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The Story
The Gracious Ten Commandments
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How do grace and law fit together? This is the primary purpose of this site. We are exploring the interactions of law and grace.
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We will also see other ways to view the Ten Commandments. While we appreciate the great value of seeing the Ten Commandments as a list of commands, we also appreciate seeing additional facets of this treasured diamond in God’s design. Just how many facets to His wisdom have been incorporated in it? I am currently at an additional 5 ways to see the Ten Commandments.
Let’s begin with the phrase, Ten Commandments. The Hebrew word for ‘commandment’ is miswa and means word, command, order, prescription, instruction. Other similar words have the same definitions. We see that in the Hebrew worldview the meaning of ‘commandment’ is also ‘word.’
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In the Hebrew view 'word' has a deeper meaning, that of thoughts and concepts.
The Ten Commandments can be seen in the larger context as the Ten Words, a phrase sometimes used in scholarship literature when exploring the significance of the Ten Commandments.
Consider the example in Genesis 1. When God said, ‘Let there be light!’ a whole symphony of the music of light appeared. All the types, seen and unseen. All the options in the plethora of visible light. All the dynamics that color our sunsets and sunrises. All the seasonal variations. And so much more that we don’t know about the mysteries of light yet! And then there is the spiritual metaphor of 'light'. All this from speaking a simple word: let there be….
Now we have a context for exploring numerous possibilities. What was the Hebrew author trying to convey to us when he chose to possibly name these the Ten Words? What are we missing by thinking of them in only one dimension of application, as commandments? And, if the same author also wrote the five books of the Torah, as tradition holds Moses did, was he hinting that we should explore this metaphor and apply it deeply?
We can see that possibility by something similar he did elsewhere. Moses did something similar in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, the two times he listed the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20 he provided the reason for keeping the Sabbath as a memorial to God’s creation. In Deuteronomy 5 he said we keep the Sabbath as a memorial of the Exodus from Egyptian slavery. These two views, working together like eyes, provide a depth of perception, allowing 3D vision of Sabbath significance. We can see a lot of similarities between creation and freedom: God is creating liberty for humanity!
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Moses spoke with God frequently. He understood how to handle God’s Word properly and creatively. He laid out for us the freedom to explore the depth of God’s metaphors richly. We too are expected to do likewise. Let’s begin!
For Your Consideration
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As you go through this site you will see the role of cultural context. God speaks to humanity in terms we can understand. If He were to speak in heavenly terms, we most likely would not understand. So He speaks to us in earthly terms.
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Jesus did the same thing:
​"I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?" John 3:12
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To communicate you need to use a vocabulary that is understood by both parties. God’s use of cultural vocabulary is compassionate wisdom. It lays a foundation of understanding that He will build on over time, as His relationship with Israel matures.
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As you read scholarship materials on the Ancient Near East you find God often handled His affairs with Israel following the pattern of the cultural atmosphere, but elevated. Earthly things. This elevated approach can be seen as a part of God’s evangelistic paradigm to draw nations to Israel’s life circle. This informed the surrounding cultures of the supremacy of God and bestowed honor on His people, Israel. He set them up to be the cream of the crop.
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Deuteronomy 4:5-8
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“5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to Him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?"
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