What Does Exodus 20:1-17 Mean?

Exodus 20:1 Direct teaching

And God spoke all these words, saying:

Exodus 20:2 Direct teaching

I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Exodus 20:14 Direct teaching

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Exodus 20:13 Direct teaching

“You shall not murder.

Exodus 20:15 Direct teaching

Thou shalt not steal.

Exodus 20:7 Direct teaching

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord thy God will not acquit him that takes his name in vain.

Exodus 20:17 Direct teaching

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, 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.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

...use “the law was not made for righteous people.” But the righteous ancestors had the meaning of the Decalogue written in their hearts and souls, meaning they loved the God who created them and did no harm to their neighbor. Therefore, there was no need for them to be warned by prohibitory mandates, because they already possessed the righteousness of the law within themselves. However, when this righteousness and love for God were forgotten and disappeared in Egypt, God, due to His great goodwill towards humanity, needed to reveal Himself through a voice and lead the people powerfully out of Egypt so that humanity might once again become disciples and followers of God. He afflicted the disobedient so they would not disregard their Creator, and He fed them with manna so that they might receive sustenance for their souls, as Moses also says in Deuteronomy: “And fed you with manna, which your ancestors did not know, that you might know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God proceeding out of His mouth does man live.” It commanded love for God and taught fairness towards our neighbor, that we should neither be unjust nor unworthy of God, who prepares people f

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

Now the law is the Decalogue, which the Lord proclaimed to them with an audible voice before the people made that calf which represented the Egyptian Apis. And the law is righteous, and therefore it is called law, because judgments are made from it according to the law of nature. The followers of Simon misuse this, thinking they will not be judged by it and so will escape punishment. This law is good and holy, and it places no compulsion in positive matters. For He says, "If you will make me an altar, you shall make it of earth." He does not say, "Make one," but, "If you will make." He does not impose necessity, but gives permission to their own free choice. For God does not need sacrifices, since by nature He is above all need. But He knew that in former times Abel, beloved by God, and Noah and Abraham, and those who came after them, offered sacrifice to God from a thankful mind, without being required, but moved only by themselves through the law of nature. So now He permitted it to the Hebrews, not commanding it, but allowing it if they wished. And if they offered from a right intention, He showed Himself pleased with their sacrifices. Therefore He says: If you desire to offer,

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

... given in the wilderness to the Israelites after the making of the calf. For the law contains those commandments that were spoken by the Lord God before the people fell into idolatry and made a calf like the Egyptian Apis, that is, the Ten Commandments. But as for those bonds that were laid on them afterward, after they had sinned, do not put them on yourself. For our Savior came for this reason: that He might deliver those who were subject to them from the wrath reserved for them, that He might fulfill the Law and the Prophets, and that He might remove or change those secondary bonds that were added to the rest of the law. That is why He called to us and said, "Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 Therefore, when you have read the Law, which agrees with the Gospel and the Prophets, read also the books of the Kings. Then you may learn which kings were righteous, how God made them prosper, and how the promise of eternal life remained with them from Him. But those kings who went astray from God quickly perished in their apostasy by the righteous judgment of God, and were deprived of His life, inheriting eternal punishment ins

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

and He wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to me.” For this reason [He did so], that they who are willing to follow Him might keep these commandments.

Victorinus, On the Creation of the World Supporting witness

Finally, also, those ten commandments on the tables teach nothing new, but remind them of what had been obliterated — that righteousness in them, which had been put to sleep, might revive again as it were by the afflatus of the law, after the manner of a smothered fire.

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Supporting witness

Of this great and wonderful law, which tends to all righteousness, the ten heads are such as we have already rehearsed.

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Supporting witness

...nd commandment of the Teaching is this: You shall not commit murder. You shall not commit adultery, Exodus 20:13-14. You shall not commit pederasty. You shall not commit fornication. You shall not steal, Exodus 20:15. You shall not practice magic. You shall not practice witchcraft. You shall not murder a child by abortion, nor kill the child that has been conceived. You shall not covet the things of your neighbor, Exodus 20:17. You shall not forswear yourself, Matthew 5:34. You shall not bear false witness, Exodus 20:16. You shall not speak evil. You shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded or double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false or empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You shall not hate any man. But some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

...pt boys. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother." Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5. And so on. These things must be kept, along with whatever else is commanded in reading the Bible. And by Isaiah He commands us: "Wash yourselves, and make yourselves clean. Put away wickedness from your souls before my eyes. Learn to do good. Seek judgment. Rescue the wronged. Judge for the orphan, and justify the widow. And come, and let us reason together," says the Lord. And we will find many examples in other places also. For example, about prayer, Scripture says, "Good works are an acceptable prayer to the Lord." And the manner of prayer is described: "If you see the naked, cover him, and do not overlook those who belong to your own seed. Then your light shall break forth early, and your healing shall spring up quickly; and your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall surround you." What, then, is the fruit of such prayer? "Then you shall call, and God will hear you; while you are still speaking, He will say, 'I am here.'"

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

But let us return to the subject before us. In it, the Savior shortened and explained two commandments from the law: one from the Ten Commandments in Exodus, and the other from Leviticus, or from one of the other books of the Pentateuch. Since we have explained how they set aside the word of God that says, "Honor your father and your mother," by saying, "Whoever says to his father or mother, 'It is a gift, whatever you might have received from me,' you shall not honor your father or your mother," someone may ask whether these words, "He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die," Matthew 15:4, do not seem out of place. For even if the man who dedicates as Corban what should have been given to honor his father and mother does fail to honor them, how does the tradition of the Pharisees set aside the word that says, "He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die"? But perhaps when someone said to his father or his mother, "It is a gift, whatever you might have received from me," Matthew 15:5, he was, in a sense, speaking abusively to his father or mother, as if he were calling his parents sacrilegious for taking from him what had been consecrated as Corban.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness

...l life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." The young man said to him, "Which commandments?" Jesus said to him, "You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not kill. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not do injury. Honor your father and your mother. And, Love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "I have kept all these from my youth. What do I still lack?" Jesus looked intently at him, loved him, and said to him, "If you want to be perfect, you lack one thing: go and sell everything you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And take up your cross, and follow me." But the young man frowned at this word and went away sad, for he was very rich. When Jesus saw his sadness, he looked toward his disciples and said to them, "How hard it is for those who have possessions to enter the kingdom of God!"

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching

And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, Exodus 20:13-14 you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, Exodus 20:15 you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is begotten.

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Supporting witness

You shall not covet the things of your neighbour, Exodus 20:17 you shall not forswear yourself, Matthew 5:34 you shall not bear false witness, Exodus 20:16 you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

Exodus 20:12 and the other was written thus in Leviticus, If a man speak evil of his father or his mother, let him die the death;

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

And what need is there to speak of the prohibitions, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, and others of the same kind?

Aristides, The Apology Supporting witness

...in whom and from whom are all things. There is no other god joined with Him. From Him they received commandments, which they engraved on their minds and keep in hope and expectation of the world to come. Therefore they do not commit adultery or sexual immorality, nor do they bear false witness, nor steal what is held in pledge, nor covet what is not theirs. They honor father and mother, and they show kindness to those near them. And whenever they are judges, they judge fairly. They do not worship idols made in the image of man. And whatever they do not want others to do to them, they do not do to others. They do not eat food consecrated to idols, for they are pure. They calm their oppressors and make them their friends. They do good to their enemies. And their women, O King, are pure as virgins, and their daughters are modest. Their men keep themselves from every unlawful union and from all uncleanness, in hope of the reward to come in the other world. Further, if any of them have bondmen or bondwomen or children, out of love toward them they persuade them to become Christians. And when they have done so, they call them brothers without distinction. They do not worship strange g

Exodus 20:8 Supporting witness

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exodus 20:9 Supporting witness

Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

Exodus 20:9-10 For it says, Six days shall you labour, and do all your work;

Novatian, Connection to Exodus 20:8 Supporting witness

The Sabbath was given to Israel as a sign; but for us, the spiritual Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ, who is our rest.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...red their ways in the wilderness, and gave them all kinds of good things. You gave them the law, or Decalogue, which was spoken by Your voice and written by Your hand. You commanded them to observe the Sabbath, not to give them an excuse for idleness, but an opportunity for godliness, for the knowledge of Your power, and for the forbidding of evils. You set bounds around them, as within a holy circle, for the sake of instruction and for rejoicing on the seventh period. For this reason, one week was appointed, and seven weeks, and the seventh month, and the seventh year, and the cycle of these, the Jubilee, which is the fiftieth year for remission, so that people might have no excuse to claim ignorance. For this reason, He permitted people to rest every Sabbath, so that no one should even be willing to send out one word from his mouth in anger on the day of the Sabbath. For the Sabbath is the cessation of creation, the completion of the world, the inquiry after laws, and the thankful praise of God for the blessings He has given to men. But the Lord's day surpasses all these and shows the Mediator Himself, the Provider, the Lawgiver, the Cause of the resurrection, the First-born o

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background

XX . Now the law is the decalogue, which the Lord promulgated to them with an audible voice, before the people made that calf which represented the Egyptian Apis.

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching

...er the earth. You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them. For I am the Lord your God." Exodus 20:3 And about doing good He said, "Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, and that your days may be long in the land which I, the Lord God, give you." Again, about righteousness: "You shall not commit adultery. You shall not kill. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not covet your neighbor's house, nor his land, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his beast of burden, nor any of his cattle, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor. You shall not deny justice to the poor in his case." Exodus 23:6 "Keep far from every unjust matter. You shall not kill the innocent and righteous. You shall not justify the wicked. And you shall not take a gift, for gifts blind the eyes of those who see and twist righteous words." Of this divine law, then, Moses, who was also God's servant, was made its minister both to all the world, and especially to the Hebrews, who were also called Jews. In ancient times, an Egyptian king had enslaved them. They

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Wisdom 15:15-17 In Exodus also: You shall not make to you an idol, nor the likeness of anything.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Also in Exodus: You shall have none other gods beside me.

Exodus 20:4 Supporting witness

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.

Exodus 20:3 Supporting witness

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Deuteronomy 5:9 Supporting witness

Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor shalt thou serve them; for I am the Lord thy God, a jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation to them that hate me,

Leviticus 19:4 Background

Ye shall not follow idols, and ye shall not make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.