How do you order the 10 Commandments?

[MrPolo]

In Exodus 20, there are some 14 different "do" and "don't do" commands usually in the form of "you shall" or "you shall not".

I'm Catholic and I am curious (this is not a debate, FYI), how as non-demoninational Christians do you group them into 10? Which ones do you merge as 1 and why? Is it done on an individual basis?

Looking forward to reading the answers!

[RenaeN]

Hiya! Not sure that I completely understand the question. Something you said made me very curious.

"...14 different "do" and "don't do" commands..." That confused me but then I went and I looked at the verses and you know what, you are absolutely right. There are more than 10. I get 12, but different versions use different words. (I use NIV.) Thank you for challenging my biblical knowledge. :thumbsup:

The way that I group them together is such as this. It has all of the same subject together. Like this...

1. You shall have no other gods before me.

2. You shall not make yourselves idols or bow down and worship them. (These are two that I group together. They are 2 separate verses in my version, but they deal with the exact same thing of worshiping something OTHER than God.)

3. You shall not misuse the name of God.

4. Remember the Sabbath. (There are in the description of how to keep the Sabbath, some shall nots and shalls, but they all are just describing in greater detail exactly how he wants us to keep the Sabbath, but not additional "Do's".)

5. Honor your father and mother.

6. Shall not murder.

7. Shall not commit adultery.

8. Shall not steal.

9. Shall not give false testimony.

10. Shall not covet.

That is how they are grouped together. Does that help at all?

[HypnoToad]

Yeah, I know it differs by denomination. I'm not sure if there's an "official" order for Non-Denominational.

I was brought up in a Lutheran church and school, so we had:
1. No other Gods
2. Don't take God's name in vain
3. Remember/honor the Sabbath
4. Honor parents
5. Don't kill
6. Don't commit adultery
7. Don't steal
8. Don't bear false witness
9. Don't covet neighbor's house
10. Don't covet neighbor's wife or other belongings

The "no graven images" was included in our #1. I think Catholics typically, if memory serves, have the "images" separate as #2, the others get bumped up one, and then put #9 & #10 together.

[Trevuar25]

There shouldnt be any order, sin is sin

[james415]

I believe I am justified and saved by Christ not by the Law. So I give them no order at all.
Sin reigned in death to my fleshly ways and I have been brought back to life by grace and the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:20-21 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

[arielette]

Since I take the written word of God as the final authority on itself, (except where it has been translated badly) I would take Exodus 20 exactly as it is written.

[RenaeN]

Since I take the written word of God as the final authority on itself, (except where it has been translated badly) I would take Exodus 20 exactly as it is written.

I agree. That is why I took the commandments in the exact order they were written in Exodus. I simply paraphrased, because I was being lazy. ;)

[JolieHeart]

Interesting food for thought, I had not considered a priority ranking or order of importance to the Commandments.

Love one another, and love God.

[Svt4Him]

They are not ranked, they are used to show we are sinners. If you break any one, you break them all. We number them just for clarity.

[MrPolo]

Since I take the written word of God as the final authority on itself, (except where it has been translated badly) I would take Exodus 20 exactly as it is written.

Yes, but the purpose of my question relates to Exodus 34:28 when they are identified as "Ten Commandments." Since there are more than 10 "statements" of do or don't-do, I was wondering how non-Denoms group them down to 10. Some of you gave interesting answers, thank you!

[MrPolo]

I think Catholics typically, if memory serves, have the "images" separate as #2, the others get bumped up one, and then put #9 & #10 together.

Actually, Catholics merge "images" with "no other gods" since that command is decrying the same thing, i.e. worshipping other gods and/or making statues of them to worship.

#9 for Catholics is then "you shall not covet your neighbor's wife"
#10 for Catholics is then "you shall not covet your neighbor's belongings"

These last 2 are separated because one deals with lust and the other greed/envy.

[MrPolo]

Thank you for challenging my biblical knowledge. :thumbsup:


You are welcome!!! I hope the question is something that can bring us all to a closer understanding of God.

[flod logic]

Interesting thread. :thumbsup:

[pdfiddler]

10 .....9......8......7.........6.......5.......4........3........2...........1
Christians in the western world.