The 10 Commandments and their Meaning
Every religion in the world is based on a series of texts that establish its beliefs and the rules its followers must follow; these are called the values ​​of the religion. In the case of Catholics and Christians, it is the Bible, and the basic rules they have are the 10 Commandments, also known as the commandments of God's law.
These commandments are also known as the Decalogue, and are very important for Christianity and Judaism, since they are the rules that govern the behavior of people that are necessary to maintain the moral value that exists in both religions. They may vary according to religion but among themselves they maintain the same moral aspects.
But if both religions establish that they were written on stone tablets by the same hand of God, and that they were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. When he lowered them from it, the people must have been waiting for their leader, but he found that they no longer worshiped God or Yahweh, but had built a pagan idol in the form of a calf entirely of gold, and in Moses threw the boards to the ground in a fit of rage and they broke.
Later, Moses repented of his act and asked God for forgiveness, begging him to write the tables again, so they were made again. But do you know what each of these 10 commandments means? Well, here we are going to tell you about each one of them.
You will love God above all things
In Catholicism, a monotheistic religion where only one God is worshipped, God is the principal figure. This commandment indicates that we must love Him and give Him His rightful place of importance, as He is the creator of everything and therefore our main spiritual guide. We must follow His thoughts and His teachings, making this a fundamental principle in worshipping God.
Thou Shalt Not Take God's Name in Vain
This second commandment deals with the way we use the word of God, to commit blasphemies and take oaths that will never be fulfilled. This commandment also tells us that we should not worship other gods, but only the Christian God, and if we use bad words we are not complying with this commandment.
You will sanctify the Holidays
This is the third commandment, but it doesn't refer to celebrating every single holiday, only Christian holidays. It's important to highlight that the holy day of the faith is Saturday, and that church services are required, as it is a day of rest and worship. This commandment reinforces the importance of Christian values, which you can learn more about by exploring the meaning of Christian values.
You will honor your Father and your Mother
This commandment tells us a lot about the unconditional love that we owe to our parents, in following all the orders they give us, since it implies that all people who heed the orders of their parents are not committing sin. It is clear that this commandment should not be fulfilled if the orders of our parents have bad intentions that attempt against God.
You will not kill
This is the fifth commandment and one of the most direct, as it specifically addresses the killing of another person, that is, murder. God's plan is clear: He does not allow the death of any person, regardless of the motive, since God dislikes violence, much less war. This principle relates to the .
Thou shalt not commit impure acts
This commandment addresses the treatment we should give to our bodies, making it clear that we must avoid lust, adultery, and any act that violates morality, and it raises questions about the meaning of sexual relations. This is a commandment that speaks directly to people's actions, and thoughts are not included in this commandment.
Thou shalt not steal
This is also a direct commandment to individuals, as it tells us that all who follow God must never steal, not even if we are poor or facing the possibility of starvation. We must not steal food or any kind of wealth, as it is frowned upon by the Christian community. This is another of the Ten Commandments and its meaning.
You will not give false testimonies or lie
This is a very important issue for Christians, since it is the one that confronts us with lies and denial of it. All lies are included here, even those that are called white lies that are told in order not to cause harm, in no case should one lie.
Thou Shalt Not Allow Impure Thoughts or Desires
Here we no longer talk about actions but about what we are thinking, about the negative and bad things that go through our minds, it is one of the commandments that is more difficult to comply with, since it is not easy to manage the human mind.
You shall not covet other people's property
This is part of the so-called seven deadly sins, and it has to do with greed, we must never want to have our neighbors' things, we must avoid envy in our mind and body, it is one of the most important commandments, since this is capable of breaking the other commandments.
The 10 Commandments in Judaism
In Judaism it is called the Decalogue, it is mentioned twice in the Hebrew Bible: in the book of Exodus and in Deuteronomy. In ancient Hebrew the commandments are called the Asereth ha-D'bharîm, and in Rabbinic Hebrew Asereth ha-Dibroth, and in both terms they are translated as the ten words or matters.
The Decalogue is the meaning given when they were translated into Greek, and it appears in the Septuagint. The stone tablets given to Moses, on the other hand, are known as the Luchot HaBrit, or Tablets of the Covenant.
In the passages of Exodus and Deuteronomy, they can be referred to as the Mitzvot, or divine commandments, found in the Torah or Pentateuch; they appear some 613 times and their meaning is the agreement or pact that God made with the chosen people while they were on their exodus through the desert. They were written in stone and given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Exodus 20:2-17 is considered by the Israelite rabbis to be the most expressive of God's or Yahweh's ordinances for making the covenant.
This religion establishes that God spoke, saying that it was Yahweh, the God who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, where they had been slaves. And it mentions them in the following way:
- I have no other gods before me, I make no likeness of what is in heaven above, or on earth below, or under the waters.
- Do not bow before any image, nor give it honor, since I am Yahveh Your God, I am strong and jealous and I will punish any evil of the parents on the children until the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. And I will also be merciful to thousands with those who love me and keep my commandments.
- Do not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, since those who do so will not be considered innocent.
- They must sanctify the Sabbath day, that's why you will work six days to do all your works, but the seventh day is rest only for Yahveh your God and you should not be for anyone else that day. Since God made the sky, the earth and the sea and everything that lives in them in six days, that is why that day is a day of rest and was sanctified and blessed by God.
- Honor your father and mother so that your days are longer on Earth.
- You won't kill
- You will not be an adulterer
- you will not steal
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor's house, wife, servants, servants, or animals.
If you find this article interesting, we can suggest that you read these others in the following links that are interesting:
Psalm 23 of the Catholic Bible
