Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Were there really Ten Commandments?




Though it is a little known fact, the answer is technically, "No". In Exodus 34:12 we are told that God gave Moses a teaching, or instruction of commandments (mitzvot- there were 613 of them!), but that He wrote "ten words" (or, "ten sayings") on the two stone tablets. (The Hebrew word 'dabar' is equivalent to the Greek word 'logos', and is used when talking about the "word of the Lord" as in Genesis 15:1).

My point here, is that when Jesus and His apostles were referring to the Old Testament "commandments", they were referring to the 613 mitzvot, not the "ten words" on the stone. [In all three places that our English Bible mentions the "ten commandments" (Ex 34:28, Deut 4:13, and Deut 10:4), the Ancient Roots Translinear Bible renders the Hebrew text "ten words".

So when 1 John 3:22 says that we are to keep God's commandments, he is not referring to the "ten words". Is he then referring to the 613 Old Testament mitzvot? No, he is referring to the commandments of Christ.


Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
(Mat 28:19-20)

And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
(1Jn 3:23)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

By the way, you can find a listing of the 613 mitzvot at http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm).

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