mh_parser/vol_split/5 - Deuteronomy/Chapter 5.xml

<div2 id="Deu.vi" n="vi" next="Deu.vii" prev="Deu.v" progress="84.04%" title="Chapter V">
<h2 id="Deu.vi-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.vi-p0.2">CHAP. V.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.vi-p1">In this chapter we have the second edition of the
ten commandments. I. The general intent of them; they were in the
nature of a covenant between God and Israel, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.1-Deut.5.5" parsed="|Deut|5|1|5|5" passage="De 5:1-5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. The particular precepts are
repeated (<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.6-Deut.5.21" parsed="|Deut|5|6|5|21" passage="De 5:6-21">ver. 6-21</scripRef>), with
the double delivery of them, both by word and writing, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.22" parsed="|Deut|5|22|0|0" passage="De 5:22">ver. 22</scripRef>. III. The settling of the
correspondence thenceforward between God and Israel, by the
mediation and ministry of Moses. 1. It was Israel's humble petition
that it might be so, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.23-Deut.5.27" parsed="|Deut|5|23|5|27" passage="De 5:23-27">ver.
23-27</scripRef>. 2. It was God's gracious grant that it should be
so, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.28-Deut.5.31" parsed="|Deut|5|28|5|31" passage="De 5:28-31">ver. 28-31</scripRef>. And hence
he infers the obligation they were under to obedience, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.32-Deut.5.33" parsed="|Deut|5|32|5|33" passage="De 5:32,33">ver. 32, 33</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Deu.vi-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5" parsed="|Deut|5|0|0|0" passage="De 5" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Deu.vi-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.1-Deut.5.5" parsed="|Deut|5|1|5|5" passage="De 5:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.5.1-Deut.5.5">
<h4 id="Deu.vi-p1.9">The Decalogue Repeated. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vi-p2">1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto
them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in
your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
  2 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.1">Lord</span> our God made a
covenant with us in Horeb.   3 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.2">Lord</span> made not this covenant with our fathers,
but with us, <i>even</i> us, who <i>are</i> all of us here alive
this day.   4 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.3">Lord</span> talked
with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,
  5 (I stood between the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.4">Lord</span>
and you at that time, to show you the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.5">Lord</span>: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire,
and went not up into the mount;) saying,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p3">Here, 1. Moses summons the assembly. He
<i>called all Israel;</i> not only the elders, but, it is likely,
as many of the people as could come within hearing, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.1" parsed="|Deut|5|1|0|0" passage="De 5:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The greatest of them were
not above God's command, nor the meanest of them below his
cognizance; but they were all bound to do. 2. He demands attention:
"<i>Hear, O Israel;</i> hear and heed, hear and remember, hear,
that you may learn, and keep, and do; else your hearing is to no
purpose." When we hear the word of God we must set ourselves to
learn it, that we may have it ready to us upon all occasions, and
what we have learned we must put in practice, for that is the end
of hearing and learning; not to fill our heads with notions, or our
mouths with talk, but to rectify and direct our affections and
conversations. 3. He refers them to the covenant made with them in
Horeb, as that which they must govern themselves by. See the
wonderful condescension of divine grace in turning the command into
a covenant, that we might be the more strongly bound to obedience
by our own consent and the more encouraged in it by the divine
promise, both which are supposed in the covenant. The promises and
threatenings annexed to some of the precepts, as to the second,
third, and fifth, make them amount to a covenant. Observe, (1.) The
parties to this covenant. God made it, <i>not with our fathers,</i>
not with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; to them God gave the
<i>covenant of circumcision</i> (<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.8" parsed="|Acts|7|8|0|0" passage="Ac 7:8">Acts
vii. 8</scripRef>), but not that of the ten commandments. The light
of divine revelation shone gradually, and the children were made to
know more of God's mind than their fathers had done. "The covenant
was made with us, or our immediate parents that represented us,
before Mount Sinai, and transacted for us." (2.) The publication of
this covenant. God himself did, as it were, read the articles to
them (<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.4" parsed="|Deut|5|4|0|0" passage="De 5:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): He
<i>talked with you face to face; word to word,</i> so the Chaldee.
Not in dark visions, as of old he spoke to the fathers (<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Job.4.12-Job.4.13" parsed="|Job|4|12|4|13" passage="Job 4:12,13">Job iv. 12, 13</scripRef>), but openly and
clearly, and so that all the thousands of Israel might hear and
understand. He spoke to them, and then received the answer they
returned to him: thus was it transacted <i>face to face.</i> (3.)
The mediator of the covenant: <i>Moses stood between God and
them,</i> at the foot of the mount (<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.5" parsed="|Deut|5|5|0|0" passage="De 5:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and carried messages between them
both for the settling of the preliminaries (<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.1-Exod.19.25" parsed="|Exod|19|1|19|25" passage="Ex 19:1-25">Exod. xix.</scripRef>) and for the changing of the
ratifications, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1-Exod.24.8" parsed="|Exod|24|1|24|8" passage="Ex 24:1-8">Exod. xxiv.</scripRef>
Herein Moses was a type of Christ, who <i>stands between God and
man, to show us the word of the Lord,</i> a blessed days-man, that
has laid his hand upon us both, so that we may both hear from God
and speak to him without trembling.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Deu.vi-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.6-Deut.5.22" parsed="|Deut|5|6|5|22" passage="De 5:6-22" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.5.6-Deut.5.22">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vi-p4">6 I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.1">Lord</span> thy God, which brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, from the house of bondage.   7 Thou shalt have none
other gods before me.   8 Thou shalt not make thee <i>any</i>
graven image, <i>or</i> any likeness <i>of any thing</i> that
<i>is</i> in heaven above, or that <i>is</i> in the earth beneath,
or that <i>is</i> in the waters beneath the earth:   9 Thou
shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.2">Lord</span> thy God <i>am</i> a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto
the third and fourth <i>generation</i> of them that hate me,  
10 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep
my commandments.   11 Thou shalt not take the name of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.3">Lord</span> thy God in vain: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.4">Lord</span> will not hold <i>him</i> guiltless
that taketh his name in vain.   12 Keep the sabbath day to
sanctify it, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.5">Lord</span> thy God
hath commanded thee.   13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do
all thy work:   14 But the seventh day <i>is</i> the sabbath
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.6">Lord</span> thy God: <i>in it</i>
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 <i>is</i> within
thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well
as thou.   15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the
land of Egypt, and <i>that</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.7">Lord</span> thy God brought thee out thence through a
mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.8">Lord</span> thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath
day.   16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.9">Lord</span> thy God hath commanded thee; that thy
days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the
land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.10">Lord</span> thy God giveth
thee.   17 Thou shalt not kill.   18 Neither shalt thou
commit adultery.   19 Neither shalt thou steal.   20
Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.  
21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt
thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or
his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any <i>thing</i> that
<i>is</i> thy neighbour's.   22 These words the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.11">Lord</span> spake unto all your assembly in the mount
out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick
darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote
them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p5">Here is the repetition of the ten
commandments, in which observe, 1. Though they had been spoken
before, and written, yet they are again rehearsed; for precept must
be upon precept, and line upon line, and all little enough to keep
the word of God in our minds and to preserve and renew the
impressions of it. We have need to have the same things often
inculcated upon us. See <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.1" parsed="|Phil|3|1|0|0" passage="Php 3:1">Phil. iii.
1</scripRef>. 2. There is some variation here from that record
(<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.20.26" parsed="|Exod|20|1|20|26" passage="Ex 20:1-26">Exod. xx.</scripRef>), as there is
between the Lord's prayer as it is in <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.6.9-Matt.6.13" parsed="|Matt|6|9|6|13" passage="Mt 6:9-13">Matt. vi.</scripRef> and as it is <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.11.2-Luke.11.4" parsed="|Luke|11|2|11|4" passage="Lu 11:2-4">Luke xi.</scripRef> In both it is more necessary that
we tie ourselves to the things than to the words unalterably. 3.
The most considerable variation is in the fourth commandment. In
<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.8-Exod.20.11" parsed="|Exod|20|8|20|11" passage="Ex 20:8-11">Exod. xx.</scripRef> the reason
annexed is taken from the creation of the world; here it is taken
from their deliverance out of Egypt, because that was typical of
our redemption by Jesus Christ, in remembrance of which the
Christian sabbath was to be observed: <i>Remember that thou wast a
servant, and God brought thee out,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.15" parsed="|Deut|5|15|0|0" passage="De 5:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. And Therefore, (1.) "It is fit
that thy servants should be favoured by the sabbath-rest; for thou
knowest the heart of a servant, and how welcome one day's ease will
be after six days' labour." (2.) "It is fit that thy God should be
honoured by the sabbath-work, and the religious services of the
day, in consideration of the great things he has done for thee." In
the resurrection of Christ we were brought into the glorious
liberty of the children of God, <i>with a mighty hand and an
outstretched arm;</i> therefore, by the gospel-edition of the law,
we are directed to observe the first day of the week, in
remembrance of that glorious work of power and grace. 4. It is
added in the fifth commandment, <i>That it may go well with
thee,</i> which addition the apostle quotes, and puts first
(<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.7" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.3" parsed="|Eph|6|3|0|0" passage="Eph 6:3">Eph. vi. 3</scripRef>), <i>that it may
be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long.</i> If there be
instances of some that have been very dutiful to their parents, and
yet have not lived long upon earth, we may reconcile it to the
promise by this explication of it, Whether they live long or no, it
shall go well with them, either in this world or in a better. See
<scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.8" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.8.12" parsed="|Eccl|8|12|0|0" passage="Ec 8:12">Eccl. viii. 12</scripRef>. 5. The last
five commandments are connected or coupled together, which they are
not in Exodus: <i>Neither shalt thou commit adultery, neither shalt
thou steal, &amp;c.,</i> which intimate that God's commands are all
of a piece: the same authority that obliges us to one obliges us to
another; and we must not be partial in the law, but have respect to
all God's commandments, for he that <i>offends in one point is
guilty of all,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.9" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.10-Jas.2.11" parsed="|Jas|2|10|2|11" passage="Jam 2:10,11">Jam. ii. 10,
11</scripRef>. 6. That these commandments were given with a great
deal of awful solemnity, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.22" parsed="|Deut|5|22|0|0" passage="De 5:22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. (1.) They were spoken with <i>a great voice out of
the fire, and thick darkness.</i> That was a dispensation of
terror, designed to make the gospel of grace the more welcome, and
to be a specimen of the terrors of the judgment-day, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.11" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.3-Ps.50.4" parsed="|Ps|50|3|50|4" passage="Ps 50:3,4">Ps. l. 3, 4</scripRef>. (2.) <i>He added no
more.</i> What other laws he gave them were sent by Moses, but no
more were spoken in the same manner that the ten commandments were.
<i>He added no more,</i> therefore we must not add: the law of the
Lord is perfect. (3.) <i>He wrote them in two tables of stone,</i>
that they might be preserved from corruption, and might be
transmitted pure and entire to posterity, for whose use they were
intended, as well as for the present generation. These being the
heads of the covenant, the chest in which the written tables were
deposited was called the <i>ark of the covenant.</i> See <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p5.12" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.19" parsed="|Rev|11|19|0|0" passage="Re 11:19">Rev. xi. 19</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Deu.vi-p5.13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.23-Deut.5.33" parsed="|Deut|5|23|5|33" passage="De 5:23-33" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.5.23-Deut.5.33">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vi-p6">23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice
out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with
fire,) that ye came near unto me, <i>even</i> all the heads of your
tribes, and your elders;   24 And ye said, Behold, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.1">Lord</span> our God hath showed us his glory and
his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the
fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he
liveth.   25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great
fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.2">Lord</span> our God any more, then we shall die.  
26 For who <i>is there of</i> all flesh, that hath heard the voice
of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we
<i>have,</i> and lived?   27 Go thou near, and hear all that
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.3">Lord</span> our God shall say: and
speak thou unto us all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.4">Lord</span>
our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear <i>it,</i> and do
<i>it.</i>   28 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.5">Lord</span>
heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.6">Lord</span> said unto me, I have heard the voice
of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they
have well said all that they have spoken.   29 O that there
were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my
commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with
their children for ever!   30 Go say to them, Get you into
your tents again.   31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me,
and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes,
and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do
<i>them</i> in the land which I give them to possess it.   32
Ye shall observe to do therefore as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.7">Lord</span> your God hath commanded you: ye shall not
turn aside to the right hand or to the left.   33 Ye shall
walk in all the ways which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.8">Lord</span>
your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and <i>that it may
be</i> well with you, and <i>that</i> ye may prolong <i>your</i>
days in the land which ye shall possess.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p7">Here, I. Moses reminds them of the
agreement of both the parties that were now treating, in the
mediation of Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p8">1. Here is the consternation that the
people were put into by that extreme terror with which the law was
given. They owned that they could not bear it any more: "<i>This
great fire will consume us;</i> this dreadful voice will be fatal
to us; we shall certainly die if we hear it any more," <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.25" parsed="|Deut|5|25|0|0" passage="De 5:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. They wondered that they
were not already struck dead with it, and took it for an
extraordinary instance of the divine power and goodness, not only
that they were thus spoken to, but that they were enabled to bear
it. For <i>who ever heard the voice of the living God, as we have,
and lived?</i> God's appearances have always been terrible to man,
ever since the fall: but Christ, having taken away sin, invites us
to come boldly to the throne of grace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p9">2. Their earnest request that God would
henceforth speak to them by Moses, with a promise that they would
hear what he said as from God himself, and do it, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.27" parsed="|Deut|5|27|0|0" passage="De 5:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. It seems by this, (1.)
That they expected to receive further commands from God and were
willing to hear more from him. (2.) That they thought Moses able to
bear those discoveries of the divine glory which they by reason of
guilt were sensible of their inability to stand up under. They
believed him to be a favourite of Heaven, and also one that would
be faithful to them; yet at other times they murmured at him, and
but a little before this were ready to stone him, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" passage="Ex 17:4">Exod. xvii. 4</scripRef>. See how men's
convictions correct their passions. (3.) That now they were in a
good mind, under the strong convictions of the word they heard.
Many have their consciences startled by the law that have them not
purified; fair promises are extorted from them, but no good
principles fixed and rooted in them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p10">3. God's approbation of their request. (1.)
He commends what they said, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.28" parsed="|Deut|5|28|0|0" passage="De 5:28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>. They spoke it to Moses, but God took notice of it;
for there is not a word in our tongue but he knows it. He
acknowledges, <i>They have well said.</i> Their owning the
necessity of a mediator to deal between them and God was well said.
Their desire to receive further directions from God by Moses, and
their promise to observe what directions should be given them, were
well said. And what is well said shall have its praise with God,
and should have with us. What is good, as far as it goes, let it be
commended. (2.) He wishes they were but sincere in it: <i>O that
there were such a heart in them!</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.29" parsed="|Deut|5|29|0|0" passage="De 5:29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. [1.] Such a heart as they should
have, a heart to fear God, and keep his commandments for ever.
Note, The God of heaven is truly and earnestly desirous of the
welfare and salvation of poor sinners. He has given abundant proof
that he is so: he gives us time and space to repent, by his mercies
invites us to repentance, and waits to be gracious; he has sent his
Son to redeem us, published a general offer of pardon and life,
promised his Spirit to those that pray for him, and has said and
sworn that he has no pleasure in the ruin of sinners. [2.] Such a
heart as they now had, or one would think they had. Note, It would
be well with many if there were always such a heart in them as
there seems to be sometimes, when they are under conviction of sin,
or the rebukes of Providence, or when they come to look death in
the face: <i>How gracious will they be when these pangs come upon
them!</i> O that there were always such a heart in them! (3.) He
appoints Moses to be his messenger to them, to receive the law from
his mouth and to communicate it to them, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.31" parsed="|Deut|5|31|0|0" passage="De 5:31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. Here the matter was settled by
consent of both parties that God should hence-forward speak to us
by men like ourselves, by Moses and the prophets, by the apostles
and the evangelists, and, if we believe not these, neither should
we be persuaded though God should speak to us as he did to Israel
at Mount Sinai, or send expresses from heaven or hell.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p11">II. Hence he infers a charge to them to
observe and do all that God had commanded them, <scripRef id="Deu.vi-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.32-Deut.5.33" parsed="|Deut|5|32|5|33" passage="De 5:32,33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>. Seeing God had shown
himself so tender of them, and so willing to consider their frame
and gratify them in what they desired, and withal so ready to make
the best of them,—seeing they themselves had desired to have Moses
for their teacher, who was now teaching them,—and seeing they had
promised so solemnly, and under the influence of so many good
causes and considerations, that they would hear and do, he charges
them to <i>walk in all the ways that God had commanded them,</i>
assuring them that it would be highly for their advantage to do so.
The only way to be happy is to be holy. <i>Say to the righteous, It
shall be well with them.</i></p>
</div></div2>