Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Deuteronomy
Book: Deuteronomy
Chapter: 5
Overview:
The
Covenant in
Horeb.
(1-5) The Ten Commandments repeated.
(6-22) The request of the people that the
Law might be delivered
through
Moses.
(23-33)
1-5 Moses demands attention. When we hear the
Word of God we
must learn it; and what we have learned we must
Put in practice,
for that is the
End of hearing and learning; not to fill our
heads with notions, or our mouths with talk, but to direct our
affections and conduct.
6-22 There is some variation here from Ex 20 as between the
Lord's
Prayer in Mt 6 and Lu 11. It is more necessary that
we tie ourselves to the things, than to the words unalterably.
The original reason for hallowing the
Sabbath, taken from
God's
resting from the work of
Creation On the seventh
Day, is not
here mentioned. Though this ever remains in force, it is not the
only reason. Here it is taken from
Israel's deliverance out of
Egypt; for that was typical of our
Redemption By Jesus Christ,
in remembrance of which the
Christian Sabbath was to be
observed. In the
Resurrection of Christ we were brought into the
glorious liberty of the children of
God, with a mighty
Hand, and
an outstretched
Arm. How sweet is it to a soul truly distressed
under the terrors of a broken
Law, to hear the mild and
soul-reviving language of the
Gospel!
23-33 Moses refers to the consternation caused
By the terror
with which the
Law was given.
God's appearances have always been
terrible to
Man, ever since the fall; but
Christ, having taken
away
Sin, invites us to come boldly to the
Throne of
Grace. They
were in a good mind, under the strong convictions of the
Word
they heard. Many have their consciences startled
By the
Law who
have them not purified; fair promises are extorted from them,
but
No good principles are fixed and rooted in them.
God
commended what they said. He desires the welfare and
Salvation
of
Poor sinners. He has given abundant proof that he does
So; he
gives us time and space to repent. He has sent his Son to redeem
us, promised his
Spirit to those who pray for him, and has
declared that he has
No pleasure in the ruin of sinners. It
would be
Well with many, if there were always such a
Heart in
them, as there seems to be sometimes; when they are under
conviction of
Sin, or the rebukes of
Providence, or when they
come to look
Death in the
Face. The only way to be happy, is to
be holy. Say to the righteous, It shall be
Well with them. Let
believers make it more and more their study and delight, to do
as the
Lord God hath commanded.