Exodus 20

1. God spake. In these commandments a natural order is observable. They present (1) JEHOVAH as the sole object of worship; (2) the mode of worship, accordant with His spiritual nature; (3) the intelligent reverence; and (4) the constant regularity required in worship. They then provide rules for social life; beginning with (5) its foundation in family relations; and forbidding any actions injurious to (6) the life, (7) the personal purity, (8) the property, and (9) the reputation of others; as well as (10) all selfish and irregular desires. It is further to be noticed, that though most of these laws specify actions, the ninth refers to words, and the tenth extends to the thoughts and desires of the heart.

The Ten Commandments are summed up and enforced by our Lord (Matt. xxii. 36-40) and in part by St. Paul (Rom. xiii. 9, 10).

2 thy God. The peculiar claims of Jehovah here mentioned are (1) His covenant-relation to His people: “thy God”; (2) His marvellous deliverance of them: “out of Egypt.”

3 before Me. Rather, “besides Me.” Jehovah alone is God; op. 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.

4 likeness. i.e., for worship, as the Egyptians did of the sun, the bull, the crocodile, etc. See Deut. iv. 15-19.

5 visiting the iniquity. This is not spoken of eternal condemnation, but of the temporal consequences of sin; and is to be understood as modified by the repentance of either parents or children. See Ezek. xviii.

6 unto thousands. That is, unto thousands of generations; or, in other words, for ever. See Psa. cxxxvi.

7 in vain. Referring, in the first instance, to profanity and false swearing (lit. “Thou shalt not lift up the name of Jehovah thy God for vanity,” or “for falsehood”), and hence to irreverence in any form.

8. Remember. Implying that the Sabbath was an ancient, though perhaps it had become a neglected and almost forgotten, institution; and the command required constant attention. The variations in the language of this command on the various occasions on which it was given (see ch. xxxi. 13; Lev. xix. 3, 30) indicate that there is no necessary connection between the seventh day and the rest day, and that therefore, quite consistently with the spirit and design of the law, the day of the week might be changed in a new dispensation. The Sabbath among the Jews had ceremonial regulations of temporary duration; but these are clearly distinguishable from the original law, which was regarded and enforced by our Lord.

12 that thy days may be long. See Eph. vi. 2, 3; which, as addressed to Gentiles (ii., iii. 1), shows that this promise (Eph. vi. 2), though primarily made to the Jews, was not limited to them as part of their national covenant, but has an extensive meaning and application.

19 lest we die. The people, overwhelmed with terror at this Divine manifestation, abandon the privilege which God had given to them of direct communion with Himself, and choose in preference the mediatorship of Moses. For particulars see Deut. v., xviii. Cp. Gal. iii. 19, 20.

20. God is come to prove you. By making you to feel your own sinfulness and His majesty, thus inducing a becoming reverence towards Him, and dread of sin.

23. Ye shall not make, etc. These laws disclose a superiority to all the known maxims and practices of the ancient world, and a preparation for the still higher principles of Christianity. In the repetition of the Law at the end of the forty years in the wilderness, some of these laws appear in an enlarged and more spiritual form (see Deuteronomy throughout); whilst in the prophetic writings in subsequent ages, we find a still nearer approximation to the development of morality and holiness in the Gospel. Note the distinction between the moral law, which requires spiritual and perfect obedience, and the punishments and rewards of which God Himself inflicts; and the political law, which had reference to the outward conduct, and the violation of which was punishable by the civil magistrate. The latter, by restrictive enactments, aimed to diminish the frequency and to remedy the mischiefs of existing evil practices, afterwards emphatically condemned in the New Test. See Matt. xix. 8, 9.

25 thy tool. Possibly to prevent the idolatrous sculpture and licentious practices of the Egyptians and other heathen nations being introduced into the worship of Jehovah; op. Josh. viii. 30, 31.