The Ten Commandments Aren’t As Clear Cut As They Seem
Translation issues created a debate about their importance.
The Ten Commandments, a set of religious rules given to Moses on Mount Sinai, are described in Exodus and Deuteronomy. Supposedly inscribed on two tablets by God, these commandments include: worship no other gods, avoid idolatry, don’t misuse God’s name, keep the Sabbath holy, honor parents, don’t kill, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, and don’t covet others’ possessions.
While not widely used in Christianity until the 13th century, the Ten Commandments now symbolize the morality and divine relationship that believers aspire to. However, despite their religious importance, these commandments are far from simple.
Various religious traditions — Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Christian Orthodox, Islamic, and others — approach the Ten Commandments differently, each interpreting Moses’s laws in their own way. Beyond these interpretive differences, the commandments face issues with translation, unexpected additions, varying forms, and diverse applications. The common understanding of the Ten Commandments often stems from incomplete information that fails to address the many aspects of these complex laws.
