Tyndale Open Study NotesDeuteronomy 5

This section contains the main part of the covenant document. It explains the stipulations, or required commands. These commands show how Israel was to live as God’s covenant people.

The first part (5:1–11:32) presents the major stipulations. These focus especially on the first two commandments (5:7–10). These commandments teach Israel to worship the Lord alone and to avoid idols.

The rest of the section contains more specific instructions. These minor stipulations explain in detail how the major commandments should guide daily life.

The rest of the covenant laws explain and apply the Ten Commandments (5:6–21). These laws are based on those commandments.

Moses first gave the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel almost 40 years earlier at Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:2–17). Now he reminds the people of these commands before they enter the promised land.

statutes and ordinances: These technical terms describe the specific commands of the covenant. These are the rules Israel was required to obey.

In the covenant, the Lord was the greater partner, and Israel was the lesser partner. Israel showed loyalty to the Lord by obeying these commands.

• The children of sinful parents are not punished for the wrongdoings of their mothers and fathers, but the sins of any generation have consequences that last for generations (see 2 Samuel 12:10).

• Here, the word hate does not mean having bitter or hostile feelings. Instead, it means to turn away from or abandon a relationship.

those who love me: Those who choose to accept the Lord do not hate or reject him.

take the name of the LORD your God in vain: This means to use God’s name in a wrong way. This can mean using God’s name to control or deceive others for personal gain. It can also mean using God’s name carelessly. It may also mean making a promise in God’s name to support something that is not true.

keeping it holy: Certain holy days were special and had great importance. On the Sabbath day, the community stopped working to worship the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 10:25).

This is why: God commanded Israel to observe a day of rest to remember that God stopped creating on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11). In Deuteronomy, the Sabbath also celebrated Israel’s release from slavery in Egypt.

In the Christian tradition, the first day rather than the seventh is generally set apart to observe the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the most important event in Christian history (see study note on Revelation 1:10).

Jesus mentioned these five commands when asked, “What good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?” (Matthew 19:17–19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20).

Honor: Parents represent God's authority, so children must obey and greatly respect them (compare Ephesians 6:1–3).

murder: The Hebrew word can mean either “kill” or “murder.” The law allowed killing in war and as punishment for certain serious crimes. So in this command, the word refers to the planned killing of an innocent person. See Matthew 5:21–22.

adultery: Jesus spoke about adultery in Matthew 5:27–28.

covet: This commandment is different because it addresses a desire, not an action. An evil desire is as offensive to God as an evil deed (see Matthew 5:27–28).

walk in all the ways: This phrase compares life to a journey. God called Israel to live in a way that kept the nation focused on its chosen and equipped purposes.