The Eighth Commandment and Self-Sufficiency
“You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). This commandment seems pretty straightforward. Don’t take things that aren’t yours, right? Once again, Jesus pushes us to consider the commandment more deeply. In Matthew 15, Jesus condemns the Pharisees’ hypocrisy and challenges their understanding of what defiles a person. He says, “what comes out of the mouth proceeds […]
The Seventh Commandment and Fleeing Temptation
“You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). In G.K. Chesterton’s biography of St. Thomas Aquinas, Chesterton argues that the Middle Ages were necessary for healing the earth. The world had become so corrupt under the failing Roman empire–had been so sexualized by pagan idolatry–that it needed a thousand years of Christianity to wash away the filth. Sounds […]
The Sixth Commandment and Growing in Love
“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). For a Christian school community, this one should be pretty straightforward, right? None of us are psychotic murderers, right? This Commandment is made more poignant by two teachings from Jesus. The first: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever […]
The Fifth Commandment and Modeling Honor
The Fifth Commandment: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). This might be the most “natural” of all the 10 Commandments. Yet, as I once heard someone say, “If it were easy, it wouldn’t have to be […]
The Ninth Commandment and Human Flourishing
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). I often hear this commandment rephrased as “do not lie.” This is part of the commandment, it’s true. But if we reduce the commandment to “do not lie,” we miss out on the heart of the commandment. All of the human-centered commandments (5-10) are […]
