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
I am the Lord thy God - See these commandments explained in the notes on Exodus 20 (note). 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
I am Jehovah thy God . "The Law, the establishing rule for men, can proceed only from him who alone and over all stands fast; i . e . from God, specially as Jehovah. The eternal, unchangeable One, since he demands the obedience of faith (is not merely the moral imperative), must not only reveal himself, but in revealing himself must claim Israel as loyal and faithful; thy God " (Schroeder). read more
The Divine Law based on a divinely revealed relationship. "I am the Lord thy God," etc. This little word thy , in this connection, gives us the basis on which the Law was set. Of the event called " the giving of the Law," we feel the thrill even now. That Law has in it four features, corresponding to one or other of the aspects in which the people to whom it was first given may be regarded. They were I. HERE IS A SPECIAL VIEW OF GOD PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE ... 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
In this, the first commandment, the great principle and basis of all true religion is asserted—monotheism, as opposed to polytheism or pantheism There is but one God, and that God is Jehovah, the self-existent and eternal, who yet has personal relations with men. read more
The first commandment. God the sole object of worship. "Thou shalt have none other gods before me." So runs the first of the Ten Commandments. (For the specific direction of each, see enumeration in Homily on Deuteronomy 5:6 ; for the completeness of the whole, see Homily on Deuteronomy 5:22-33 .) It has been well observed, in reference to the delivery of the Ten Commandments, that "this is the only authentic case in the history of the world of a newly formed nation receiving at once,... 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