Exo. 20: 1 - 17
God spoke all these words (1). Do you believe that? Is it the literal truth, a figure of speech, an outright lie? Does it matter? Which is more important: that we believe that God's physical lips and tongue actually pronounced the Hebrew words (or those of the KJV, even!), or that God's Spirit actually speaks to us through these words (if our hearts and minds are open)?

I the LORD am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage. (2) This is part 1 of the preamble. What purpose does a preamble serve? Recall that of the U.S. Constitution; it lays the groundwork for "the law" that follows. Here, in part 1, we are told who the law-maker is, and on what grounds the law-giver claims to derive the authority to enact "the law".

I the LORD am your God. Perhaps we ought to dwell on that thought a few years. Some Christian teaching and theology has, through its pictures of a tender, loving Jesus(1), made God into a super-friendly, ever-forgiving, easy-going grandfather figure. And because of this, many of us have difficulty accepting, or even deny, the absolute sovereignty, the absolute holiness, the absolute justice of God. As J.B. Phillips pointed out, Your God Is Too Small(2). The truth of the matter is that "I, your God, am the LORD." Think about it.

I... brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage. Christian, have you ever lived in Egypt? Have you ever been enslaved? If not, then these words, and those which follow, do not apply to you, since God could only have brought you out of a place-- a circumstance-- in which you actually were. Think about it. What does servitude mean, relative to your person and life? Where is your "Egypt"? Who, or what, has ever held you in bondage?

I the LORD... brought you out... of bondage. YHWH claims to be sovereign Lord and master over us not because I the LORD am your God, but because I... brought you out... of bondage. God alleges to have accomplished something for us, something which, in all probability, we could not have done for ourselves. So, if we are not initially, wholly and ultimately dependent on God for our life and freedom, then YHWH claims no authority over us, and "the law" which follows is inapplicable to us and may be ignored. On the other hand.... Think about it.

In the preamble, part 2, God states: You shall have no other gods besides Me. (3) Some say that this is the first commandment, but the Tanakh separates it from the commandments that follow and joins it with v.2 in a paragraph apart, comprising the preamble.

"But it is a command!" you argue. True, indeed; but it is not merely a commandment. Rather, it is the whole of "the law" in one sentence. Everything that follows flows out of and is subsidiary to this primary command. This is "the law"; it also stipulates the unique response (of a positive nature) that one who has been brought out of bondage can make. It is called "gratitude". Think about it.

Are there "Ten Commandments"? Yes, but only one command. Now all we need to do is to study what it means to "have a God".

Psa. 19 [7 - 14 (8 - 15, TNK) my choice]

I (and you?) have usually concentrated on the nouns in these verses: "teaching, decrees, precepts, instruction, fear, judgments". This follows, of course, from our concern with the Ten Commandments and "the law". But now I think that my focus may have been misdirected. Look, instead, at the verbs-- the effects-- that result from the nouns' observance: "receiving life, making wise, rejoicing the heart, making the eyes light up". They sound like Good News to me. This is why the Psalmist writes that if

Think about it.

1Cor. 1: 18 - 25

WARNING! BEWARE of this passage, because it is too easy for Christians to become proud thinking they are wise enough to believe, smug since they are among those who are called (24). If anything, these words should demolish our pretentiousness and presumption. For it was not we ourselves who had the "smarts" to believe; our faith was-- and continues to be-- a gift of grace to us. And remember always: the Holy One who calls has the sovereign right to repent of and retract that call.

Christian, you have neither right nor reason to be proud, to feel superior, or to look down on and "pity" the unsaved, for you once were numbered among them. Never, never forget: it was not by your wisdom or merit that you were saved, but rather it was the LORD... your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage.

You do have, however, every right and reason to be humble, to feel contrite, and to look up to YHWH and pray:

John 2: 13 - 22

Don't get me started. Just see for yourselves how Christians have turned the "temple" into a money-making enterprise(3): books, videos, music, WWJD bracelets (e.g.), radio and TV broadcasts, specialty Bibles, etc....

And those engaged in these activities think that they are going to get away with it. Well, if that is your attitude, do not forget that Christ is coming again-- with whips-- in judgment. So, if you are as "wise" as you think you are, perhaps you will realize that you need some re-assessment of your "ministry". This is the purpose of Lent, you know. Have you been brought out, or are you still in bondage?

1. 1 But see the Gospel lesson!

2. 2 Macmillan, 1961.

3. 3 Or, as Jesus called it: "a marketplace" (16).

(comments to Phil at ENAPXH@aol.com )