3 Surprising Truths About The 10 Commandments

We all know that the Ten Commandments are written on two stone tablets. Many of us picture these tablets as having an equal number of commandments written on them, five commandments on one and five on the other. Most biblical scholars, however, assert an unequal division of the commandments. The first tablet contains only the first four commandments. These commandments pertain to our life before God.

Simply put, if we were to ask, “How do we love God?” the first four commandments give a detailed answer. We have no other Gods besides Yahweh, we do not make nor worship any idols, we do not wield the Lord’s name for our benefit, and we set apart one day as holy to the Lord (Exodus 20:2-11). These commandments call us to live our lives with God. This is why we cannot separate the Ten Commandments from one’s faithful response. Outside of a desire to unite ourselves to the God of our liberation, the Ten Commandments make no sense.

Importantly, the first tablet contains the largest portion of the Ten Commandments.  That is, the first four commandments contain more detailed instructions than the remaining six. Our life before God is of primary concern and importance. We simply cannot forsake our lives with God and believe that we are living as God intends. 

Being the people of God didn’t just address Israel’s religious life. Israel couldn’t just sequester themselves in a cave and engage in spiritual navel-gazing. Responding to God’s liberating grace needed to impact how Israel expressed God’s presence and grace outwards.  Thus, the final six commandments pertain to Israel's treatment of others.  Israel’s devotion to God needed to impact how they lived out their relational lives.  

There is a beautiful truth in the fact that the second tablet begins with the instruction to “Honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12). This highlights the fact that we live out our faith before others begin at home. Our home is the primary sphere of our ministry and our witness. In such a way, responding to God’s liberating love and extending it outwards begins with the people closest to us.

Each of the commandments on the second tablet is rooted in human value, dignity, and worth.  Killing is wrong, not just because it’s bad in and of itself, but because it fundamentally rejects the notion that the other person is created in God’s image. Similarly, by stealing or coveting, we deny another person God-given value and assert that they are but a pawn to be used for our enjoyment or advancement. Breaking the commandments on this table, therefore, denies both the creative and the redemptive act of God in a person’s life.  

This is why Jesus takes the commandment prohibiting killing and says, “Anyone who is angry at a brother or sister is subject to judgment” (Matthew 5:22). Jesus expands on the 10 Commandments. The act of dehumanizing someone, in thought or in action, is an insult to the love of Jesus that surrounds them.  This same principle undergirds all the commandments on the second Tablet.

As Christian people, the Ten Commandments are not merely bland rules we are called to follow. They are a response to the overtures of love that we have received from Christ. The Ten Commandments detail how we are to live a life of love and direct our love toward God and one another.  

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The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada.  He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others.  He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca.  He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.