by Fr M Makama
The law-giving by Moses is one of the important milestones in the history of the covenant people. Because it consists of ten commandments this body of law is sometimes referred to as the Decalogue. The commandments mirror the shema in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Just as the shema is an injunction to the people of God in two parts: Love of God and Love of others, so is the Decalogue. Its contains precepts which refer to God (Exodus 20:1-11) and those which refer primarily to one’s fellow Israelites (Exodus 20:12-17).