding of the one true God.
2. To worship any form of God that is different from what he has revealed about himself in Scripture is to worship another God.
3. What doctrines are essential to a biblical understanding of God?
   a. The Trinity
   b. The Dual nature of Christ
   c. Salvation
   d. Virgin Birth
   e. Baptism

Question 14

1st Comm. Ethical Impact: False Religions

Answer 14

1. Mormonism
2. Jehovah’s Witness
3. Christian Science

Question 15

1st Comm. Ethical Impact: Money

Answer 15

1. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Matt 6:24)
2. Money is perhaps the most common false god in our culture.
3. How does wealth become a god?
   a. Gives power
   b. Security
   c.
4. Why is this god particularly devastating to the church?
   a. Attitude
   b. Favoritism
   c. Desire for financial results
   d. Mismanagement of funds

Question 16

1st Comm. Ethical Impact: Secular Influence

Answer 16

1. Secular influence impacts our exclusive worship of God by pulling our attention/focus away from the God of the Bible.
2. Secularism denies the existence and/or influence of God in this world.
   a. Generally holds to a naturalistic worldview.
   b. The universe is ultimate reality.
   c. No place for the supernatural.
   d. Man is basically good.
   e. God does not exist.
   f. Human reason is the source of truth.
3. Sources of secular influence

Question 17

Christian Worldview

Answer 17

• Exclusive worship of God requires that we view the world from a biblical perspective.
• A worldview is the framework by which a person acknowledges, understands, evaluates, and interprets reality.

Question 18

Elements of a worldview: Metaphysics

Answer 18

i. Metaphysics is the theory of being or reality.
ii. Questions of metaphysics
1. What is real?
2. Is reality material or immaterial?
3. How did the world get here?
4. Is the world natural or supernatural?
a. Starts the answer with Gen 1:1

Question 19

Elements of a worldview: Epistemology

Answer 19

i. Epistemology is the theory of knowledge.
ii. Questions of epistemology
1. Can we trust our senses?
2. How do I know something is true?
3. What is the role of reason?
4. Can I trust my intuition/conscience?
5. What is the relationship between faith and reason?

Question 20

Elements of a worldview: Anthropology

Answer 20

c. Anthropology
i. Anthropology is the theory of human nature.
ii. Questions of anthropology
1. Do humans have free will?
2. Are humans made up of just bodies (material) or is there a spiritual (immaterial) element?
3. Do humans have a soul?
4. Does physical death end human existence?

Question 21

Elements of a worldview: Theology

Answer 21

i. Theology is the theory of God (existence, nature, character, etc).
ii. Questions of theology
1. Does God exist?
2. What is God’s nature?
3. Is there one God or many?
4. Is God a personal being?
5. Can God supernaturally interfere with the world?

Question 22

Elements of a worldview: Ethics

Answer 22

i. Ethics is the theory of moral behavior.
ii. Questions of ethics
1. What is right and wrong?
2. Can I behave in a certain way?
3. Are supererogatory acts required?