The original Ten Commandments
The original Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a set of ethical and religious precepts considered fundamental in Judaism and Christianity. According to tradition, they were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and are considered the foundation of religious ethics and morals for many believers.
Divine Revelation
According to the biblical narrative in the Book of Exodus, after a period of forty days and forty nights spent by Moses on Mount Sinai, God wrote the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone with his finger.
The Broken Tables and the Second Revelation
However, the Bible does not provide detailed information about what happened to the plates after they were delivered to Moses. According to the biblical account, as Moses came down from the mountain, he found the people of Israel involved in idolatry and disobedience to God’s commandments, so much so that they broke the tables written by the Lord in outrage. After this event, Moses returned to the mountain and, according to the Bible, received another pair of tablets on which the Ten Commandments were rewritten by God.
Content of the Ten Commandments
They include precepts such as worship of one God, prohibition of idolatry, prohibition of blasphemy, Sabbath observance, respect for parents, prohibition of killing, stealing, committing adultery, bearing false witness and coveting what belongs to others. Their importance is such that they are considered pillars of religious and civil morality, with universal applications in ethical principles.
In the Christian tradition
Significance in the Christian Faith
In the Christian tradition, the Ten Commandments are often expounded as an integral part of the Bible and religious doctrine, regarded as a foundation of Christian faith and behavior. For believers, keeping the Ten Commandments represents a way to live according to God’s teachings and to lead a morally upright life. These religious precepts are taught in churches and faith communities as a basis for ethical behavior and to promote values such as respect, honesty, integrity and compassion toward others.
In conclusion
Universality and Relevance
In conclusion, the Ten Commandments provide a fundamental reference point for many believers, offering an ethical and moral framework that influences their conduct and relationship with God and neighbor. Their importance transcends religious and cultural barriers, serving as a universal moral guide for many people around the world.
The original Ten Commandments, according to Jewish and Christian tradition, are as follows:- You shall have no other gods but me.
- You shall not make for yourself an idol or any image of what is up there in the heavens, nor of what is down here on earth, nor of what is in the waters under the earth.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
- Honor the father and mother.
- Do not kill.
- Do not commit adultery.
- Don’t steal.
- Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his slave, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything belonging to thy neighbor.
