Are the Ten Commandments listed in order of importance ?

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Bugmaster
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Are the Ten Commandments listed in order of importance ?

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Post by Bugmaster »

This thread regarding the severity of sin has prompted me to ask:

Are the Ten Commandments listed in order of importance ? For example, is idol worship a more severe sin than murder ?

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Re: Are the Ten Commandments listed in order of importance ?

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I am not a Bible scholar, so, just using common sense, I'd answer "yes". In most formal communication, the important bullet points are usually listed first.

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Post #3

Post by micatala »

I suppose there is some sense in that.

However, it seems to me they are listed more in order of 'foundational' to 'consequent.' The most foundational aspect for the faith of the Israelites was to acknowledge Yahweh as God. As God, Yahweh is the source of all the other commandments. I suppose you could say this means the first two commandments are the most important.

Perhaps we should define 'important.'

I could see a couple possiblilities.

The more important commandment is the one which is more essential to have followed, or perhaps the one with the severest punishment!

Maybe the more important commandment to follow is the one that would cause the widest deleterious effects if not followed. One could argue that the first two are the most important under this criteria, because if they are not followed, the others are not likely to be followed either.

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Post #4

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micatala wrote:As God, Yahweh is the source of all the other commandments.
That's true, but he's not the only source of such commandments. Lots of religions had a prohibition against murder, for example (or, at least, against murder of your own people; killing other tribes, such as Caanites, is fine and dandy).
Maybe the more important commandment to follow is the one that would cause the widest deleterious effects if not followed. One could argue that the first two are the most important under this criteria, because if they are not followed, the others are not likely to be followed either.
That's possible (though I have my doubts about #1, as I'd mentioned above). So, it seems that you agree with me, and that the ten commandments are listed in order of importance. Thus, idol worship is the worst sin of all, followed closely by taking God's name in vain. Murder is average, and coveting stuff is the least important commandment of all.

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Post #5

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Are the Ten Commandments listed in order of importance ? For example, is idol worship a more severe sin than murder ?
Jesus addresses the issue of the greatest commandments, and tell us it love (brotherly, not erotic) which is most important issue for mankind:
[Matt 22] Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

[Mark 12] And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

[John 13] Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Although at least once he seems to say for each individual, the most important commandment is the one we fail to observe. One of the differences between Judaism and Christianity is the “personal relationship” Christianity offers. Part and parcel of this means many questions and answers are to be taken on a personal level. Although it is possible for Jesus to say that on two commandments hang all of the law, he also says if there is one you do not observe, that becomes the most important one for you.

[Luke 18] And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

As to what each commandment actually means. . . .

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Post #6

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So, it seems that the two most important commandments are,

1). Jesus/YHVH is your God, don't worship anyone else, and
2). Love thy neighbour.

The first commandment is, once again, reinforced. However, commandment 2 isn't even on the original list (the Ten Commandments, that is). What about the rest of them ? Which is worse, adultery or murder (just for example) ?

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Post #7

Post by BeHereNow »

bugmaster What about the rest of them ? Which is worse, adultery or murder (just for example) ?
It seems to me transgressions/sins come from the motivation.
It is not the actual actions which offend. If we watch a silent video clip, we might not know if an act is sinful unless we know why the act is committed.
“Thou shalt not kill”, …except…, …unless…
The actual act of taking a human life is generally considered acceptable, depending on the motivation. Most people make a distinction between "killing" and "murder". This difference is not concerned with the weapon or method, it is the motivation which seperates.
If it is to honor or serve god, defend your own life, or as just punishment for a crime, it seems to be acceptable to most Christians. It is not the act of taking a life which is wrong, it is the motivation.

I don’t think there is, or needs to be, a general hierarchy that applies to all Christians. Hierarchies are useful when we have choices to make. With the commandments there are no “choices” to do or not do this or that. All are to be obeyed equally.

Even comparing one Christian against another (he is a murderer and fornicator, she is a fornicator and murderer), her greater sin might be murder, his might be fornication. That is part of having a personal relationship with the lawgiver. Actions and motivations become relative, to the relationship.
I believe the teachings of Jesus are that two particular admonitions are important because they are hinge points. Without them, the others will not follow. So if you want to know if you are following all, look at these two first. If you are not following them, undoubtedly you are not following the others.

I do believe that indulgencies of the pre-reformation were priced according to the transgression.
Thus the “church”, did, at one time, have a hierarchy established, but I don’t believe it was biblical in orgin.

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Post #8

Post by epaphras_faith »

Bugmaster wrote:So, it seems that the two most important commandments are,

1). Jesus/YHVH is your God, don't worship anyone else, and
2). Love thy neighbour.

The first commandment is, once again, reinforced. However, commandment 2 isn't even on the original list (the Ten Commandments, that is). What about the rest of them ? Which is worse, adultery or murder (just for example) ?
Actually, the context of Jesus statements makes it clear that all of the commandment in addition to the ordinances given to Moses are summed up in these two. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your strength and all your soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. The word love here is not the brotherly love (philadelphia) but rather agape which is unconditional love.

The remainder of the context shows that the second (love your neighbor) comes fromt the first. Jesus changed the way people looked at The Law and Prophets. He made people see the principle instead of the rule. If you love God and your neighbor then you will not lie, steal, murder etc and you will honer your mother and father etc. Doing the law does not make you love God. Instead loving God will make you do the law. It is the best work ever.

My favorite analogy is my wedding anniversary. Imagine my wife's face when I come home with flowers, candy and plane tickets to the bahamas and hand them to her and state "Since I am married to you I am obligated to give you such gifts". YIPES!

But when I truly love my wife, ahhhhh, then I will be giving her those things and will be enthralled by the look on her face as I convey to her my affection and my love.

EF

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