The Ten Commandments are a set of biblical laws relating to ethics and worship that play a fundamental role in the Christian and Jewish faiths. According to the book of Exodus in the Bible, God issued the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. These commandments provide a moral framework and establish a covenant between God and his people.
There are different versions of the Ten Commandments in the Bible – Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The Catholic enumeration and ordering of the commandments is based on the guidelines provided by St. Augustine in his book ‘Questions on Exodus.’ The Catholic Church has condensed the commandments into ten by combining the prohibition on coveting a neighbor’s wife and coveting a neighbor’s goods into the Tenth Commandment.
Here are the Ten Commandments as outlined by the Catholic Church:
- “I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before me.”
- “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”
- “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.”
- “Honor your father and your mother.”
- “You shall not kill.”
- “You shall not commit adultery.”
- “You shall not steal.”
- “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
- “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”
- “You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.”
Let’s take a detailed look at each of the Ten Commandments:
I. “I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before me.”
This first commandment establishes that there is only one Almighty God. As stated in Isaiah 45:5, “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” God demands exclusive devotion and worship from his followers. This means Catholics must worship God above all things and be faithful to him alone. No persons, beliefs, pursuits or possessions can supersede God in a Catholic’s life.
This commandment forbids idolatry, polytheism, witchcraft, superstition, atheism, agnosticism and any concepts that replace or diminish God. It also prohibits involvement in anti-Christian associations like Freemasonry. Basically, nothing can come before love and obedience to God for a Catholic.
II. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”
This commandment prohibits using God’s name irreverently or abusing it. Blasphemy, cursing, profanity and sacrilege are forbidden. Oaths and vows made in God’s name must not be broken. Perjury is also forbidden by this commandment.
Reverence must be shown when speaking about or addressing God.Catholics are called to praise God’s name and thank him in prayer. Actions, not just words, must also give glory to God’s name. Deeds done in his name should reflect his love and righteousness.
III. “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.”
The third commandment instructs us to keep the Lord’s Day holy by worshipping at Mass, avoiding unnecessary work and resting in God’s presence. In the Old Testament, the Sabbath was on Saturday, the seventh day of the week when God rested after Creation. For Catholics, Sunday replaced the Jewish Sabbath as the Lord’s Day, the weekly memorial of Christ’s Resurrection.
On Sundays, Catholics are obliged to attend Mass and focus on prayer, reflection and family time. No unnecessary work should be done that distracts from worship. Essential services and works of charity are permitted. The faithful are called to make Sunday a day of joy and rest in the Lord.
IV. “Honor your father and your mother.”
This commandment calls for respect and obedience to parents and lawful superiors like elders, teachers, employers, leaders and government authorities. Parents have the primary duty of rearing their children through example and instruction. Children must honor their parents throughout life, even when the parents are aged and infirm.
Parents represent God’s fatherhood and authority. Honoring them brings blessings, while disrespect and disobedience incur God’s judgment. This commandment also expects us to meet family needs whenever possible. Neglecting those in our care violates this commandment.
V. “You shall not kill.”
This straightforward commandment forbids murder and violence against innocent human life. All persons have a right to life from conception to natural death. Direct abortion, euthanasia, suicide and capital punishment are grave violations.
Catholics must also avoid anger, hatred and vengeance. These can lead to violence against others or self-destruction through substance abuse. Promoting peace, forgiving enemies and defending the helpless fulfill this commandment. Respect for each person as God’s beloved creation is essential.
VI. “You shall not commit adultery.”
This commandment prohibits adultery, which is sexual relations outside a valid marriage. It calls for chastity according to one’s state of life. Sexual activity belongs only in a marriage between a man and a woman.
Catholics must avoid lust, pornography, masturbation and any actions that offend chastity. Sins like fornication, rape, prostitution, homosexual acts and incest are forbidden. Impure thoughts and desires are also considered violations against the sanctity of marriage.
VII. “You shall not steal.”
This commandment condemns theft, robbery and unjustly taking or retaining something that belongs to someone else. Cheating people of wages or possessions is forbidden. So is depriving governments of revenues through tax evasion and fraud.
Private property rights must be respected, but not to the exclusion of the right to common use of earth’s goods. Catholics should balance legitimate profit with fair pay for workers and service to the poor. Gambling, bribery and corruption that take advantage of others are wrong.
VIII. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Also known as “Thou shalt not lie”, this commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth or damaging others by lies, duplicity or detraction. Perjury, rash judgment, deceit, slander, calumny and flattery are prohibited.
Catholics must adhere to honesty in words and actions. Gossip and revealing secrets that harm reputations should be avoided. Civil authorities and the public have a right to accurate information. Remaining silent instead of bearing false witness may be appropriate at times.
IX. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”
Coveting means unjustly wishing to possess something that belongs to another. This commandment specifically forbids lusting after another person’s spouse. Adultery of the heart can lead to actual adultery. Passionate thoughts about someone else’s husband or wife must be avoided.
Catholics must be faithful to their own spouses and respect marital bonds between others. Flirting with married persons or entertaining romantic fantasies about them can violate this commandment. Spouses belong only to each other.
X. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.”
The last commandment forbids unjustly desiring and seeking to obtain another’s possessions. Envy, greed and jealousy lead to theft, overindulgence and accumulation of unnecessary goods at others’ expense. The antidote to coveting is developing a spirit of generosity, gratitude and contentment.
The goods of this world are meant by God for the benefit of all people. While private property is a right, we are only stewards of earthly goods, not owners. Excess wealth and possessions should be shared, not hoarded selfishly. Justice demands conditions that allow ordinary people to sustain life.
The Great Commandment
When asked about the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus replied:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
The Ten Commandments can be further condensed into the twofold Great Commandment, which calls us to love God and neighbor wholeheartedly. Obeying the Ten Commandments is how we tangibly live out this love in moral decisions and actions.
Catechism on the Ten Commandments
The Catechism of the Catholic Church extensively covers the Ten Commandments in Part Three: Life in Christ, Section Two: The Ten Commandments.
Key points from the Catechism’s explanation of the Commandments include:
- The Ten Commandments state the requirements of the natural law. They are imprinted by God on human hearts. (CCC #2072)
- The Decalogue forms an organic unity which reveals God’s plan for humanity. The commandments are interrelated and ordered toward man’s good. (CCC #2074)
- The Ten Commandments were given within a covenant between God and his people. The Commandments are a sign of this saving covenant. (CCC #2059)
- Jesus affirmed and fulfilled the Decalogue. He revealed its definitive meaning and exemplified it in his life. (CCC #2053)
- The Decalogue constitutes the basic “rule of life” for Christians. Christians are called to follow Christ’s perfect example in keeping the Commandments. (CCC #2074)
The Catechism covers each of the Ten Commandments in depth. It examines their literal meaning, implications for Christian living, associated vices and virtues. Every Catholic should study the Catechism’s comprehensive explanation of this essential moral code.
How the Commandments Lead Us to Happiness
God gave us the Ten Commandments because he loves us and wants us to be happy. The Commandments show us how to love, which is the key to true joy. Through them, God sets the standards for righteousness and guides us along the paths that lead to life, not destruction.
Obedience to the Ten Commandments is empowered by God’s grace and results in blessings on earth and eternal life in heaven. Following the way of the Commandments leads to integrity, nobility and peace of spirit. It enables loving relationships and crafts a just society where human dignity flourishes.
The Ten Commandments invite us to respond to God’s love with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. When we order our lives according to the Commandments, we grow closer to God in a bond of love and fidelity. We gain the freedom to live as God’s adopted children.
The Catholic Church faithfully transmits what God has revealed about the Commandments. Meditating on them, guided by the Church, opens us to encounter the living God and experience his grace changing our lives. Through the Ten Commandments, we are tutored in divine wisdom so that we may walk the path of happiness.
Fulfilling the Commandments Through Love
St. Paul teaches that “the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:14). And Jesus calls us to “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Love is thus the heart of the moral life.
The Ten Commandments teach us how to truly love God and others. They set forth the behaviors and attitudes that foster love. The first three Commandments govern our relationship with God and the remaining seven dictate how we are to interact with other people.
According to Jesus, the two greatest commandments are to love God with all your being and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31). All the other commandments are applications of these two. By loving, we fulfill the essence of the Decalogue.
Through grace, God enables us to keep his Commandments, not as burdens but as expressions of love. We obey the Commandments by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus empowers us to love perfectly as we conform ourselves fully to his example in observing the Decalogue.
Practical Ways to Obey the Ten Commandments
Here are some practical suggestions for living by God’s Ten Commandments in daily life:
- Make God your highest priority by setting aside time for daily prayer, worship and Scripture reading.
- Speak with reverence of God and do not use his name carelessly.
- Keep Sunday as the Lord’s Day by going to Mass, relaxing with loved ones and doing works of mercy.
- Show honor to parents and others in lawful authority over you.
- Protect life at all stages by opposing abortion, euthanasia, violence and abuse.
- Be faithful to your spouse in heart and body.
- Do not steal, cheat or exploit others, but share and give generously.
- Always tell the truth and avoid gossip that damages reputations.
- Be satisfied with what you have and avoid envy and greed.
- Treat all people with dignity, compassion and respect.
The Ten Commandments and Conscience Formation
The Catechism states, “The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart” (CCC #1783). The Ten Commandments educate our conscience on good and evil so we can make right choices.
Learning the precepts of the Decalogue and meditating on their meaning helps form our conscience. As our conscience develops through this process, we better discern God’s wise law written on our hearts. We gain clarity in distinguishing good from evil.
The well-formed conscience guides us to make moral judgments according to the wisdom of God’s Commandments. It enables us to seek what is good and avoid evil in the specific situations of our lives. An upright conscience leads us into the freedom of God’s children.
Conscience formation requires continuous effort. God’s grace builds up our conscience when we open ourselves to moral truth. Humility and virtue strengthen conscience while pride and sin corrupt it. Consulting Church teaching keeps the conscience aligned with the divine will.
Through lifelong formation, the Holy Spirit reshapes our conscience so that obediently following the Ten Commandments becomes natural. We grow in the perfect freedom of love that must inform all moral decision-making.
Conclusion
The Ten Commandments enlighten us on God’s magnificent plan for human life and community. Following the Decalogue is essential to living our vocation as beloved children of our heavenly Father. The Commandments teach us how to love through specific moral guidance. They protect human dignity and allow all people to thrive in freedom.
The saving wisdom of the Commandments comes from God and leads to eternal joy in right relationship with him. Jesus modeled perfect obedience to these divine precepts. As Catholics seek to follow Christ, meditating on and keeping the Ten Commandments must be central to their response in faith.
Guided by conscience and empowered by grace, Christians are called to fulfill the commandments. They show us the way of love. The words of the Psalmist capture the spirit that should animate our lives:
Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day…Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies… I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation… Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. (Psalms 119:97-127)
