I am the Lord thy God ,.... This is the preface to the ten commandments, and is the same with that in Exodus 20:2 ; see Gill on Exodus 20:2 , and those commands are here delivered in the same order, and pretty near in the same words, with a little variation, and a few additions; which I shall only observe, and refer to Exodus 20:1 for the sense of the various laws. read more
Verse 9 9Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them. Idolaters in vain endeavor to elude this second point by their foolish cavils; as amongst the Papists that trifling distinction is commonly advanced, that only λατρέια, (81) and not δελέια is prohibited. For Moses, first of all, comprehends generally all the Forms And Ceremonies Of Worship; and then adds immediately afterwards the word עבד, gnabad, which means properly to serve. Hence we conclude that they make a childish endeavor at evasion,... read more
The Decalogue. Moses here recalls the Sinaitic covenant, and wishes the Israelites to remember that, though given to their fathers primarily, it was also applicable to them. They were in many cases present as children then, and they were represented by their parents. Moses speaks with authority as having been mediator ( Deuteronomy 5:5 ) on the occasion. There are the following lessons to be learned from the Decalogue as here given:— I. THE COVENANT IS BASED UPON A ... read more
Reminiscences of Horeb. I. THE COVENANT . ( Deuteronomy 5:2 , Deuteronomy 5:3 .) 1. Proposed by God ( Exodus 19:3-7 ). 2. Accepted by the people ( Exodus 24:7 ). 3. Entailed obligations on subsequent generations (cf. Deuteronomy 6:2 ). In this covenant, formally ratified by sacrifice ( Exodus 24:6 , Exodus 24:7 ), Israel The new covenant in Christ, while in many respects different from, and superior to, that of Horeb, yet resembles it in several of these... read more
The Divine plan for the conduct of our life on earth. Had we been left in ignorance what the Divine intention in human life was, it had been a calamity indeed. Waste and failure must have been the disastrous result. For every honest-minded man, ample direction from the Supreme Source of authority is supplied. The most cogent argument is not always the most convincing. God might here have prefaced his ten words with a proper assertion of his indisputable sovereignty. But he prefers to... read more
FIRST TABLE OF THE LAW praecepta pietatis . read more
Repetition of the Ten Commandments . On these, as the basis of the covenant, the whole legislation rests, and therefore a rehearsal of them is a fitting introduction to a repetition and enforcement of the laws of the theocracy. Some differences appear between the statement of the "ten words," as given here and as given in Exodus 20:1-26 . It is chiefly in the fourth commandment that these are to be found. It begins here with "remember" for "keep;" reference is made to the command of God... read more
Here the spirituality of God is asserted, and, in the prohibition of the use of images in the worship of the Deity, all idolatry is denounced, and all deification of the powers of nature in any sense is prohibited. By the Jews, this commandment was not always regarded, for they were not infrequently seduced into following the idolatrous usages of the nations around them. It does not appear, however, that, though they set up images of the idol-gods whom they were thus led to worship, they ever... read more
The second commandment. The spirituality of Divine worship. It is sometimes said that there is a reason attached to this second commandment. It is scarcely accurate to affirm that. There is a double sanction attached to it to enforce it, but there is no mention made here of a reason, strictly so called. We will, however, incorporate in this Homily the true reason which underlies this precept. But we shall have to go to the New Testament for the clearest statement of that. Let us then, in... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 5:6-22
Here is the repetition of the ten commandments, in which observe, 1. Though they had been spoken before, and written, yet they are again rehearsed; for precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, and all little enough to keep the word of God in our minds and to preserve and renew the impressions of it. We have need to have the same things often inculcated upon us. See Phil. 3:1. 2. There is some variation here from that record (Exod. 20:1-26), as there is between the Lord's prayer as it... read more