This passage contains the core of the Mosaic Law, the Decalogue or 'Ten Words'. In the whole body of the Mosaic Law, as we find it in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, there are two main types of law: conditional law and absolute, or apodictic law. Conditional law says that if a certain thing happens, then a certain consequence follows legally. Absolute law has no 'if'; it is unconditional being a command about which there is no discussion.

The Decalogue is absolute law and expresses the unconditional demands of the covenant relationship which Israel accepted with her God. There are different divisions of the absolute statements of verses 1-17, but all produce ten absolute commands relating first to the relationship between God and man, and then the relationship between anyone of the chosen people of God and any other. Behaviour within the community of the people of God was governed by the relationship of the community to God. The relationship of the people to God was an ethical one and was to be expressed in a code of ethical behaviour within the community.

The divine 'words' concerning the relationship between God and man refer, in a very concentrated way, to the identity, character, name, special day and claims of God, which man must acknowledge.

verses 1-2 set out the identification of God with the one who delivered Israel from oppression and whose power has been experienced in the Exodus.

verses 3-6 set out the uniqueness, the oneness of God

verse 7 requires that God's name is understood as being inseparable from the reality of God; the name expresses essential character and must not be misused

verses 8-11 require that the seventh day must be kept as a holy day; verse 11 identifies the Lord as the sole creator of the universe and links the command with the creation account of Genesis 1

verse 12 affirms that the Lord is the one who gives life, through the channel of human parents who are to be honoured because of this; God both gives and takes away life, as he sees fit; man has no control over the length of his life, or the ultimate gift of it

The divine 'words' concerning human relationships within the community of the people of God require that there must be mutual respect of life, person, property, reputation and status.

verse 13 demands respect for the God-given function of sex through which life is handed on from one generation to another

verse 15 affirms that God is the one who provides mankind with all that is required to maintain life; theft indicates lack of trust in God's providence

verse 16 requires respect and love in human relationships as a reflection of God's attitude to his people; false accusation destroys respect and love

verse 17 condemns greed in any form; greed indicates lack of trust in God's providence and puts self-interest above everything else.

The Ten Commandments are a concentrated charter for life in a theocratic community, i.e. one over which God reigns. The principles in these Commandments can be applied to innumerable specific situations, as we shall see that they were, in the filling out of the Law. In the theocratic community nothing was 'secular'. The community's relation¬ship with God affected every situation and every action.