ABC’s Nightline has been running a series on the Ten
Commandments in which they explore the issues and dimensions of each
commandment in contemporary society. Tonight’s commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
The series is interesting and, in many ways, inclusive. After all, the Ten Commandments form
the ethical basis of the world’s three great monotheistic religions. Jews, Christians, and Muslims draw
inspiration from them and, throughout history, developed the insights of the
commandments in theological, moral, social, and legal arenas. They are very important spiritually,
morally, intellectually, and culturally.
But for all their inclusiveness, their interpretation is
often the source of division. It
is one thing to say, “Thou shalt not….” and it is often a completely different
thing to figure out how the “shalt nots” relate to human experience. For, despite the moral idealism of the
commandments, everyone knows that human beings actually do the “shalt nots.”
“Thou shalt not commit adultery” is a good example of the
problem with the commandments.
Martial fidelity is a practical way of honoring and respecting one’s
partner. To be faithful–even when
one might not “feel” like it–is a fundamental way of respecting another human
being by taking into their feelings, emotions, and commitments before simply
acting on one’s personal inclinations.
To stop and think about the effects of one’s actions on a larger
community (in the case of adultery, thinking about a spouse and children) often
inhibits bad choices. That’s a big
part of morality–to reflect on one’s actions in advance and to consider the
communal consequences of behavior.
Moral frameworks–like the Ten Commandments–provide guidelines for such
reflection. And, as such, they
form a vision for what constitutes the good society–a society that honors God
and neighbor.
The problem comes with the obvious fact that human
beings–even reflective and caring ones–don’t always act in a way that honors
God and neighbor. We both
flaunt and break the commandments on a regular basis. So, what does society do with the violators?
Throughout history, religious groups have tried to enforce
the Ten Commandments through legal means.
We might all agree that theft and murder are wrong and that thieves and
murderers should go to prison. But
what about the “lesser” commandments–like adultery? In Jesus’ day, women caught in adultery could be stoned–and
that is still the case in many countries around the world. In early American history, adulterers
could be whipped, jailed, divorced with their permission, or forced (as in The Scarlet Letter) to wear a public
mark of shame.
To point up the problem with adultery is only the
beginning. What of those who
swear, lie, or worship other gods?
Should society make swearing a crime? Idolatry? Being angry at your parents? Where
does this end? In some sort of
Taliban-style legalism where the religion police enforce a literal
interpretation of each of these Ten Commandments? Do we rank the commandments in order of importance? The bad ones get the most
punishment? The minor ones get
overlooked? The Ten
Commandments–for all their moral grandeur–quickly descend into an ethical
quagmire of angels dancing on the head of pins.
The answer is obvious:
Very few people take the Ten Commandments literally. We contextualize them, trying to
discern the origin, intent, and purpose of these commandments in order to
create a way of life that demonstrates the deeper wisdom of these teachings. And we recognize the human disposition
toward breaking them–and, to a greater or lesser degree, we offer forgiveness,
understanding, and reconciliation toward one another in regard to the Ten
Commandments. And religious
communities argue about how much forgiveness, understanding, and reconciliation
is appropriate in any given denomination or tradition.
Taking the Commandments out of context is spiritually and
politically dangerous. To hold up
these ten commandments–in Hebrew they aren’t even called “commandments;”
rather, the Hebrew word is “terms”–to hold up these ten terms of the moral law without reference to the larger intent of
the words leads to legalism, violence, and repression. God intended for the Law to be joyful,
a pathway for a way of life of devotion and respect for one other, a blessing
and not a curse. Indeed, Jesus–a rabbi himself–made this point. When asked what was the most important
of the commandments, he replied:
“Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.”
That is the summary–the intended wisdom–of the Ten
Commandments. The ten terms of the
law should bring us to the basis for a good life: love. Is
it loving to murder, steal, curse, violate our vows, lie, envy or demean
another? That should be the first
question of morality–and it is what the Ten Commandments teach.
posted September 24, 2009 at 4:29 pm
sadly that is not what the 10 commandments teach! The 10 commandments teach salvation. They teach what we will become or what we have become in and through God “coming down.” The 10 commandments are his initiative toward us.
They do not bring us to the basis of a “good life” they bring us to the heart of God. I am the Lord your God. I am Yahweh, who heard the cry of my people and came down to bring salvation. They are not the basis of a good life, rather they are life in and of themselves.
A parent can say to a child “you shall eat your dinner.” What does this mean? Is this statement the basis of good parent child relations? Or is it a statement about the parents character, who they are. Well it depends on context.
If a small child is play acting at a table and the parent turns round and says “you shall eat your dinner” The statement becomes a revelation of a good life. A revelation of table manners. A good way to live.
Now place the statement in a new context. Its Christmas. A mother and child have been shopping all day. The child is tired, hungry and grouchy. The mother comes down to the child and tenderly says “you shall eat tonight.” The statement is not about the child, its not about a good life. The statement is a revelation unto the character of the mother. A loving mother who comes down to meet the needs of her child.
Now lets read the 10 commandments again. They most certainly are not the basis of a good life. That is teaching that leads to death. Rather they are a revelation of a God, who comes down. Yahweh to the rescue. Jesus. A loving God who comes down and says
You have me, Yahweh, my name tells you that you need no one but me
Those other gods, you know, TV, your possessions, your family, other world religions, Barack Obama, conservative family values, whatever is your god, they are not like me. Those gods tell you what a good life looks like, they make promises that they will make your life better – they won’t. I am Yahweh, I have come down to be near you, I am salvation turn to me, Yahweh to the rescue, Jesus, I am the truth, I am the centre salvation comes in me
You know my name, my name upheld, up holds, and will up hold history. You can’t make a good life for yourself. You were created to be held by me in relationship. If you think these commandments make for a good life – you have set them up over my name, my name is all you need. My name is the centre of all things, when you set anything up over my name its death. Only in my name comes life – my name Yahweh to the rescue, Jesus
You can’t redeem your broken relationships with parents, your spouse, the unresolved anger, the lies you tell, how you look enviously at others. But I’ve defeated it. I died on the cross, that’s all you need. You can’t make a good life , that’s the lie of the internet, politicians and those who don’t know me.
The 10 commandments tell us that God came down. They are not the basis of a good life, they are life. They are the gospel.
posted September 24, 2009 at 4:49 pm
The Ten Commandments are the foundation for obedience to God, given to the Hebrew people in the days of Moses.
Fundamental building blocks, upon which God has provided further details on how we are to live contained in the Bible.
The Old Testament covers the creation of the universe, the history of the Hebrew people, poetry and prophecy. The New Testament has the life of Jesus, the history of the early church, letters from Paul and prophecy of things to come.
It is the combination of many books of the Bible which teach us what not to do and more importantly, what we are to do to spend eternity with the holy, righteous, and loving God. The only God.
posted September 24, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I’m always amused this time of year by the Sabbath-smashing sports stars who credit God with their talents & victories.
While it’s tempting to think of the social good that would come about by stoning politicians & tele-dysangelists who take God’s name in vain, it’s puzzling that so many professing Christians have forgotten that the Beatitudes are meant to give the true sense of the Decalogue. It would be meaningless to avoid evils if all we did was to avoid evil; “God intends for us to be more than Not-Murderers” my former parish priest put it in a homily last Easter.
posted September 24, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Thanks Diana, those are essential questions.
It always strikes me how angry the Pharisees were when Jesus told sinners “Your sins are forgiven.”
posted September 25, 2009 at 10:02 am
I know this is going to sound sexist, but I have to ask:
When have men, as a whole, ever been expected to live up to the same standard of adultery as women? Really since the beginning of time, women were expected to hold to the commandment to the point of death for even being accused of adultery. Men on the other hand, nod nod, wink wink, were expected to conduct themselves with discretion while their women just accepted it.
posted September 25, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Humans are born with a sinful nature. It started with Adam and Eve and the great temptation. God gave humans the 10 Commandments because He knew the we had a sinful nature. That we are prone to the lusts of the flesh. He gave us free will to make decisions between right and wrong and He tells us the right way to live in the 10 Commandments and the rest of the Bible.
The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel.
You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes…’”
Numbers 15:37-39.
But people kept sinning. So He sent the flood. He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Then God decided to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so that we may be saved and not go to Hell.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Anyone who does not make the whole-hearted decision to believe that Jesus died for his/her sins, will perish (go to hell).
God knows that we are not perfect, that’s why he sent his son. Believe in Jesus and your sins (no matter how bad) will be forgiven.
posted September 28, 2009 at 4:22 pm
The point of each of the 10 Commandments is love towards God and others. So, of course we must obey them. How can it be loving to steal away with another person’s spouse or goods??? How can one be loving others while stabbing them in the chest? How can one be loving others by slandering them?
Yes, humans are violators against the commands, but God sent Jesus into the world to provide the ability for humans to change their evil ways and cling to loving action—in essence, to become commandment keepers.
posted September 29, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Nice article, Diane, but Jesus has already summed up the whole of the law, including the commandments. Love your neighbor as yourself, and love God with all your heart, mind and soul. Everything else just falls into place after that.