Notes from Sunday, January 13:
The Hebrews, freed from Egypt, journey to Mt. Sinai, a desolate, wild place where God calls Moses to the heights to give a Law to the people. Moses is gone on the mountain, swallowed in the theophanic cloud, for 40 days and nights. In his absence the people, restless and worried, take matters into their own hands and fashion a golden calf and begin to worship it. When Moses descends from the mountain and sees the sin of the people, he smashes the stones in anger. Later God provides a second set containing "The Ten Words", perhaps a symbolic or abbreviated version of the text we find in Exodus chapter 20.
The numbering of the Ten Commandments is seen differently by different folk. Our Protestant Bible presents four that pertain to Israel's relationship with God (No other Gods, no idols, do not take the name of the Lord in vain, keep the Sabbath) and six which pertain to human relationships (honor father and mother, don't murder, don't commit adultery, do not steal, do not lie (bear false witness), do not covet anything belonging to your neighbor. In another view, #5 regarding parents is listed on the same tablet as 1-4, implying that honoring mother and father is equivalent to honoring God.
Jesus summed up the requirements of law and relationships by quoting and expanding upon Deuteronomy 6:5: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength; and your neighbor as yourself.
Notes from Pastor Dan
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