An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism Part 7

10. How many commandments does each Table include?

SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 22:37-40. Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love the Lord thy G.o.d 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.

Rom. 3:20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Gal. 3:24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

John 14:15. If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Matt. 7:12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Reading.--The Giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, Exod. 19 and 20.

CHAPTER IV.

THE LAWGIVER.

I am the Lord thy G.o.d.

These introductory words show who is the Lawgiver. [Jas. 4:12] As earthly kings place their names at the beginning of their decrees to give them authority, so G.o.d places His name at the beginning of the commandments in order to make known who gives them, and whose displeasure we shall incur if we disobey them. These introductory words belong not only to the first but to all the commandments.

I AM. By these words G.o.d reminds us that He is a Person. He speaks to us. He is not an impersonal G.o.d who pervades and is a part of nature. He is above nature and has created it. [Gen 1:1]

THE LORD. The word here translated "Lord" means in the original Hebrew "I AM THAT I AM." [Exod 8:14+] G.o.d thereby declares that He is the One and Only Self-existent, [Isa 44:6+] Eternal, [Ps 90:1, 2+] and Unchangeable Being. [Mal 3:6+] He is the true and living G.o.d in contradistinction from all so-called G.o.ds. [Jer 10:10] The name Jehovah or "LORD" is used in the Old Testament Scriptures to designate G.o.d as the covenant G.o.d of Israel. It signified that He stood in a specially near relation to them as His chosen people. The name has the same comforting meaning for Christians; for they are the New Testament people of G.o.d. [t.i.t 2:14+, I Pet 2-9]

THY G.o.d. These words express G.o.d's good-will toward us. He is _our G.o.d_ who loves [Jer 31:3+] us and cares for us. [I Pet 5:7] He said to Israel, "I am the Lord thy G.o.d, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." He has delivered _us_ from the still greater bondage of sin, death, and the devil through His Son Jesus Christ, [Col 1:13+] and has a right to expect our grat.i.tude and love.

THE LORD THY G.o.d. He who gives us these commandments is a Spirit [John 4:24+] of infinite majesty and goodness. He is:

1. _Eternal_; He always was and always will be. [Ps 90:2]

2. _Unchangeable_; He always was and always will be the same. [Mal 3:6]

3. _Omnipresent_; He is present everywhere at the same time and all the time. [Ps 139:7-11]

4. _Omniscient_; He knows all the past, present, and future, and is acquainted with every thought, desire, and purpose of our hearts. [Ps 139:2]

5. _Omnipotent_, or Almighty; He is able to do all things which He wills to do. [Luke 1:37]

6. _Holy_; He is perfectly pure, and separate from all that is evil.

[Isa. 6:3]

7. _Just_; He will bless those who keep His law, and punish those who break it. [Rom. 2:6]

8. _All-wise_; He always knows what is the best thing to do, and the best way to do it. [Col. 2:3]

9. _Good_; He is Love itself. [I John 4:8] He is kind even to the unthankful, [Matt. 5:45] merciful to the penitent soul for Jesus' sake, [John 3:16] and longsuffering toward the impenitent in order to lead them to repentance by His goodness. [II Pet. 3:9, Rom. 2:4]

10. _Faithful and True_; He can be absolutely relied upon to do all that He has promised or threatened. [Numb. 23:19]

Because of the Majesty and Goodness of the Lord our G.o.d, we should FEAR and LOVE HIM, and KEEP His commandments.

QUESTIONS--1. What do the introductory words show? 2. Of what do the words "I am" remind us? 3. What is the meaning of the Hebrew word translated "Lord"? 4. What do the words "thy G.o.d" express? 5. From what bondage has G.o.d delivered us? 6. Name and define G.o.d's attributes? 7.

Why should we fear and love G.o.d?

SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Exod. 3:14. And G.o.d said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM.

Isa. 44:6. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no G.o.d.

Ps. 90:1, 2. LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art G.o.d.

Mal. 3:6. For I am the LORD. I change not.

t.i.t. 2:14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Jer. 31:3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Col. 1:13, 14. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

John 4:24. G.o.d is a Spirit: and they that wors.h.i.+p him must wors.h.i.+p him in spirit and in truth.

READING.--Ps. 14: Ps. 121.

THE FIRST TABLE OF THE LAW.

OUR DUTY TO G.o.d.

"_Thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul_." [Matt. 22:37]

CHAPTER V.

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

G.o.d.