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英文原文
All things being prepared for the solemn promulgation of the divine law, we have, in this chapter, I. The ten commandments, as God himself spoke them upon Mount Sinai (Ex 20:1-17), as remarkable a portion of scripture as any in the Old Testament. II. The impressions made upon the people thereby, Ex 20:18-21. III. Some particular instructions which God gave privately to Moses, to be by him communicated to the people, relating to his worship, Ex 20:22-26, etc.
1-17
The Ten Commandments (1491 BC)
十誡（主前1491年）
¹ 神吩咐這一切的話說：
² 「我是耶和華你的神，曾將你從埃及地為奴之家領出來。
³ 除了我以外，你不可有別的神。
⁴ 不可為自己雕刻偶像，也不可做甚麼形像彷佛上天、下地，和地底下、水中的百物。
⁵ 不可跪拜那些像，也不可事奉它，因為我耶和華你的神是忌邪的神。恨我的，我必追討他的罪，自父及子，直到三四代；
⁶ 愛我、守我誡命的，我必向他們發慈愛，直到千代。
⁷ 不可妄稱耶和華你神的名；因為妄稱耶和華名的，耶和華必不以他為無罪。
⁸ 當記念安息日，守為聖日。
⁹ 六日要勞碌做你一切的工，
¹⁰ 但第七日是向耶和華你神當守的安息日。這一日你和你的兒女、僕婢、牲畜，並你城裏寄居的客旅，無論何工都不可做；
¹¹ 因為六日之內，耶和華造天、地、海，和其中的萬物，第七日便安息，所以耶和華賜福與安息日，定為聖日。
這裏是：一、律法頒布者摩西的序言：神吩咐這一切的話，出20:1。十誡的律法是：1. 神所制定的律法。它們是天地間無限永恆之威嚴所頒布的。而萬王之王的話在哪裏，那裏就必有權能。2. 是祂親口所說的律法。神有許多方法對人子說話（伯33:14）；一次兩次——藉祂的靈、藉良心、藉護理、藉祂的聲音——這一切我們都當留心聽；但祂從未在任何時候、為任何事，像說十誡那樣說過話，因此我們當更加鄭重地聽。這些話不僅是可聽見地說出來的（祂也曾以天上來的聲音承認救贖主，太3:17），更是帶着許多可畏的威嚴。這律法神從前已賜給人（從前藉着本性寫在他心上）；但罪已如此抹煞了那字跡，以致有必要以這種方式重新喚起對它的認識。
二、律法頒布者的序言：我是耶和華你的神，出20:2。其中：1. 神宣告祂制定這律法的權柄：我是耶和華，我所吩咐你的一切都命令你。2. 祂提出自己作頭四條誡命所命定之敬拜的唯一對象。他們在這裏被三股繩子所束縛不得不順服，這繩子想來不易折斷。（1）因為神是耶和華——自存、獨立、永恆，是一切存有和能力之源；因此祂有不容置疑的權利命令我們。賜生命的也可以賜律法；因此祂能在我們順服時扶持我們，能賞賜，也能刑罰我們的不順從。（2）祂曾是他們的神，是與他們立約的神，是因他們自願同意而作他們的神；他們若不肯守祂的誡命，誰還肯呢？祂已藉應許使自己對他們有了義務，因此理當藉誡命使他們對祂有義務。雖然那特殊的選民之約如今已不復存在，然而另有一約，藉此凡受洗歸入祂作他們神的人都與祂發生關係，若不順服祂便是不義、不忠，非常忘恩。（3）祂曾將他們從埃及地領出來；因此他們理當存感恩之心順服祂，因為祂向他們行了這麼大的善事，把他們從痛苦的奴役領入榮耀的自由。他們自己曾親眼見證神為拯救他們所作的大事，不能不看出其中的每一情節都加深了他們的責任。他們如今正享受拯救的福果，又盼望快快在迦南安居；他們能以為那為他們行了這麼多的事，他們為祂作太多麼？再者，藉着救贖，祂得了進一步的權利治理他們；他們的服事欠那位他們的自由所欠的——他們是因買贖而屬祂的。照樣，基督既救我們脫離罪的捆綁，便有權要求我們盡全力事奉祂，路1:74。祂既解開我們的綁索，便把我們約束在順服之中，詩116:16。
三、律法本身。十誡中關乎我們對神之本分的前四條（通常稱為第一塊法版），記在這些經文中。這些理當放在首位，因為人先有當愛的造物主，才會有當愛的鄰舍；公義和憐憫只有在出於敬虔的原則時，才是神所悅納的順服之行。對神不忠的人，不能期望他對弟兄忠實。我們對神的本分一言以蔽之，就是敬拜祂，就是把當歸給祂名的榮耀歸給祂——我們感情在內的敬拜、莊嚴的祈求和聚會在外的敬拜。這被說成是永遠福音的總綱與實質。啟14:7：應當敬拜神。
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第一誡關乎我們敬拜的對象——耶和華，唯獨耶和華（出20:3）：除了我以外，你不可有別的神。埃及人和鄰近各國有許多神，都是他們憑空捏造的，是別神、新神；這條律法因這過犯而被置於首位；耶和華既是以色列的神，他們就當完全歸向祂，不可傾向任何別的——無論是自己發明的還是從鄰國借來的。這是當時世界充滿多神論之時，他們最容易犯的罪，而這罪惟有藉基督的福音才能有效根除。我們如今最容易犯的這誡命之罪，就是把唯獨歸神的榮耀尊貴歸給任何受造之物。驕傲把自我當作神，貪婪把錢財當作神，放縱把肚腹當作神；凡被看重、被愛慕、被懼怕、被事奉、被喜愛、被倚靠過於神的，無論是甚麼，我們實際上就是把它當作神。這禁令包含一條誡命——是全律法的根基——就是我們以耶和華為我們的神，承認祂是神，接受祂為我們的神，以仰慕和謙卑敬畏的心敬拜祂，並完全以祂為我們感情的歸宿。在最後的話除了我以外（在我面前），暗示：（1）我們不能有別的神而不被祂知道。除祂之外沒有不是在祂面前的。拜偶像的人要秘密；但神豈不查出這事麼？（2）這事極其惹祂發怒；這是當着祂的面挑釁祂的罪，祂不能、也不肯忽視或容忍。見詩44:20,21。
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第二誡關乎敬拜的條例，或神所要被敬拜的方式——這理當由祂自己來定規。這裏有：
（1）禁令：這裏禁止我們甚至以偶像敬拜真神，出20:4,5。〔一〕猶太人（至少被擄之後）認為這條誡命禁止他們製造任何形像或圖畫。因此羅馬軍隊軍旗上的形像被稱為他們的可憎之物（太24:15），尤其是被立在聖地之時。誠然，它禁止為神造任何形像（因為我們能將祂比作誰呢？賽40:15,18），或為宗教用途造任何受造物的形像。這被稱為將神的真理變為虛謊（羅1:25），因為偶像是虛謊的師傅；它暗示神有身體，而祂是無限的靈，哈2:18。它也禁止我們在想像中為神造像，以為祂如我們一樣是人。我們的宗教敬拜當受信心的大能管轄，而非受想像的大能管轄。他們不可製造異教徒所敬拜的那樣的形像或圖畫，免得他們也被引誘去敬拜那些像。要保守自己不犯罪的，當遠離犯罪的機會。〔二〕他們不可偶爾跪拜那些像——就是不可對它們表示任何尊敬或尊榮的記號，更不可長久事奉它們——藉獻祭或燒香，或任何別的宗教敬拜的行動。他們向真神獻虔誠時，不可在面前放任何偶像，作為引導、激發或幫助虔誠的工具。敬拜雖然目標在於神，若經過偶像而來，祂也不喜悅。異教徒中最古最好的立法者也禁止在廟宇中設立偶像。這做法曾被羅馬的異教君王努馬所禁；卻被羅馬的教皇——一位基督教主教——所命，在此事上卻是敵基督的。羅馬教會如今使用偶像，顯然違背這條誡命的字句，且無法與之調和，因此他們在一切放入百姓手中的問答書和靈修書中，都把這條誡命略去，把它的理由併入第一條；於是他們稱第三誡為第二，第四為第三，如此類推；只是為補足十條之數，他們把第十條分成兩條。他們這樣犯了兩大惡行，並在其中堅持，不肯受改正：他們從神的話中刪減，又向祂的敬拜中加添。
（2）執行這禁令的理由（出20:5,6）：〔一〕神在敬拜之事上的忌邪：我耶和華你的神是忌邪的神，尤其在這類事上。這表明祂對自己所設立之條例的留意，祂對偶像崇拜和一切假敬拜的恨惡，祂對拜偶像之人的不悅，以及祂對自己敬拜中一切看來像偶像崇拜或導致偶像崇拜之事的憎惡。忌邪是目光敏銳的。偶像崇拜既是屬靈的淫亂——聖經常常如此描繪——神對它的不悅被稱為忌邪實在恰當。神若在此事上忌邪，我們也當如此，唯恐以神所不喜悅的方式——非祂在話中所定的方式——來敬拜神。〔二〕拜偶像者的刑罰。神看他們為恨祂的，雖然他們也許假裝愛祂；祂要追討他的罪，就是說，祂要嚴厲地刑罰它——不僅作為干犯祂律法的罪，更作為對祂威嚴的侮辱、對聖約的破壞、對一切宗教根基的打擊。祂要追討直到三四代，就是說，這既是使教會被革除教籍、被休棄的罪，兒女便要與父母一同被趕出聖約和相交之外，正如起初兒女是與父母一同被收納的。或祂要降下這樣的災禍在一國之中，使全族全然傾覆。拜偶像的人若活到老年，看見三四代的兒女，他們被刀殺、被擄、被奴役，必是他眼中的刺、心中的痛。神若使父母死在罪中，兒女又步其後塵、因從祖宗傳統而維持假敬拜，當度量滿了、神來算賬之時，把祖宗所犯的偶像之罪一併計算在內，這並非不義。雖然祂長久容忍拜偶像的民，卻不永遠容忍，至遲到第四代就要開始追討。兒女是父母所疼愛的；因此為阻止人拜偶像、表明神何等不悅，偶像之罪不僅使家族留下恥辱的記號，更可能在父母死後向那些可憐的兒女施行神的刑罰。〔三〕神向忠實敬拜者所施的恩惠：*向愛我守我誡命的人發慈愛，直到千代。*這表明第二誡雖然字面上只是禁止假敬拜，卻包含了在神所設立的一切條例中敬拜神的誡命。正如第一誡要求愛、渴慕、喜樂、盼望、仰慕在內的敬拜，第二誡便要求禱告、讚美、鄭重聚會在神話語中的外在敬拜。請注意：第一，真正愛神的人必以不斷留心遵守祂的誡命為念，尤其是關乎敬拜的誡命。愛神又守這些誡命的人，必蒙恩典遵守祂其餘的誡命。福音的敬拜對各樣福音的順服必有良好的影響。第二，神為這樣的人預備了慈愛。連他們也需要慈愛，不能自誇功勞；他們要在神那裏尋見慈愛——順服中慈愛的保護，以及慈愛的賞報。第三，這慈愛要延伸到千代，遠超過向恨祂之人所發的烈怒——那只到三四代。如今恩典的江河仍如從前一樣滿溢、自由、清新。
- 第三誡關乎我們敬拜的態度——當以一切可能的敬畏和鄭重而行，出20:7。我們這裏有：
（1）嚴格的禁令：不可妄稱耶和華你神的名。這裏假定，他們既以耶和華為神，就必提到祂的名（因為萬民各人必奉自己神的名而行）；這條誡命給予必要的警戒，不可妄稱祂的名，這警戒至今仍如從前一樣必要。我們妄稱神的名：〔一〕因着假冒為善——口稱神的名，卻不照所稱的而行。凡稱基督之名卻不照那名所要求的離棄不義的，就是妄稱祂的名；他們的敬拜是枉然的（太15:7-9），他們的供物是枉然的（賽1:11,13），他們的宗教是枉然的，雅1:26。〔二〕因着背約；我們若向神許願、以那些善的約束捆綁自己的靈魂，卻不向耶和華還所許的願，我們就是妄稱祂的名（太5:33），這是愚昧，神不喜悅愚昧人（傳5:4），祂也不受人嘲笑，加6:7。〔三〕因着妄誓——以神的名或祂的任何屬性，以起誓的形式提到，卻無正當緣由，或無當有的用心，而是當作口頭禪，毫無目的，或無好目的。〔四〕因着假誓——有人認為這是這誡命字句的主要意思；古時的人如此解釋。不可背誓，太5:33。猶太人所受教導對神當盡的宗教敬仰之一是指著祂的名起誓，申10:20。但他們若召祂為謊言作證，便是侮辱祂而非尊榮祂。〔五〕因着輕率隨便地使用神的名，毫不顧及其可畏的含義。虔誠形式的褻瀆也被禁止，正如起誓形式的褻瀆；神藉以顯明自己的任何事物的褻瀆也在禁止之列——祂的話或祂的任何條例；當這些被當作咒語符咒，或被當作嬉笑戲謔之時，神的名就被妄稱了。
（2）嚴厲的刑罰：耶和華必不以他為無罪；官長雖然刑罰別的罪過，卻也許不認為自己當留意這事，因為它不直接侵害私產或公共治安；但那為自己尊榮忌邪的神，卻不會如此容忍。罪人也許自以為無罪，以為這沒有甚麼害處，以為神絕不會為此向他追討。為防止這種想法，這威脅如此表達：神必不以他為無罪——如他所盼望的那樣；但其中含義更多，就是神必親自成為那些妄稱祂名之人的報應者，他們必發現落在永生神的手中實在可怕。
- 第四誡關乎敬拜的時間。神當每日被事奉尊榮，但七日中的一日當特別分別為聖歸祂尊榮、用以事奉祂。這裏有：
（1）誡命本身（出20:8）：當記念安息日，守為聖日；又（出20:10）：*這一日……無論何工都不可做。*這裏假定安息日在此前已設立；我們讀到神從起初就賜福第七日並定為聖（創2:3），所以這不是新立一條律法，而是復甦一條舊律法。〔一〕他們被告知當宗教性地遵守的是哪一天——第七日，六日勞碌之後；這第七日是從第一個第七日算起，還是從他們出埃及之日算起，或是兩者皆是，不能確定：如今確切的日子已通知他們（出16:23），他們便當從此遵守第七日。〔二〕當怎樣遵守。第一，作為安息之日；他們當日在自己的職業或世俗事務上不作任何工。第二，作為聖日，分別歸聖潔的神，用以從事聖潔的操練。神既賜福與它便使之為聖；他們當鄭重稱頌祂而守之為聖，不可把它用於那使之與別日分別之目的以外的任何用途。〔三〕誰當遵守：你、你的兒女；妻子未被提及，因為她被假定與丈夫為一、與他同在，他若守安息日為聖，便假定她也必與他同守；但其餘家中的人都被指明。兒女和僕人當照其年齡和能力守安息日：在這事上，正如在宗教的其他例子中一樣，家長當留心，不但自己事奉主，他的家也當事奉主——至少若因他的疏忽而沒有，不當歸咎於他，書24:15。連歸化的外人當在這日與別日之間看出分別，這若對他們是一種約束，卻也是神恩典旨意的喜人記號——日後祂要把外邦人帶入教會，使他們分享安息日的益處。參賽56:6,7。神留意我們所作的，尤其是我們在安息日所作的，縱然我們在異鄉作客。〔四〕對這本分的特別提醒：*當記念。*這暗示安息日從前已設立、已被遵守；但在他們在埃及為奴之時，他們失去了計算，或被督工所阻，或因宗教上極大的退化與冷淡而任其衰落，因此需要提醒。請注意，被忽略的本分仍是本分，不因我們的忽略而廢除。這也暗示我們既容易忘記它，又當留意記念它。有人認為這表示我們當為安息日作準備；在它來到之前就當思想，好叫它來到之時，我們能守之為聖、盡其中的本分。
（2）這條誡命的理由。〔一〕六日我們為自己已有足夠的時間，第七日當事奉神；六日我們勞碌已足夠疲倦，第七日強迫我們休息，對我們是恩惠。〔二〕這是神的日子：是向耶和華你神當守的安息日，不但為祂所設立，更為祂所分別。挪用它便是褻瀆；守之為聖乃是當還的債。〔三〕它被設計為創世的記念，因此當為造物主的榮耀而守，作為我們事奉祂的約束，並作為我們信靠那造天地的神的鼓勵。藉着守安息日為聖，猶太人宣告他們敬拜那造世界的神，這樣便與一切敬拜自己所造之神的列國分別出來。〔四〕神在六日工作之後留下了安息的榜樣：祂第七日便安息，在自己裏面得着滿足，因祂手所造的歡喜，為要教導我們在那日以祂為滿足，把祂作為的榮耀歸給祂，詩92:4。安息日始於創造之工的完成，永遠的安息也將終於護理和救贖之工的完成；我們遵守每週的安息日，既是記念前者，也是盼望後者，在兩方面都效法我們所敬拜的那位。〔五〕祂自己賜福與安息日，定為聖日。祂把它分別為自己所用，便尊榮了它：它是歸耶和華為聖、可尊敬的；祂又把福氣賜在其中，鼓勵我們以宗教的敬守期望從祂得着。這是耶和華所定的日子，我們不可盡力去拆毀它。祂既賜福、尊榮、定為聖，我們便不可褻瀆它、輕慢它、把神所賜福而如此尊榮分別的，與平常的時間同列。
¹² 「當孝敬父母，使你的日子在耶和華你神所賜你的地上得以長久。
¹³ 不可殺人。
¹⁴ 不可姦淫。
¹⁵ 不可偷盜。
¹⁶ 不可作假見證陷害人。
¹⁷ 不可貪戀人的房屋；也不可貪戀人的妻子、僕婢、牛驢，並他一切所有的。」
這裏是第二塊法版的律法，通常如此稱呼——十誡的後六條，涵蓋我們對自己和對彼此的本分，構成第二條大誡命——愛人如己——的註解。對神的敬虔既是普世公義不可或缺的一支，對人的公義也是真宗教不可或缺的一支。敬虔和誠實必須並行。
一、第五誡關乎我們對親屬當盡的本分；兒女對父母所當盡的被特別指明：當孝敬父母，其中包括：1. 對他們的人格存應有的敬重，在一切場合以行為向他們表示內心的尊重。敬畏他們（利19:3），恭敬他們，來12:9。與此相反的是譏誚輕看他們，箴30:17。2. 順服他們合法的命令；如此解明（弗6:1-3）：你們作兒女的，要在主裏聽從父母——他們叫你來你就來，打發你去你就去，吩咐你作你就作，禁止你作你就克制；並且作為兒女，當甘心樂意、出於愛心而作。你們雖然說過「我不肯」，後來悔改而順從，也有福了，太21:29。3. 順服他們的責備、教導和管教——不僅善良溫和的，連乖僻的也當順服，是向着神盡良心上的本分。4. 在父母的建議、指導和同意下安排自己的事，不擅自挪用他們的財產，而要蒙他們贊同。5. 凡事盡力使父母得安慰，使他們晚年安樂，需要時供養他們——我們的救主特別把這點視為這條誡命所說的，太15:4-6。這條誡命所附的理由是一個應許：*使你的日子在耶和華你神所賜你的地上得以長久。*祂既在誡命的序言中提到領他們出埃及作為順服的理由，在這裏第二塊法版的開端，祂又提到領他們進迦南作為另一個理由；那佳美之地如今他們在曠野中當常思念、常在眼中。他們到了那地也當記得，他們是在良好的考察中，若行為不好，他們在那地的日子便要縮短——無論是被剪除的個人的日子，還是被遷移的國家的日子。但這裏特別向孝順的兒女應許在那佳美之地得長壽。盡本分於父母的人最有可能享受父母為他們所積蓄留傳的安慰；供養父母的，必發現那位共同的天父也必供養他們。這應許如此解明（弗6:3）：*使你得福，在世長壽。*那些存向神盡良心之本分的心遵守這條和其餘神誡命的人，可確信必得福，在世上活到無限智慧看為好的長度，而他們在世上似乎被剝奪的，要在永生——神所要賜的天上迦南——中豐豐富富地補足。
二、第六誡關乎我們自己和鄰舍的性命（出20:13）：不可殺人；你不可對自己身體或別人的健康、安適和性命行任何有害或損傷之事——只要是不義的。這是自然律之一，且被給挪亞和他兒子的誡命強烈強調，創9:5,6。它不禁止合法的戰爭、必要的自衛、官長處死罪犯，因為這些事有助於保全性命；但它禁止對任何人身懷惡意仇恨（因凡恨弟兄的就是殺人的），以及由此而起的一切個人報復；也禁止一切因突發激怒而起的暴躁之怒，以及激情中所說所作或企圖去作的傷害：我們的救主如此解明這條誡命，太5:22。而最糟的是，它禁止逼迫——埋伏等候流無辜人和世上卓越人之血。
三、第七誡關乎我們自己和鄰舍的貞潔：不可姦淫，出20:14。我們的救主把這條放在第六條之前（可10:19）：不可姦淫，不可殺人；因為我們的貞潔當如性命一樣寶貴，我們當同樣懼怕那污穢身體的，如同懼怕那毀壞身體的。這條誡命禁止一切不潔的行為，以及產生這些行為、與靈魂爭戰的一切肉體情慾，並一切助長激發這些肉體情慾的作為——如為動淫念而觀看，基督告訴我們這也是這條誡命所禁止的，太5:28。
四、第八誡關乎我們自己和鄰舍的財富、產業和財物：不可偷盜，出20:15。神雖然剛剛允許並命定他們以公義的報復擄掠埃及人，卻無意使這成為先例、允許他們這樣彼此擄掠。這條誡命禁止我們因罪的揮霍而搶奪自己所有的，或因罪的吝惜而搶奪自己對其的使用和享受，並禁止我們以挪移古地界、侵犯鄰舍權利、從鄰舍身上、家中或田裏以暴力或暗中奪取其財物、在交易中欺哄、不歸還所借或所拾、扣留正當的債務、租金或工價來搶奪別人，以及（最糟的）在錢幣或稅收上搶奪公眾，或搶奪那分別為宗教事奉之物。
五、第九誡關乎我們自己和鄰舍的好名聲：不可作假見證，出20:16。這條禁止：1. 在任何事上說謊，含糊其辭，以任何方式設計欺騙鄰舍。2. 不公地論斷鄰舍，有損其聲名；以及（包含以上兩者罪責的）3. 作假見證陷害他，把所不知道的事歸在他身上——或經上法庭在誓言下（如此便同時犯了第三誡、第六誡和第八誡，以及本誡），或在法庭之外、日常交談中——誹謗、背後說人、搬弄是非，把所作的錯事誇大變本加厲，以及任何以毀壞鄰舍來抬高自己聲名的方法。
六、第十誡直搗根本：不可貪戀，出20:17。前面的誡命含蓄地禁止一切傷害鄰舍之慾望；這條禁止一切滿足自己的無度慾望。「但願那人的房屋是我的！那人的妻子是我的！那人的產業是我的！」這無疑是對自己境遇不滿、對鄰舍嫉妒的言語——這就是此處主要禁止的罪。當神的恩典使保羅眼中的鱗片脫落之時，他看出這條不可貪戀的律法，禁止了那一切敗壞本性頭生的不規則胃口和慾望——那住在我們裏頭之罪的最初發動，以及我們所犯一切罪的起頭：這就是他所說的，若非這條誡命以大能臨到他的良心、向他顯明了它，他便不知道其惡的那情慾，羅7:7。願神使我們都在這律法的鏡子裏看見自己的面貌，把我們的心置於它的治理之下！
英文原文
The Ten Commandments (1491 BC)
¹ And God spake all these words, saying,
² I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
³ Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
⁴ 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:
⁵ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
⁶ And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
⁷ Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
⁸ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
⁹ Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
¹⁰ But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
¹¹ For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Here is, I. The preface of the law-writer, Moses: God spoke all these words, Ex 20:1. The law of the ten commandments is, 1. A law of God's making. They are enjoined by the infinite eternal Majesty of heaven and earth. And where the word of the King of kings is surely there is power. 2. It is a law of his own speaking. God has many ways of speaking to the children of men (Job 33:14); once, yea twice—by his Spirit, by conscience, by providences, by his voice, all which we ought carefully to attend to; but he never spoke, at any time, upon any occasion, as he spoke the ten commandments, which therefore we ought to hear with the more earnest heed. They were not only spoken audibly (so he owned the Redeemer by a voice from heaven, Mt 3:17), but with a great deal of dreadful pomp. This law God had given to man before (it was written in his heart by nature); but sin had so defaced that writing that it was necessary, in this manner, to revive the knowledge of it.
II. The preface of the Law-maker: I am the Lord thy God, Ex 20:2. Herein, 1. God asserts his own authority to enact this law in general: "I am the Lord who command thee all that follows." 2. He proposes himself as the sole object of that religious worship which is enjoined in the first four of the commandments. They are here bound to obedience by a threefold cord, which, one would think, could not easily be broken. (1.) Because God is the Lord—Jehovah, self-existent, independent, eternal, and the fountain of all being and power; therefore he has an incontestable right to command us. He that gives being may give law; and therefore he is able to bear us out in our obedience, to reward it, and to punish our disobedience. (2.) He was their God, a God in covenant with them, their God by their own consent; and, if they would not keep his commandments, who would? He had laid himself under obligations to them by promise, and therefore might justly lay his obligations on them by precept. Though that covenant of peculiarity is now no more, yet there is another, by virtue of which all that are baptized are taken into relation to him as their God, and are therefore unjust, unfaithful, and very ungrateful, if they obey him not. (3.) He had brought them out of the land of Egypt; therefore they were bound in gratitude to obey him, because he had done them so great a kindness, had brought them out of a grievous slavery into a glorious liberty. They themselves had been eye-witnesses of the great things God had done in order to their deliverance, and could not but have observed that every circumstance of it heightened their obligation. They were now enjoying the blessed fruits of their deliverance, and in expectation of a speedy settlement in Canaan; and could they think any thing too much to do for him that had done so much for them? Nay, by redeeming them, he acquired a further right to rule them; they owed their service to him to whom they owed their freedom, and whose they were by purchase. And thus Christ, having rescued us out of the bondage of sin, is entitled to the best service we can do him, Lu 1:74. Having loosed our bonds, he has bound us to obey him, Ps 116:16.
III. The law itself. The first four of the ten commandments, which concern our duty to God (commonly called the first table), we have in these verses. It was fit that those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love before he had a neighbour to love; and justice and charity are acceptable acts of obedience to God only when they flow from the principles of piety. It cannot be expected that he should be true to his brother who is false to his God. Now our duty to God is, in one word, to worship him, that is, to give to him the glory due to his name, the inward worship of our affections, the outward worship of solemn address and attendance. This is spoken of as the sum and substance of the everlasting gospel. Re 14:7, Worship God.
1. The first commandment concerns the object of our worship, Jehovah, and him only (Ex 20:3): Thou shalt have no other gods before me. The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had many gods, the creatures of their own fancy, strange gods, new gods; this law was prefixed because of that transgression, and, Jehovah being the God of Israel, they must entirely cleave to him, and not be for any other, either of their own invention or borrowed from their neighbours. This was the sin they were most in danger of now that the world was so overspread with polytheism, which yet could not be rooted out effectually but by the gospel of Christ. The sin against this commandment which we are most in danger of is giving the glory and honour to any creature which are due to God only. Pride makes a god of self, covetousness makes a god of money, sensuality makes a god of the belly; whatever is esteemed or loved, feared or served, delighted in or depended on, more than God, that (whatever it is) we do in effect make a god of. This prohibition includes a precept which is the foundation of the whole law, that we take the Lord for our God, acknowledge that he is God, accept him for ours, adore him with admiration and humble reverence, and set our affections entirely upon him. In the last words, before me, it is intimated, (1.) That we cannot have any other God but he will certainly know it. There is none besides him but what is before him. Idolaters covet secresy; but shall not God search this out? (2.) That it is very provoking to him; it is a sin that dares him to his face, which he cannot, which he will not, overlook, nor connive at. See Ps 44:20,21.
2. The second commandment concerns the ordinances of worship, or the way in which God will be worshipped, which it is fit that he himself should have the appointing of. Here is,
(1.) The prohibition: we are here forbidden to worship even the true God by images, Ex 20:4,5. [1.] The Jews (at least after the captivity) thought themselves forbidden by this commandment to make any image or picture whatsoever. Hence the very images which the Roman armies had in their ensigns are called an abomination to them (Mt 24:15), especially when they were set up in the holy place. It is certain that it forbids making any image of God (for to whom can we liken him? Isa 40:15,18), or the image of any creature for a religious use. It is called the changing of the truth of God into a lie (Ro 1:25), for an image is a teacher of lies; it insinuates to us that God has a body, whereas he is an infinite spirit, Hab 2:18. It also forbids us to make images of God in our fancies, as if he were a man as we are. Our religious worship must be governed by the power of faith, not by the power of imagination. They must not make such images or pictures as the heathen worshipped, lest they also should be tempted to worship them. Those who would be kept from sin must keep themselves from the occasions of it. [2.] They must not bow down to them occasionally, that is, show any sign of respect or honour to them, much less serve them constantly, by sacrifice or incense, or any other act of religious worship. When they paid their devotion to the true God, they must not have any image before them, for the directing, exciting, or assisting of their devotion. Though the worship was designed to terminate in God, it would not please him if it came to him through an image. The best and most ancient lawgivers among the heathen forbade the setting up of images in their temples. This practice was forbidden in Rome by Numa, a pagan prince; yet commanded in Rome by the pope, a Christian bishop, but, in this, anti-christian. The use of images in the church of Rome, at this day, is so plainly contrary to the letter of this command, and so impossible to be reconciled to it, that in all their catechisms and books of devotion, which they put into the hands of the people, they leave out this commandment, joining the reason of it to the first; and so the third commandment they call the second, the fourth the third, etc.; only, to make up the number ten, they divide the tenth into two. Thus have they committed two great evils, in which they persist, and from which they hate to be reformed; they take away from God's word, and add to his worship.
(2.) The reasons to enforce this prohibition (Ex 20:5,6), which are, [1.] God's jealousy in the matters of his worship: "I am the Lord Jehovah, and thy God, am a jealous God, especially in things of this nature." This intimates the care he has of his own institutions, his hatred of idolatry and all false worship, his displeasure against idolaters, and that he resents every thing in his worship that looks like, or leads to, idolatry. Jealousy is quicksighted. Idolatry being spiritual adultery, as it is very often represented in scripture, the displeasure of God against it is fitly called jealousy. If God is jealous herein, we should be so, afraid of offering any worship to God otherwise than as he has appointed in his word. [2.] The punishment of idolaters. God looks upon them as haters of him, though they perhaps pretend love to him; he will visit their iniquity, that is, he will very severely punish it, not only as a breach of his law, but as an affront to his majesty, a violation of the covenant, and a blow at the root of all religion. He will visit it upon the children, that is, this being a sin for which churches shall be unchurched and a bill of divorce given them, the children shall be cast out of covenant and communion together with the parents, as with the parents the children were at first taken in. Or he will bring such judgments upon a people as shall be the total ruin of families. If idolaters live to be old, so as to see their children of the third or fourth generation, it shall be the vexation of their eyes, and the breaking of their hearts, to see them fall by the sword, carried captive, and enslaved. Nor is it an unrighteous thing with God (if the parents died in their iniquity, and the children tread in their steps, and keep up false worships, because they received them by tradition from their fathers), when the measure is full, and God comes by his judgments to reckon with them, to bring into the account the idolatries their fathers were guilty of. Though he bear long with an idolatrous people, he will not bear always, but by the fourth generation, at furthest, he will begin to visit. Children are dear to their parents; therefore, to deter men from idolatry, and to show how much God is displeased with it, not only a brand of infamy is by it entailed upon families, but the judgments of God may for it be executed upon the poor children when the parents are dead and gone. [3.] The favour God would show to his faithful worshippers: Keeping mercy for thousands of persons, thousands of generations of those that love me, and keep my commandments. This intimates that the second commandment, though, in the letter of it, it is only a prohibition of false worships, yet includes a precept of worshipping God in all those ordinances which he has instituted. As the first commandment requires the inward worship of love, desire, joy, hope, and admiration, so the second requires the outward worship of prayer and praise, and solemn attendance on God's word. Note, First, Those that truly love God will make it their constant care and endeavour to keep his commandments, particularly those that relate to his worship. Those that love God, and keep those commandments, shall receive grace to keep his other commandments. Gospel worship will have a good influence upon all manner of gospel obedience. Secondly, God has mercy in store for such. Even they need mercy, and cannot plead merit; and mercy they shall find with God, merciful protection in their obedience and a merciful recompence of it. Thirdly, This mercy shall extend to thousands, much further than the wrath threatened to those that hate him, for that reaches but to the third or fourth generation. The streams of mercy run now as full, as free, and as fresh, as ever.
3. The third commandment concerns the manner of our worship, that it be done with all possible reverence and seriousness, Ex 20:7. We have here,
(1.) A strict prohibition: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. It is supposed that, having taken Jehovah for their God, they would make mention of his name (for thus all people will walk every one in the name of his god); this command gives a needful caution not to mention it in vain, and it is still as needful as ever. We take God's name in vain, [1.] By hypocrisy, making a profession of God's name, but not living up to that profession. Those that name the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity, as that name binds them to do, name it in vain; their worship is vain (Mt 15:7-9), their oblations are vain (Isa 1:11,13), their religion is vain, Jam 1:26. [2.] By covenant-breaking; if we make promises to God, binding our souls with those bonds to that which is good, and yet perform not to the Lord our vows, we take his name in vain (Mt 5:33), it is folly, and God has no pleasure in fools (Ec 5:4), nor will he be mocked, Ga 6:7. [3.] By rash swearing, mentioning the name of God, or any of his attributes, in the form of an oath, without any just occasion for it, or due application of mind to it, but as a by-word, to no purpose at all, or to no good purpose. [4.] By false swearing, which, some think, is chiefly intended in the letter of the commandment; so it was expounded by those of old time. Thou shalt not forswear thyself, Mt 5:33. One part of the religious regard the Jews were taught to pay to their God was to swear by his name, De 10:20. But they affronted him, instead of doing him honour, if they called him to be witness to a lie. [5.] By using the name of God lightly and carelessly, and without any regard to its awful significancy. The profanation of the forms of devotion is forbidden, as well as the profanation of the forms of swearing; as also the profanation of any of those things whereby God makes himself known, his word, or any of his institutions; when they are either turned into charms and spells, or into jest and sport, the name of God is taken in vain.
(2.) A severe penalty: The Lord will not hold him guiltless; magistrates, who punish other offences, may not think themselves concerned to take notice of this, because it does not immediately offer injury either to private property or the public peace; but God, who is jealous for his honour, will not thus connive at it. The sinner may perhaps hold himself guiltless, and think there is no harm in it, and that God will never call him to an account for it. To obviate this suggestion, the threatening is thus expressed, God will not hold him guiltless, as he hopes he will; but more is implied, namely, that God will himself be the avenger of those that take his name in vain, and they will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
4. The fourth commandment concerns the time of worship. God is to be served and honoured daily, but one day in seven is to be particularly dedicated to his honour and spent in his service. Here is,
(1.) The command itself (Ex 20:8): Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy; and (Ex 20:10), In it thou shalt do no manner of work. It is taken for granted that the sabbath was instituted before; we read of God's blessing and sanctifying a seventh day from the beginning (Ge 2:3), so that this was not the enacting of a new law, but the reviving of an old law. [1.] They are told what is the day they must religiously observe—a seventh, after six days' labour; whether this was the seventh by computation from the first seventh, or from the day of their coming out of Egypt, or both, is not certain: now the precise day was notified to them (Ex 16:23), and from this they were to observe the seventh. [2.] How it must be observed. First, As a day of rest; they were to do no manner of work on this day in their callings or worldly business. Secondly, As a holy day, set apart to the honour of the holy God, and to be spent in holy exercises. God, by blessing it, had made it holy; they, by solemnly blessing him, must keep it holy, and not alienate it to any other purpose than that for which the difference between it and other days was instituted. [3.] Who must observe it: Thou, and thy son, and thy daughter; the wife is not mentioned, because she is supposed to be one with the husband and present with him, and, if he sanctify the sabbath, it is taken for granted that she will join with him; but the rest of the family are specified. Children and servants must keep the sabbath, according to their age and capacity: in this, as in other instances of religion, it is expected that masters of families should take care, not only to serve the Lord themselves, but that their houses also should serve him, at least that it may not be through their neglect if they do not, Jos 24:15. Even the proselyted strangers must observe a difference between this day and other days, which, if it laid some restraint upon them then, yet proved a happy indication of God's gracious purpose, in process of time, to bring the Gentiles into the church, that they might share in the benefit of sabbaths. Compare Isa 56:6,7. God takes notice of what we do, particularly what we do on sabbath days, though we should be where we are strangers. [4.] A particular memorandum put upon this duty: Remember it. It is intimated that the sabbath was instituted and observed before; but in their bondage in Egypt they had lost their computation, or were restrained by their task-masters, or, through a great degeneracy and indifference in religion, they had let fall the observance of it, and therefore it was requisite they should be reminded of it. Note, Neglected duties remain duties still, notwithstanding our neglect. It also intimates that we are both apt to forget it and concerned to remember it. Some think it denotes the preparation we are to make for the sabbath; we must think of it before it comes, that, when it does come, we may keep it holy, and do the duty of it.
(2.) The reasons of this command. [1.] We have time enough for ourselves in those six days, on the seventh day let us serve God; and time enough to tire ourselves, on the seventh it will be a kindness to us to be obliged to rest. [2.] This is God's day: it is the sabbath of the Lord thy God, not only instituted by him, but consecrated to him. It is sacrilege to alienate it; the sanctification of it is a debt. [3.] It is designed for a memorial of the creation of the world, and therefore to be observed to the glory of the Creator, as an engagement upon ourselves to serve him and an encouragement to us to trust in him who made heaven and earth. By the sanctification of the sabbath, the Jews declared that they worshipped the God that made the world, and so distinguished themselves from all other nations, who worshipped gods which they themselves made. [4.] God has given us an example of rest, after six days' work: he rested the seventh day, took a complacency in himself, and rejoiced in the work of his hand, to teach us, on that day, to take a complacency in him, and to give him the glory of his works, Ps 92:4. The sabbath began in the finishing of the work of creation, so will the everlasting sabbath in the finishing of the work of providence and redemption; and we observe the weekly sabbath in expectation of that, as well as in remembrance of the former, in both conforming ourselves to him we worship. [5.] He has himself blessed the sabbath day and sanctified it. He has put an honour upon it by setting it apart for himself; it is the holy of the Lord and honourable: and he has put blessings into it, which he has encouraged us to expect from him in the religious observance of that day. It is the day which the Lord hath made, let not us do what we can to unmake it. He has blessed, honoured, and sanctified it, let not us profane it, dishonour it, and level that with common time which God's blessing has thus dignified and distinguished.
¹² Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
¹³ Thou shalt not kill.
¹⁴ Thou shalt not commit adultery.
¹⁵ Thou shalt not steal.
¹⁶ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
¹⁷ 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.
We have here the laws of the second table, as they are commonly called, the last six of the ten commandments, comprehending our duty to ourselves and to one another, and constituting a comment upon the second great commandment, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. As religion towards God is an essential branch of universal righteousness, so righteousness towards men is an essential branch of true religion. Godliness and honesty must go together.
I. The fifth commandment concerns the duties we owe to our relations; those of children to their parents are alone specified: Honour thy father and thy mother, which includes, 1. A decent respect to their persons, an inward esteem of them outwardly expressed upon all occasions in our conduct towards them. Fear them (Le 19:3), give them reverence, Heb 12:9. The contrary to this is mocking at them and despising them, Pr 30:17. 2. Obedience to their lawful commands; so it is expounded (Eph 6:1-3): "Children, obey your parents, come when they call you, go where they send you, do what they bid you, refrain from what they forbid you; and this, as children, cheerfully, and from a principle of love." Though you have said, "We will not," yet afterwards repent and obey, Mt 21:29. 3. Submission to their rebukes, instructions, and corrections; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, out of conscience towards God. 4. Disposing of themselves with the advice, direction, and consent, of parents, not alienating their property, but with their approbation. 5. Endeavouring, in every thing, to be the comfort of their parents, and to make their old age easy to them, maintaining them if they stand in need of support, which our Saviour makes to be particularly intended in this commandment, Mt 15:4-6. The reason annexed to this commandment is a promise: That thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Having mentioned, in the preface to the commandments, has bringing them out of Egypt as a reason for their obedience, he here, in the beginning of the second table, mentions his bringing them into Canaan, as another reason; that good land they must have upon their thoughts and in their eye, now that they were in the wilderness. They must also remember, when they came to that land, that they were upon their good behaviour, and that, if they did not conduct themselves well, their days should be shortened in that land, both the days of particular persons who should be cut off from it, and the days of their nation which should be removed out of it. But here a long life in that good land is promised particularly to obedient children. Those that do their duty to their parents are most likely to have the comfort of that which their parents gather for them and leave to them; those that support their parents shall find that God, the common Father, will support them. This promise is expounded (Eph 6:3), That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Those who, in conscience towards God, keep this and the rest of God's commandments, may be sure that it shall be well with them, and that they shall live as long on earth as Infinite Wisdom sees good for them, and that what they may seem to be cut short of on earth shall be abundantly made up in eternal life, the heavenly Canaan which God will give them.
II. The sixth commandment concerns our own and our neighbour's life (Ex 20:13): "Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not do any thing hurtful or injurious to the health, ease, and life, of thy own body, or any other person's unjustly." This is one of the laws of nature, and was strongly enforced by the precepts given to Noah and his sons, Ge 9:5,6. It does not forbid killing in lawful war, or in our own necessary defence, nor the magistrate's putting offenders to death, for those things tend to the preserving of life; but it forbids all malice and hatred to the person of any (for he that hateth his brother is a murderer), and all personal revenge arising therefrom; also all rash anger upon sudden provocations, and hurt said or done, or aimed to be done, in passion: of this our Saviour expounds this commandment, Mt 5:22. And, as that which is worst of all, it forbids persecution, laying wait for the blood of the innocent and excellent ones of the earth.
III. The seventh commandment concerns our own and our neighbour's chastity: Thou shalt not commit adultery, Ex 20:14. This is put before the sixth by our Saviour (Mk 10:19): Do not commit adultery, do not kill; for our chastity should be as dear to us as our lives, and we should be as much afraid of that which defiles the body as of that which destroys it. This commandment forbids all acts of uncleanness, with all those fleshly lusts which produce those acts and war against the soul, and all those practices which cherish and excite those fleshly lusts, as looking, in order to lust, which, Christ tells us, is forbidden in this commandment, Mt 5:28.
IV. The eighth commandment concerns our own and our neighbour's wealth, estate, and goods: Thou shalt not steal, Ex 20:15. Though God had lately allowed and appointed them to spoil the Egyptians in a way of just reprisal, yet he did not intend that it should be drawn into a precedent and that they should be allowed thus to spoil one another. This command forbids us to rob ourselves of what we have by sinful spending, or of the use and comfort of it by sinful sparing, and to rob others by removing the ancient landmarks, invading our neighbour's rights, taking his goods from his person, or house, or field, forcibly or clandestinely, over-reaching in bargains, nor restoring what is borrowed or found, withholding just debts, rents, or wages, and (which is worst of all) to rob the public in the coin or revenue, or that which is dedicated to the service of religion.
V. The ninth commandment concerns our own and our neighbour's good name: Thou shalt not bear false witness, Ex 20:16. This forbids, 1. Speaking falsely in any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our neighbour. 2. Speaking unjustly against our neighbour, to the prejudice of his reputation; and (which involves the guilty of both), 3. Bearing false witness against him, laying to his charge things that he knows not, either judicially, upon oath (by which the third commandment, and the sixth of eighth, as well as this, are broken), or extrajudicially, in common converse, slandering, backbiting, tale-bearing, aggravating what is done amiss and making it worse than it is, and any way endeavouring to raise our own reputation upon the ruin of our neighbour's.
VI. The tenth commandment strikes at the root: Thou shalt not covet, Ex 20:17. The foregoing commands implicitly forbid all desire of doing that which will be an injury to our neighbour; this forbids all inordinate desire of having that which will be a gratification to ourselves. "O that such a man's house were mine! Such a man's wife mine! Such a man's estate mine!" This is certainly the language of discontent at our own lot, and envy at our neighbour's; and these are the sins principally forbidden here. St. Paul, when the grace of God caused the scales to fall from his eyes, perceived that this law, Thou shalt not covet, forbade all those irregular appetites and desires which are the first-born of the corrupt nature, the first risings of the sin that dwelleth in us, and the beginnings of all the sin that is committed by us: this is that lust which, he says, he had not known the evil of, if this commandment, when it came to his conscience in the power of it, had not shown it to him, Ro 7:7. God give us all to see our face in the glass of this law, and to lay our hearts under the government of it!
18-21
Terror with Which the Law Was Given (1491 BC)
頒布律法時的威嚴（主前1491年）
¹⁸ 眾百姓見雷轟、閃電、角聲、山上冒煙，就都發顫，遠遠地站立，
¹⁹ 對摩西說：「求你和我們說話，我們必聽；不要神和我們說話，恐怕我們死亡。」
²⁰ 摩西對百姓說：「不要懼怕；因為神降臨是要試驗你們，叫你們時常敬畏他，不致犯罪。」
²¹ 於是百姓遠遠地站立；摩西就挨近神所在的幽暗之中。
一、頒布律法時異乎尋常的威嚴。從未有甚麼以這樣可畏的氣勢頒布；每一個字都有雷鳴為記，每一句話都有閃電頓挫——無疑比平常更響更亮。律法為何以這樣可怕的方式、這一切可怖的儀式頒布？1. 這是為（一次永遠地）以可感的方式彰顯神榮耀的威嚴，以幫助我們的信心，使我們既知道主的威嚴，便被勸服在祂的敬畏中而行。2. 這是末後審判之威嚴的樣本——那時罪人要因違背這律法而被傳召交帳：那時天使長的號筒要吹響警報，宣告審判官的來臨，有火在祂面前吞噬。3. 這是律法帶入良心的那些知罪之威嚴的預示，為要預備靈魂接受福音的安慰。這樣，律法藉摩西頒布，其方式能使人驚恐、懼怕、自卑，好叫那藉耶穌基督而來的恩典和真理更受歡迎。使徒詳細描述了那時代威嚴的這一事例，作為襯托以彰顯我們作基督徒在 NEW約時代之光、自由和喜樂中的特權，來12:18等。
二、這目前留在百姓心中的印象；他們的心若非實在麻木，不能不被這事感動。1. 他們就都發顫，遠遠地站立，出20:18。神開始說話之前，他們爭先恐後要觀看（出19:21）；如今他們的放肆被有效治癒，被教訓當保持距離。2. 他們懇求不要再如此對他們說話（來12:19），而求神藉摩西對他們說話，出20:19。這樣他們便使自己不得不接受摩西的中保，因為他們自己提名他為在他們與神之間合適的中間人，並應許聽從他如同聽從神的使者；這樣他們也教導我們接受無限智慧所採用的方法——藉着與我們一樣的人對我們說話，其威嚴不使我們害怕，其手也不重壓我們。神曾試過直接對世人說話的方法，結果發現人不能承受；這方法反而使人離開神而非親近神，而如結局所顯明的，雖然它使他們驚恐，卻沒有阻止他們拜偶像——因為此後不久他們就敬拜金牛犢。所以我們當滿足於聖經和傳道事奉所給我們的教訓；因為我們若不信他們，縱然神在雷轟閃電中對我們說話——正如祂在西奈山所作的——我們也不會被說服：這事在那裏已經定了。
三、摩西藉着解明神在威嚴中的旨意而給他們的鼓勵（出20:20）：不要懼怕，就是說：「不要以為雷轟和火焰是要消滅你們」——這正是他們所怕的（出20:19：恐怕我們死亡）；雷轟閃電曾是埃及的災之一，但摩西不要他們以為這是為他們所發，與為埃及人所發的使命相同：不，這是為：1. 試驗他們——試試他們是否喜歡沒有中保而直接與神交往，從而使他們確信神為他們所選擇的何等美好——把摩西放在那職分上。自從亞當在園中聽見神的聲音而逃躲以來，罪人不能直接對神說話、也不能直接聽祂說話。2. 守他們在當盡的本分上，防止他們得罪神。祂鼓勵他們說不要懼怕，卻又告訴他們神如此對他們說話是為叫他們時常敬畏祂。我們不可存着驚恐的心懼怕——那種帶有刑罰的懼怕，那只在一時作用於想像、使我們戰抖、生發奴僕之心、把我們出賣給撒但、使我們與神疏遠的懼怕；但我們卻當時常心中有對神威嚴的敬畏、對祂不悅的恐懼，以及對祂在我們身上主權的順服顧念：這樣的懼怕能激發我們盡本分，使我們在行事上謹慎。這樣當畏懼，不可犯罪，詩4:4。
四、他們藉着摩西的中保與神相交的進展，出20:21。百姓繼續遠遠站立，自覺有罪、害怕神的烈怒，摩西卻挨近神所在的幽暗；他是被帶到近前的——這字如此說：摩西自己不敢冒險進入幽暗，若非神召他、鼓勵他，並（如一些拉比所想）差天使拉他的手領他上去。論到那位大中保也如此說：我要使他就近我（耶30:21），我們也是藉着祂被引到的，弗3:12。
英文原文
Terror with Which the Law Was Given (1491 BC)
¹⁸ And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
¹⁹ And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
²⁰ And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
²¹ And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
I. The extraordinary terror with which the law was given. Never was any thing delivered with such awful pomp; every word was accented, and every sentence paused, with thunder and lightning, much louder and brighter, no doubt, than ordinary. And why was the law given in this dreadful manner, and with all this tremendous ceremony? 1. It was designed (once for all) to give a sensible discovery of the glorious majesty of God, for the assistance of our faith concerning it, that, knowing the terror of the Lord, we may be persuaded to live in his fear. 2. It was a specimen of the terrors of the general judgment, in which sinners will be called to an account for the breach of this law: the archangel's trumpet will then sound an alarm, to give notice of the Judge's coming, and a fire shall devour before him. 3. It was an indication of the terror of those convictions which the law brings into conscience, to prepare the soul for the comforts of the gospel. Thus was the law given by Moses in such a way as might startle, affright, and humble men, that the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ might be the more welcome. The apostle largely describes this instance of the terror of that dispensation, as a foil to set off our privileges, as Christians, in the light, liberty, and joy, of the New-Testament dispensation, Heb 12:18, etc.
II. The impression which this made, for the present, upon the people; they must have had stupid hearts indeed, if this had not affected them. 1. They removed, and stood afar off, Ex 20:18. Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward to gaze (Ex 19:21); but now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to keep their distance. 2. They entreated that the word should not be so spoken to them any more (Heb 12:19), but begged that God would speak to them by Moses, Ex 20:19. Hereby they obliged themselves to acquiesce in the mediation of Moses, they themselves nominating him as a fit person to deal between them and God, and promising to hearken to him as to God's messenger; hereby also they teach us to acquiesce in that method which Infinite Wisdom takes, of speaking to us by men like ourselves, whose terror shall not make us afraid, nor their hand be heavy upon us. Once God tried the expedient of speaking to the children of men immediately, but it was found that they could not bear it; it rather drove men from God than brought them to him, and, as it proved in the issue, though it terrified them, it did not deter them from idolatry, for soon after this they worshipped the golden calf. Let us therefore rest satisfied with the instructions given us by the scriptures and the ministry; for, if we believe not them, neither should we be persuaded though God should speak to us in thunder and lightning, as he did from Mount Sinai: here that matter was determined.
III. The encouragement Moses gave them, by explaining the design of God in his terror (Ex 20:20): Fear not, that is, "Think not that the thunder and fire are designed to consume you," which was the thing they feared (Ex 20:19, lest we die); thunder and lightning constituted one of the plagues of Egypt, but Moses would not have them think they were sent to them on the same errand on which they were sent to the Egyptians: no, they were intended, 1. To prove them, to try how they would like dealing with God immediately, without a mediator, and so to convince them how admirably well God had chosen for them, in putting Moses into that office. Ever since Adam fled, upon hearing God's voice in the garden, sinful man could not bear either to speak to God or hear from him immediately. 2. To keep them to their duty, and prevent their sinning against God. He encourages them, saying, Fear not, and yet tells them that God thus spoke to them, that his fear might be before their face. We must not fear with amazement—with that fear which has torment, which only works upon the fancy for the present, sets us a trembling, genders to bondage, betrays us to Satan, and alienates us from God; but we must always have in our minds a reverence of God's majesty, a dread of his displeasure, and an obedient regard to his sovereign authority over us: this fear will quicken us to our duty and make us circumspect in our walking. Thus stand in awe, and sin not, Ps 4:4.
IV. The progress of their communion with God by the mediation of Moses, Ex 20:21. While the people continued to stand afar off, conscious of guilt and afraid of God's wrath, Moses drew near unto the thick darkness; he was made to draw near, so the word is: Moses, of himself, durst not have ventured into the thick darkness, if God had not called him, and encouraged him, and, as some of the rabbies suppose, sent an angel to take him by the hand, and lead him up. Thus it is said of the great Mediator, I will cause him to draw near (Jer 30:21), and by him it is that we also are introduced, Eph 3:12.
22-26
The Law Concerning Altars (1491 BC)
論壇的律法（主前1491年）
²² 耶和華對摩西說：「你要向以色列人這樣說：『你們自己看見我從天上和你們說話了。
²³ 你們不可做甚麼神像與我相配，不可為自己做金銀的神像。
²⁴ 你要為我築土壇，在上面以牛羊獻為燔祭和平安祭。凡記下我名的地方，我必到那裏賜福給你。
²⁵ 你若為我築一座石壇，不可用鑿成的石頭，因你在上頭一動傢俱，就把壇污穢了。
²⁶ 你上我的壇，不可用臺階，免得露出你的下體來。』」
摩西進了那神所在的幽暗之中，神就在那裏，只在他耳中私下而毫無威嚇地，對他說了自此直到出埃及記二十三章一節末了的一切話；這些話大多是十誡的解釋。他要先口述，其後再筆錄下來，傳與百姓。本段這些律法都是關乎敬拜神的。
I. 這裏禁止他們製造敬拜的偶像（出二十22、23）：你們看見我從天上和你們說話（這是他奇妙的俯就，遠勝過某位大君王親切地與一群可憐的乞丐交談）；如今你們不可做銀的神像。
1. 這裏重申第二條誡命，其原因有二：（1）這表明神賜下此律法時，心中所最顧念的，就是他們格外易陷於偶像崇拜，以及這罪惡尤為可憎。神已賜下十條誡命，卻吩咐摩西特別要向他們強調頭兩條。他們不可忘記其中任何一條，但務必謹記這兩條。又或者，（2）這表明從神對他們說話這事本身可以正當推論出來的意義。神已充分彰顯他住在他們中間，他們不必再造他的形像，彷彿他不在一般。況且他們只見他與他們說話，並沒有看見甚麼形像，所以不能為神造任何像；他只藉聲音向他們顯現，這清楚地表明他們不可造這樣的像，只當藉他的話與他相交，別無他途。
2. 此處暗示反對敬拜偶像的兩個理由：──（1）如此行便是冒犯神，這由你們不可做與我相配的神像一語中暗示。他們雖然聲稱不過將偶像當作神的代表來敬拜，實際上卻是將偶像與神並列，這是神所不能容忍的。（2）如此行便是自害，這由你們不可為自己做神像一語中暗示。你們以為藉此可以助長敬虔，其實只會敗壞它，並欺哄自己。起初他們似乎用金銀製造敬拜的像，以為藉這些貴重金屬可以尊崇神，以其光輝使自己的心受感於神的榮耀；但即使如此，他們將神的真實變為虛謊，結果漸漸被公義地交給強烈的錯謬，竟去敬拜木石之像。
II. 此處指示他們如何建造敬拜的壇：這是指偶爾而建的壇，即他們在曠野中尚未立起會幕之前所築的，以及日後在特別急需時為眼前之用而築的，如基甸所築的（士六24）、瑪挪亞（士十三19）、撒母耳（撒上七17）及其他許多人所築的。我們可以設想，如今以色列百姓既然得著神這樣榮耀的彰顯，必有許多人要在這一陣敬虔的熱切中向神獻祭；而獻祭既必須有壇，便在此吩咐他們：
1. 壇要造得極其樸素，或用土或用未鑿的石頭（出二十24、25）。為免他們受試探去思想雕刻的像，他們連築壇的石頭也不可鑿出形狀，只可將粗糙的石頭原樣堆疊。這條例是在禮儀律設立之前頒布的（禮儀律後來指定了更為貴重的壇），這表明在那律法廢止之後，樸素將被接納為宗教外在事奉的最佳裝飾，福音的敬拜不應以外在的華美與炫耀來舉行。聖潔之美無需粉飾，那些將基督的新婦打扮如妓女的人，對她毫無益處，正如羅馬教會所行的一樣：土壇才是最好的。
2. 壇要造得極其低矮（出二十26），以致他們不可用臺階上去。壇越高越接近天，祭物便越蒙悅納──這是外邦人愚妄的幻想，他們因此選擇高處；與此相反，並為表明神所看重的是心靈的升高而非祭物的升高，他們在此被吩咐要使壇低矮。我們可以設想他們在曠野所築的壇及其他偶爾而建的壇，只是為了一次獻一隻牲畜之用；但所羅門聖殿中的壇，為要同時容納許多祭物，必須造得更長更寬，因此高十肘，使高度與長寬相稱；在那壇上他們確實需要用臺階上去，但無疑那些臺階的設計必能避免此處所說的露出下體的不便。
III. 此處向他們保證，凡照他旨意所獻的敬拜，無論在何處，神都樂意悅納（出二十24）：凡記下我名的地方（即凡有真誠敬拜之處），我必到那裏賜福給你。其後神揀選了一個特定的地方記念他的名：但如今在福音之下那已廢去，人被鼓勵在各處禱告，這應許便完全恢復其全備的意義：無論神的百姓在哪裏奉他的名聚集敬拜他，他必在他們中間，必以他的同在尊榮他們，以他恩典的賞賜報答他們；在那裏他必到他們那裏，賜福給他們，我們為我們莊嚴聚會的榮美，再無所求。
英文原文
The Law Concerning Altars (1491 BC)
²² And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
²³ Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
²⁴ An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
²⁵ And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
²⁶ Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
Moses having gone into the thick darkness, where God was, God there spoke in his hearing only, privately and without terror, all that follows hence to the end of Ex 23:1-32, which is mostly an exposition of the ten commandments; and he was to transmit it by word of mouth first, and afterwards in writing, to the people. The laws in these verses related to God's worship.
I. They are here forbidden to make images for worship (Ex 20:22,23): You have seen that I have talked with you from heaven (such was his wonderful condescension, much more than for some mighty prince to talk familiarly with a company of poor beggars); now you shall not make gods of silver.
1. This repetition of the second commandment comes in here, either (1.) As pointing to that which God had chiefly in view in giving them this law in this manner, that is, their peculiar addictedness to idolatry, and the peculiar sinfulness of that crime. Ten commandments God had given them, but Moses is ordered to inculcate upon them especially the first two. They must not forget any of them, but they must be sure to remember those. Or, (2.) As pointing to that which might properly be inferred from God's speaking to them as he had done. He had given them sufficient demonstration of his presence among them; they needed not to make images of him, as if he were absent. Besides, they had only seen that he talked with them; they had seen no manner of similitude, so that they could not make any image of God; and his manifesting himself to them only by a voice plainly showed them that they must not make any such image, but keep up their communion with God by his word, and not otherwise.
2. Two arguments are here hinted against image-worship:—(1.) That thereby they would affront God, intimated in that, You shall not make with me gods. Though they pretended to worship them but as representations of God, yet really they made them rivals with God, which he would not endure. (2.) That thereby they would abuse themselves, intimated in that, "You shall not make unto you gods; while you think by them to assist your devotion, you will really corrupt it, and put a cheat upon yourselves." At first, it should seem, they made their images for worship of gold and silver, pretending, by the richness of those metals, to honour God, and, by the brightness of them, to affect themselves with his glory; but, even in these, they changed the truth of God into a lie, and so, by degrees, were justly given up to such strong delusions as to worship images of wood or stone.
II. They are here directed in making altars for worship: it is meant of occasional altars, such as they reared now in the wilderness, before the tabernacle was erected, and afterwards upon special emergencies, for present use, such as Gideon built (Jdg 6:24), Manoah (Jdg 13:19), Samuel (1Sa 7:17), and many others. We may suppose, now that the people of Israel were, with this glorious discovery which God had made of himself to them, that many of them would incline, in this pang of devotion, to offer sacrifice to God; and, it being necessary to a sacrifice that there be an alter, they are here appointed,
1. To make their altars very plain, either of earth or of unhewn stone, Ex 20:24,25. That they might not be tempted to think of a graven image, they must not so much as hew into shape the stones that they made their altars of, but pile them up as they were, in the rough. This rule being prescribed before the establishment of the ceremonial law, which appointed altars much more costly, intimates that, after the period of that law, plainness should be accepted as the best ornament of the external services of religion, and that gospel-worship should not be performed with external pomp and gaiety. The beauty of holiness needs no paint, nor do those do any service to the spouse of Christ that dress her in the attire of a harlot, as the church of Rome does: an altar of earth does best.
2. To make their altars very low (Ex 20:26), so that they might not go up by steps to them. That the higher the altar was, and the nearer heaven, the more acceptable the sacrifice was, was a foolish fancy of the heathen, who therefore chose high places; in opposition to this, and to show that it is the elevation of the heart, not of the sacrifice, that God looks at, they were here ordered to make their altars low. We may suppose that the altars they reared in the wilderness, and other occasional altars, were designed only for the sacrifice of one beast at a time; but the altar in Solomon's temple, which was to be made much longer and broader, that it might contain many sacrifices at once, was made ten cubits high, that the height might bear a decent proportion to the length and breadth; and to that it was requisite they should go up by steps, which yet, no doubt, were so contrived as to prevent the inconvenience here spoken of, the discovering of their nakedness thereon.
III. They are here assured of God's gracious acceptance of their devotions, wherever they were paid according to his will (Ex 20:24): In all places where I record my name, or where my name is recorded (that is, where I am worshipped in sincerity), I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. Afterwards, God chose one particular place wherein to record his name: but that being taken away now under the gospel, when men are encouraged to pray everywhere, this promise revives in its full extent, that, wherever God's people meet in his name to worship him, he will be in the midst of them, he will honour them with his presence, and reward them with the gifts of his grace; there he will come unto them, and will bless them, and more than this we need not desire for the beautifying of our solemn assemblies.
一切都為神聖律法的莊嚴頒布預備妥當之後，本章記述：一、十條誡命，是神自己在西奈山上親口說的（出 20:1-17），這是舊約中最為特別的經文之一。二、這話在百姓心中留下的印象，出 20:18-21。三、神私下賜給摩西的一些特別指示，要他轉達百姓，關乎神的敬拜，出 20:22-26 等。