In Sacred Scripture
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Simplified
Written by God's Finger (2056)
God revealed the Decalogue (literally "ten words"). They are unlike any other commandments of Moses because they were written "with the finger of God" (Ex 31:18). Originally given in the book of Exodus (20) and Deuteronomy (5), their full meaning is revealed in Jesus.
Conditions Needed to Be Free (2057)
Given to the Jews as they left Egypt, these Ten Commandments show the conditions needed for a life freed from sin. Moses promised the people that they "shall live and multiply" (Deut 30:16). God mentions his liberating power in the commandment on the Sabbath rest. "You shall remember that you were a servant in Egypt and the Lord your God brought you out of there" (Deut 5:15).
Ten Words (2058-2059)
These "ten words" sum up God's law. Moses said, "He wrote them upon two tables of stone and gave them to me" (Deut 5:22). These two tables are called "the testimony," the terms of the Covenant between God and Israel which were to be placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Ex 25:16).
God spoke these "ten words" amid a divine revelation. He spoke to Moses "face to face on the mountain, out of the midst of the fire" (Deut 5:4).
Part of a Covenant (2060-2061)
The commandments are part of the Covenant and were given before the Covenant was concluded. The Israelites agreed to obey them. "All that the Lord has said, we will heed and do" (Ex 24:7). The Ten Commandments are always connected with the Covenant.
These commandments and man's moral life have their full meaning in the Covenant. "I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt" show God's love for the people. "In punishment for sin, there was a passing from the paradise of freedom to the slavery of sin. Therefore God said, ‘I brought you out of the house of slavery'" (Origen).
Our Response to the Covenant (2062-2063)
The actual ten commands express the implications of belonging to God. By a moral life, man responds to God's Covenant and cooperates with God's plan in history.
The opening words show that the Covenant is personal. "I am the Lord your God." The singular "you," shows that the recipient is every individual person. Although meant for the whole world, the commandments are given to each person. "Through the Decalogue, God prepared man to become his friend and to live in harmony with his neighbor" (St. Irenaeus).
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