Are the 10 Commandments different from all other rules in the Old Testament ?
1. They are explicitly set apart as the unique commands given directly from God to Moses on the Mountain at the start of the Exodus
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The advent of the giving of the ten commandments is recounted twice in the
old testament - in Exodus 20 and in Deuteronomy 5. In both
accounts it is utterly clear that this is viewed as a unique, foundational,
supernatural event. In Deuteronomy 5:22, after listing the 10
commandments, Moses declares:
"These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud and of the thick gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me"
2. They are what was contained in
the Ark of the Covenant
We may be tempted to say, "Didn't the ancient Jews think all their laws were from God?" Once we understand the symbolic significance of the Ark, we can see how the 10 commandments are different from all other rules of the Old Testament. The most precious, holy thing the ancient Jews possessed was the Ark of the Covenant. It t symbolized everything that was most important to them (God's faithfulness, mercy, and presence). They brought it with them wherever they went as a sign that God was with them. When they crossed the Jordan river into the promised land after wandering in the wilderness for forty years, what went at the very head of the line, leading them into the new land - the ark of the covenant (Joshua 3:8-17). Notice the name "Ark of the Covenant" What covenant ? The covenant between God and his people. So this container represented the most precious thing the ancient Jews had - their covenant with God. So what did they put into the ark ? What did it contain ? Gold ? Silver? All the books of their laws? No, the two tablets of the Ten Commandments !
Take the time to read this crucial account of what Moses says to the nation in Deuteronomy 10:1-5
At that time the LORD said to me, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden chest. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the chest. So I made the ark out of acacia wood and chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. The LORD wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. And the LORD gave them to me. Then I came back down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made, as the LORD commanded me, and they are there now.
Thus the 10 Commandments represent the very foundation of the covenant with
God. All other rules, traditions and rituals flow from these basic
principles.
3. This is not about being a rigid
fundamentalist
For the current discussion, it actually does not matter whether you
view the events described above as literal or part of the Jewish culture's
religious myth. Either way, it is clear from an even-handed reading
of the Old Testament, that symbolically the Ten Commandments have always stood
apart from and above all other rules and regulations described in the Old
Testament.
They are the foundational principles that apply to all cultures, not the case law that is specific to a particular culture
Take a quick look at the Ten Commandments below and notice the
penalties for breaking each one.
1. I am the Lord your God - You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
5. Honor your father and mother
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not bear false witness
10. You shall not covet
Why aren't there any penalties listed ? Because the 10 Commandments are not case law. The Ten Commandments do not specify how moral principles should be implemented in a particular culture. That is what we see fleshed out in the rest of the Old Testament. Rather, The Ten Commandments (literally "The Ten Words") are foundational, guiding principles for how to live in this world. This is one of the reasons they have stood the test of time. But another reason is this - even if you wouldn't want to have to live by the 10 commandments yourself, wouldn't you prefer that the people who live next door (or rent your house) lived that way ? Wouldn't you prefer to have someone who didn't steal from you, didn't lie to you, didn't covet your things, didn't try to seduce your spouse, didn't try to murder you ? The Ten Commandments work - they are a way to love God and love neighbor. As we shall see they don't disappear with the advent of Christianity - they stand for all time - regardless of the whims of a given culture. We, from our superior, enlightened cultural standpoint do not judge them - rather, they stand in judgment of us. They were not given to accuse, they were given as a gift - a way of living that is rich and good. However anything that works, anything that is good, anything that is true ... appears to stand in judgment of what is false, bad, or doesn't work... by it's very existence. Can we stand it ? It is fair to ask "Isn't it complicated and difficult to try to figure out how to apply them to our particular setting?" Yes, sometimes it is. But that is not a reason to abandon them.