F. Israel’s Positive Responsibility The third commandment can be understood best by examining Israel’s positive responsibilities towards God’s name and reputation. Israel was to be a light to the nations.[1] Just prior to the Decalogue Israel was said to be a kingdom of priests and a people who were specially set apart.[2] Deuteronomy 28:9-10 states, [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Ten Commandments’
29 May
Bearing the Name: An Examination of the Third Commandment – Part 4
D. Bearing a Name: תִשָּׂא אֶת־שֵׁם־יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ The above discussion has highlighted the prominence of names in the Ancient Near Eastern world and in the Bible. The name of the Lord was seen to be connected however, to His reputation and character. But now it must be examined what bearing a name means. The word [...]
28 May
Bearing the Name: An Examination of the Third Commandment – Part 3
C. The Significance of a Name: שֵׁם־יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ Today names are predominantly perfunctory; they create a way to designate an individual, so that society has a method to identify which person is being referred to in speech. While designation of an individual is one of the functions of a name it is not the only [...]
27 May
Bearing the Name: An Examination of the Third Commandment – Part 2
B. The Context of the Third Commandment To adequately study a text of Scripture it is necessary to study the context surrounding it. There are primarily three levels of context which must be examined. First, there is the historical context. This context places the passage within its appropriate cultural, historical and sociological setting. The second [...]
