Home » Forums » Weekly Bible Study

The Ten Commandments

Although I do not regularly post Bible studies, I still hold weekly Bible studies with my family and a few others.

This week we studied the Ten Commandments. You can find the Ten Commandments in complete form in two places in the Bible; Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:4-21. Interestingly enough, depending what "authority" you follow, the division of the commandments is different.

  • Philonic Division -- after Philo, Hellenistic Jewish biblical philosopher (20 B.C.–50 A.D.)
  • Talmudic Division -- after the Talmud, Jewish commentary compiled by multiple rabbis between AD70 and 5th century AD.
  • Augustinian Division -- after Augustinian order in about the 5th century AD.

Roman Catholics and Protestants typically follow the Augustinian Division of the Ten Commandments. (ref)

In our study, we had these "talking points":

1. Who knows all the 10 commandments? (not many people do)
2. Often found in U.S. Court houses, since much of our law system based on commandments
3. Have you ever broken any of the commandments? If so, what should be your punishment?
4. Has anyone EVER kept all the commandments? (see, Mt 19:16-20)
5a. Did God know that no one could actually keep the commandments?
5b. Why does God command something that cannot be done?
5c. How are Christians supposed to keep the commandments? (see, Heb 8:8-13)
5d. Which is the Greatest Commandment? (see, Mt 22:34-40)

See Table below used in our study. Note that several verses may constitute one commandment.

# Exodus 20:1-17 Deuteronomy 5:4-21
1 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
1 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
1 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
1 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
2 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
3 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
3 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
3 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
3 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
4 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
5 13 Thou shalt not kill. 17 Thou shalt not kill.
6 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
7 15 Thou shalt not steal. 19 Neither shalt thou steal.
8 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
9 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, 21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife,
10 thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.
‹ Week 27 - Genesis 18-25