The Story and the History of Exodus - Part 8: Moses, the Mountain, and the "Ten Commandments"

1. PRAYER
God of our longing, remember those who wait and hope for
peace. Hear our prayer, and our lament, for our siblings in
faith, and for all who call the Holy Land home.
Make common among humanity a will to forgive,
to reconcile, and to make a just peace for all.
Open our ears, eyes, and hearts, and make a way
toward justice in our war-torn world. Be a sure support
for those who work towards these ends, and make us
all steadfast in the cause of peace. Amen.

3. What happens here?
Getting to Sinai to receive
the “Ten Commandments” is one
of the main goals of the exodus –
the other being the construction
of the tabernacle. The Israelites need
to learn what it means to be God’s
obedient people before they can enter
their new homeland…and
(Canaanites…have very different ideas
about gods and worship.)

4. (There is a) common misunderstand-
ing that the Israelites were “saved by
works” – I.e., that they had
to obey the Law in order for God
to accept them. This is nonsense …
God never says, “OK, I’ll be your
God IIIIIIF you do x and y.” Rather, God
said, “I am your God, and you are my
people.” First God saves… then God
gives laws (so Israelites
know how to live in response!)

5. 1. Covenant Code Ex 21:1-23:19
2. Deuteronomic Code Deut 12-26
3. Holiness Code Lev 17-26
4. Priestly Code Scattered in Ex, Lev, Num
5. Decalogue Ex 20, 34; Deut 4, 5, 10
VARIOUS LEGAL CODES

7. The Ten devarim can mean words,
statements, or things. The term
decalogue was introduced in the 2nd
century. “Commandments” didn’t
enter into Biblical translation until
1560, despite translators
and scribes noting this wasn’t
the literal meaning of devarim
(“words” is most literal.)
Jed
Wywrick
Marc
Zvi
Brettler
A BRIEF SUMMARY…

8. • The list in question actually appears
first in Ex 34, w/ten
laws listed in vv.10-26 An older list
• Hosea and Jeremiah have similar lists
as the Torah, but all three sections
have different orders
• Likely each tablet has all 10 Treaties
ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS…
PROFESSOR
MARK ZVI
BRETTLER

9. An ANE covenant agreement between
superior/lesser powers:
1. The identity of the suzerain
2. History of the relationship
3. Obligations of the vassal
4. Copies of treaty in the temple
5. Divine witnesses to the treaty
6. Series of blessings/curses
if treaty is obeyed/disobeyed
SUZERAIN VASSAL TREATY

11. TEXAS SENATE BILL 1515
A public elementary or secondary school
shall display in a conspicuous place in
each classroom of the school
a durable poster or framed copy
of the Ten Commandments.

12. 1. Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5
differ, so which list is “official”?
2. Jewish tradition sees 14
“commandments”, not 10
3. Reformed and Anglican traditions
have different numbering systems
than Catholic/Lutherans…
PUBLIC SCHOOLS…?!
Jed
Wywrick
Marc
Zvi
Brettler

13. The Eagles’ text is an inconsistently
shortened rendition of the KJV with
a mere nod to Catholic and Lutheran
tradition and perhaps a quarter-nod to
Judaism. Its arbitrary abridgment
of four commands and its preference
for Exodus (over) Deuteronomy
underscore it cannot legitimately be
considered The Ten Commandments by
any historically informed reader.
PROFESSOR
MARK ZVI
BRETTLER

14. The Eagles’ translation was incorrect
seventy years ago 1950s (when it was
developed), and its archaic English and
predominant use of the KJB—which
enfranchises one particular religious
community (over all others)
—is even less appropriate now.
PROFESSOR
MARK ZVI
BRETTLER

15. EXODUS 20:1-3
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the LORD your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of slavery;*
you shall have no other gods* before me.

16. EXODUS 20:4-6
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether
in the form of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the
water under the earth. You shall not bow down
to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God
am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity
of parents, to the 3rd and 4th generation
of those who reject me, but showing steadfast
love to the thousandth generation of those
who love me and keep my commandments.

17. EZEKIEL 18:19-20
Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer
for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son
has done what is lawful and right, and has
been careful to observe all my statutes,
he shall surely live. The person who sins shall die.
A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent,
nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child;
the righteousness of the righteous shall be
his own, and the wickedness of the wicked
shall be his own.

18. EXODUS 20:7-10
You shall not make wrongful use of the name
of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not
acquit anyone who misuses his name.*

21. SPEAKER
MIKE JOHNSON
“I believe that scripture, the Bible
is very clear: that God is the one that
raises up those in authority… And I
believe that God has ordained and
allowed each
one of us to be brought here
for this specific moment.”
NOTE: Ironically, he also advocated
the overthrow the 2020 election…?!

22. EXODUS 20:7-10
You shall not make wrongful use of the name
of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not
acquit anyone who misuses his name.*
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.
For six days you shall labor and do all your
work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to
the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—
you, your son or your daughter, your male
or female slave, your livestock, or the alien
resident in your towns.

23. EXODUS 20:11
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them, but rested
the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed
the sabbath day and consecrated it.
DEUTERONOMY 5:11
Remember that you were a slave in the land
of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you
out from there…therefore the Lord your God
commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

24. EXODUS 20:12-17
Honor your father and your mother,*
so that your days may be long in the land
that the LORD your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.* You shall not commit
adultery.* You shall not steal. You shall not bear
false witness against your neighbor.* 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.*

25. 1. God SEES / KNOWS / LOVES
2. God says “I will be WITH you.”
3. Jesus sets our VISION of God;
the TEXT gets to speak for itself
4. God works ALL things towards the
RESTORATION of creation
MAJOR THEMES

26. 5. What GOD did for ISRAEL
at the PASSOVER, God did
for ALL in the death, burial,
and resurrection of JESUS
6. God is GRACIOUS and
ACCOMMODATING with EVERYONE as
they read/tell/
hear/write the STORY, and that
INCLUDES you
MAJOR THEMES

27. 7. The DIVERSITY of perspectives
in scripture should be EMBRACED, not
AVOIDED or EXPLAINED
away out of FEAR
8. BEING came first, THEN doing;
GRACE first, THEN law;
RESCUE first, THEN responsibility;
INVITATION, THEN challenge;
This IS, and HAS been, God’s way.
MAJOR THEMES

28. We were made by Love
We were made in Love
We were made for Love
We were made with love
We were made to love
We were made to be loved
Love is our native language
Teach us, Lord
To speak it fluently
Amen.