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Chapter 23GenevaCat.1.23

II. La loi — Le 22e dimanche

The Preface to the Law

God introduces the Decalogue by establishing His authority as Creator and Savior.

The First Commandment Minister: Recite the first commandment. Student: “Hear, Israel: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.✦1 You shall have no other God before me” (Exodus 20:2–3; Deuteronomy 5:6–7). 137. M: Explain the meaning. C: At the beginning, he provides a sort of preface to the entire law, asserting his authority to command by identifying himself as the Eternal and the Creator of the world.✦ Afterward, he calls himself our God so that we will cherish his teaching; for if he is our Savior, it is only right that we should be a people obedient to him.✦2

Deliverance from Bondage

The deliverance from Egypt serves as a type for our spiritual liberation, grounding our obedience in gratitude.

Deliverance from Egypt 138.✦ M: But what he says next about the deliverance from the land of Egypt—doesn't that apply especially to the people of Israel? C: Yes, it does, as far as the body is concerned.3 But it also applies to all of us, since he has delivered our souls from the spiritual captivity of sin and from the tyranny of the devil. 139. M: Why does he mention that at the beginning of his law? E: It is to remind us how bound we are to follow his good pleasure, and what ingratitude it would be to do the opposite.

The Essence of Exclusive Worship

The first commandment requires total devotion to God, encompassing both outward worship and inward sincerity.

The sum of the first commandment: 140. M: And in short, what does he require in this first commandment? E: That we reserve for him alone the honor that belongs to him, without transferring it anywhere else. The honor that is properly due to God. 141. M: What honor is properly due to him? E: Worshiping him alone, calling on him, trusting in him, and other similar acts that belong to his Majesty.4 142. Minister: Why does he say "before my face"?✦ E: Because he sees and knows everything and is the judge of people's secret thoughts, he means that he wants to be acknowledged as God not only by outward confession, but also in pure truth and heartfelt affection.5

Read the original Latin

Le premier commandement 136. M : Récite le premier commandement. E : « Ecoute, Israël, Je suis te Seigneur ton Dieu, qui t'ai tiré hors de la terre d'Egypte, de la maison de servitude. Tu n'auras point d'autre Dieu devant moi » (Exode 20:2, 3 ; Deutéronome 5:6, 7).

137. M : Expose le sens. E : Du commencement il fait comme une préface sur toute la loi, car il s'attribue autorité de commander, se nommant l'Eternel et Créateur du monde. Après il se dit notre Dieu, pour nous rendre sa doctrine amiable; car s'il est notre Sauveur, c'est bien raison que nous lui soyons peuple obéissant.

Délivrance d'Egypte 138. M : Mais ce qu'il dit après de la délivrance de la terre d'Egypte, ne s'adresse-t-il pas particulièrement au peuple d'Israël? E : Si fait bien selon le corps. Mais il nous appartient aussi généralement à tous, en tant qu'il a délivré nos âmes de la captivité spirituelle de péché et de la tyrannie du diable.

139. M : Pourquoi fait-il mention de cela au commencement de sa loi? E : C'est pour nous admonester combien nous sommes tenus de suivre son bon plaisir, et quelle ingratitude ce serait de faire du contraire.

Somme du premier commandement 140. M : Et qu'est-ce qu'il requiert en somme en ce premier commandement? E : Que nous lui réservions à lui seul l'honneur qui lui appartient, sans le transporter ailleurs. L'honneur qui est proprement dû à Dieu

141. M : Quel honneur est-ce qui lui est propre? E : De l'adorer lui seul, l'invoquer, avoir notre fiance en lui, et telles choses semblables qui sont attribuées à sa Majesté.

142. M : Pourquoi dit-il « devant ma face »? E : D'autant qu'il voit et connaît tout et est juge des secrètes pensées des hommes, il signifie que non seulement par confession extérieure il veut être avoué Dieu, mais aussi en pure vérité et affection de coeur.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Exod.20.2-Exod.20.3;Deut.5.6-Deut.5.7 — I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Exod.20.3 — You shall have no other gods before me. Deut.5.6 — I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Deut.5.7 — You shall have no other gods before me.
  2. ↩Exod.20.2;Deut.5.6 — I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Deut.5.6 — I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
  3. ↩Exod.20.2;Deut.5.6 — I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Deut.5.6 — I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
  4. ↩Exod.20.2;Deut.5.6 — I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Deut.5.6 — I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
  5. ↩Exod.20.3 — You shall have no other gods before me.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Source reads « Je suis te Seigneur ton Dieu »; translated as the standard and only plausible sense « Je suis le Seigneur ton Dieu » (I am the Lord your God). « te » appears to be a corruption of « le ».
  2. 2 ↩amiable: not merely 'friendly,' but lovable/agreeable—God names himself our God so that his teaching becomes dear and welcome to us.
  3. 3 ↩French « Si fait » is an older affirmative (“yes, it does”); « selon le corps » means in the bodily/physical sense, set against the spiritual application in the next sentence.
  4. 4 ↩Middle French fiance here means trust/confidence, not betrothal; rendered as “trust.”
  5. 5 ↩"avoué Dieu" = acknowledged/confessed as God; not judicial "avowal" in a modern legal sense. "affection de coeur" keeps the heart as the seat of genuine devotion, not mere feeling.

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