The Ten Commandments, stand as a monumental and foundational text, not just for the Israelites at Mount Sinai, but for all who seek to understand God's will and live a righteous life. More than a simple list of "dos and don'ts," these commandments are a divine blueprint for flourishing human existence—they detail how we are to rightly relate to our Creator and how we are to rightly relate to one another. As we embark on this study, we are invited to look beyond the surface rules and engage in the continuous process of self-reflection and alignment with God's guidance. Our goal is to uncover the deep wisdom, the sacrificial love, and the enduring relevance of these ten statements, allowing them to shape a stronger, more Christ-centered foundation in our own faith and priorities.
Exodus 20:1-3 NIV [1] And God spoke all these words: [2] “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. [3] “You shall have no other gods before me.
The 10 Commandments is what is called a decalogue. The word "Decalogue" comes from the Greek term deka logoi, meaning "ten words" or "ten sayings," which is also a direct translation of the original Hebrew phrase.
More generally, the term can be used to describe any fundamental set of rules or principles that carries binding authority or serves as a foundational moral or ethical code. This set of rules were divinely revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai and inscribed on two stone tablets. We know the story.
Exodus 19:10-25 NIV [10] And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes [11] and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. [12] Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. [13] They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.” [14] After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. [15] Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.” [16] On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. [17] Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. [18] Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. [19] As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. [20] The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up [21] and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. [22] Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.” [23] Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’ ” [24] The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.” [25] So Moses went down to the people and told them.
The Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:1-17
Exodus 20:1-17 NIV [1] And God spoke all these words: [2] “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. [3] “You shall have no other gods before me. [4] “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. [5] You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. [7] “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. [8] “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. [9] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. [11] For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. [12] “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. [13] “You shall not murder. [14] “You shall not commit adultery. [15] “You shall not steal. [16] “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [17] “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
and Deuteronomy 5:6-21
Deuteronomy 5:6-21 NIV [6] “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. [7] “You shall have no other gods before me. [8] “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. [9] You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, [10] but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. [11] “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. [12] “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. [13] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [14] but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. [15] Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. [16] “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. [17] “You shall not murder. [18] “You shall not commit adultery. [19] “You shall not steal. [20] “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [21] “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
are fundamentally the same, as they both recount God's essential law given at Mount Sinai (Horeb). However, there are a few minor but theologically significant differences in the wording.
These commandments form a fundamental ethical and religious foundation for Judaism and Christianity.
The First Commandment—"You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3)—serves as the foundation and summary for all ten. If you break the First Commandment, you automatically set yourself up to break the others.
The Ten Commandments are universally understood to be divided into two main groups, reflecting the two Great Commandments summarized by Jesus: love of God and love of neighbor.
Matthew 22:36-40 NIV [36] “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” [37] Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
First Group Duty to God (The Vertical Relationship)
These commands define how we are to treat God.
The First Commandment , which we are going to talk about today is the hinge that connects us to this first group..
Commandments 1-4
Exodus 20:3-11 NIV [3] “You shall have no other gods before me. [4] “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. [5] You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. [7] “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. [8] “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. [9] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. [11] For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
The Second Group Duty to Neighbor (The Horizontal Relationship)
Commands 5–10
Exodus 20:12-17 NIV [12] “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. [13] “You shall not murder. [14] “You shall not commit adultery. [15] “You shall not steal. [16] “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [17] “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
These commands define how we are to treat one another and the world God has created.
The First Commandment is the root that ensures our motives in human relationships are pure.
The First Commandment, found in Exodus 20:3, states:
"You shall have no other gods before me."
This is not just the first commandment chronologically; it is the most fundamental commandment, the one from which all others flow.
Exodus 20:1-3 NIV [1] And God spoke all these words: [2] “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. [3] “You shall have no other gods before me.
Notice how God introduces the commandments: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."
The law is rooted in grace and redemption. God's commands are given after He has delivered His people, establishing a covenant relationship.
Discussion Question: Why does God remind Israel of their deliverance from slavery before giving the First Commandment?
It establishes His authority and sole right to their devotion.
The Command (v. 3): "You shall have no other gods before me."
The Hebrew phrase "before me" (or "upon my face") conveys the idea of in My presence, in addition to Me, or in competition with Me. It demands exclusive loyalty.
Key Insight: God is not asking to be ranked first among many gods; He is asserting that there are no other true gods.
II. The Essence of the Command: Exclusive Devotion
The First Commandment is a call for complete, single-minded allegiance to the one true God.
We are commanded to know, acknowledge, worship, and glorify God alone. This is what Jesus called the Greatest Commandment:
Matthew 22:36-38 NIV [36] “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” [37] Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and greatest commandment.
Negative Prohibition: We are forbidden from denying, ignoring, or giving God's unique glory to anything else. This is the sin of Idolatry.
III. Modern Idolatry: What are "Other Gods" Today?
While we may not bow down to statues of Baal or Dagon, modern idolatry is a matter of the heart's trust and supreme affection.
Anything that your heart clings to, trusts in, or looks to for ultimate satisfaction, security, or meaning more than God can become an idol.
Discussion Question: What is one area of your life where you notice your time, energy, or thoughts are disproportionately spent in a way that suggests a divided heart?
IV. Conclusion: The Jealousy of God
Exodus 34:10-14 NIV [10] Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. [11] Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. [12] Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. [13] Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. [14] Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
God's jealousy is not a petty human emotion; it is a fierce, protective love for His people and a desire to see them secure and fulfilled only in Him, the one true source of life.
God knows that seeking satisfaction in anything else is ultimately destructive to us, and therefore He calls for exclusive devotion for our good.
Research
The Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21 are fundamentally the same, as they both recount God's essential law given at Mount Sinai (Horeb). However, there are a few minor but theologically significant differences in the wording.
The main difference is found in the Fourth Commandment, which concerns the Sabbath.
The Sabbath Commandment (The Primary Difference)
The most striking distinction is the reason given for keeping the Sabbath holy.
In Exodus, the Sabbath is rooted in the universal, divine pattern of Creation.
In Deuteronomy, the Sabbath is tied to the specific, historical experience of Israel's redemption from slavery in Egypt, with an added emphasis on extending rest to your own servants, acknowledging their former shared bondage.
The Coveting Commandment (A Minor Difference)
There is a slight variation in the order of the items mentioned in the Tenth Commandment:
Exodus 20:17: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (House is listed first.)
Deuteronomy 5:21: "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not covet your neighbor's house, or his field, or his male or female slave, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Wife is listed first, and "field" is added.)
This is often interpreted as Moses' slight modification for pastoral emphasis, but the essence of the command—to not improperly desire what belongs to another—remains identical.
Theological Significance
The differences don't contradict the Law but rather offer a dual theological foundation for keeping God's commandments:
Creation (Exodus): God is the Creator of the cosmos, and following His law is part of aligning with the universal order He established.
Redemption (Deuteronomy): God is the Redeemer who saves His people from bondage, and following His law is a grateful response to the freedom He granted, with a social emphasis on justice and care for others (like your servants).
Ultimately, both passages transmit the same Ten Commandments, serving as the essential and enduring foundation for a relationship with God and proper conduct toward one's neighbor—a great reminder that aligning your priorities with God's will involves both acknowledging Him as your Creator and celebrating your spiritual freedom through obedience.
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