OT Bible Study #16: The Ten Commandments
Make the pure light of Your divine knowledge shine in our hearts, Loving Master, and open the eyes of our minds that we may understand the message of Your Gospel. Instill also in us reverence for Your blessed commandments, so that overcoming all worldly desires, we may pursue a spiritual life, both thinking and doing all things pleasing to You. For You, Christ our God, are the Light of our souls and bodies, and to You we give the glory, together with Your Father, without beginning, and Your All Holy, Good, and Life- Creating Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. (2 Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians 1:18; 2 Peter 2:11)
Review. Pentecost. More on Pascha, Pentecost, and the Feast of the Tabernacles.
Kondak, Tone 8 (Mid-Pentecost). O Sovereign Master and Creator of all things, O Christ our God, Thou didst cry unto those present at the Judaic Mid-feast and address forth immortality’s water. Wherefore, we fall down before Thee and faithfully cry out: Grant Thy compassions unto us, O Lord, for Thou art truly the Well-spring of life for all.
Oikos. With the streams of Thy Blood do Thou water my soul, which is grown dry and barren because of mine iniquities and offences, and show it forth to be fruitful in virtues. For Thou didst tell all to draw nigh Thee, O all-holy Word of God, and to draw forth the water of incorruption, which is living and which washeth away the sins of them that praise Thy glorious and divine arising. Unto them that know Thee as God, O good One, grant from on high the strength of the Spirit, which verily was borne by Thy disciples, for Thou are truly the Well-spring of life for all.
The Ten Commandments/Words (Exodus 20:1-17).
[Cover the differences in selection and order of the Ten Commandments. Not just LXX vs. Hebrew. NOT dogmatic.]
CAESARIUS OF ARLES: We should also know that the ten commandments of the law are also fulfilled by the two gospel precepts, love of God and love of neighbor. For the three commandments which were written on the first tablet pertain to the love of God, while on the second tablet seven commandments were inscribed, one of which is “Honor your father and your mother.” Doubtless all of the latter are recognized as pertaining to love of neighbor. The Lord said in the Gospel: “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Likewise we read what the apostle James said: “But whoever offends in one point has become guilty in all.”2 What does it mean to offend in one point and lose all, except to have fallen from the precept of charity and so to have offended in all the other commands? According to the apostle, without charity nothing in our virtues can be shown to avail at all. (p. 101)
UOC-USA Prayer Book [Discuss].
1. I am the Lord, your God. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not carve images, or fashion the likeness of anything in heaven above, or on earth below, or in the waters under the earth, to bow down and worship.
3. You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. There are six days for labor, for doing all the work you have to do. The the seventh day comes, it is a day consecrated to the Lord Your God.
5. Honor you father and your mother, that it may be well with you and that your days may be long upon the earth.
6. You shall not kill.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet that which belongs to your neighbor.
Why do we have the law?
To give us somethings to love? E.g. Romans 7:22, Psalm 18(19):7–8), Psalm 118(119).
Is it the way Jews were to get into heaven? Nor can we read in from Grace vs. Works. Salvation for the Jews was about being part of God’s chosen nation NOT about becoming right with God through works. No, it’s not about merit; it’s about loyalty, protection (Galatians 3:19), and preparation (e.g. Romans 7:7).
Bibliography
UOC-USA Prayer Book
Lienhard, J. T., & Rombs, R. J. (Eds.). (2001). Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
NEXT WEEK: Forty Days on the Mountain (who was there? What did they do?).
