CCBlogs thinking critically, living faithfully

Ellen Haroutunian's blog

I am going to blog about the 10 commandments. Wow, you must be running low on material, a friend said. Weeeeell no, I am interested in writing about them because I think how we see them reveals something about ourselves. They may trigger all sorts of reactions, as my friend conveniently demonstrated. There are those who view them with feelings of guilt or annoyance. Some view them with a smug satisfaction. Some see them as a big snooze-fest like my friend above. She also feels burdened and judged when she reads them.

I resonate with Scot McKnight when he says that the 10 commandments are relational in nature. The first four commandments are about loving God, the last 6 are about loving others. Jesus summed them all up for us in His expansive way: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love others as you love yourself. I have always wondered why people get so adamant about having the 10 commandments posted in their local government buildings instead of the two greatest commands. Is it because Jesus’ interpretation of them requires so much more of us? ... READ MORE.