Confessor
Puritan Board Senior
This is probably a very elementary question, but how do we know that the Decalogue is truly the summary of the moral law, rather than simply a statement of ten different laws?
The Westminster Larger Catechism, question 98, reads:
The prooftexts for [420] are Deut. 10:4 and Ex. 34:1-4, but to my knowledge neither of these explain that the Ten Commandments contain a summary of the moral law. The prooftext for [421] (Matt. 22:37-40) states that "all the law and the prophets" are comprehended in the two greatest laws, love of God and of neighbor, but I am unclear as to how that would imply that the Ten Commandments summarize those two laws.
When the Catechism expounds on the various duties and sins implicit in each commandment, other Scriptures containing moral imperatives without reference to the Decalogue are cited. This presupposes that the moral law is summarily comprehended in the Decalogue; therefore I was interested in understanding why Reformed theologians have treated the Decalogue as such.
The Westminster Larger Catechism, question 98, reads:
Q. 98. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon Mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone;[420] and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus. The four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man.[421]
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon Mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone;[420] and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus. The four first commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man.[421]
The prooftexts for [420] are Deut. 10:4 and Ex. 34:1-4, but to my knowledge neither of these explain that the Ten Commandments contain a summary of the moral law. The prooftext for [421] (Matt. 22:37-40) states that "all the law and the prophets" are comprehended in the two greatest laws, love of God and of neighbor, but I am unclear as to how that would imply that the Ten Commandments summarize those two laws.
When the Catechism expounds on the various duties and sins implicit in each commandment, other Scriptures containing moral imperatives without reference to the Decalogue are cited. This presupposes that the moral law is summarily comprehended in the Decalogue; therefore I was interested in understanding why Reformed theologians have treated the Decalogue as such.