How does Luke 18:20 relate to the Ten Commandments? The Text of Luke 18:20 “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Honor your father and mother.’ ” Immediate Narrative Setting Jesus is speaking to the wealthy ruler who has just inquired, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). By citing five commands from the Decalogue, the Lord exposes the ruler’s self-assessment of moral adequacy and prepares him to see his deeper need for grace. The Ten Commandments at Sinai Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21 record Yahweh’s covenant stipulations, traditionally divided into two tables: • Commands 1-4—duty God-ward. • Commands 5-10—duty man-ward. Luke 18:20 quotes from the second table, underscoring interpersonal righteousness. Correspondence of the Quoted Commands Exodus 20 / Deuteronomy 5 Luke 18:20 7. Do not commit adultery “Do not commit adultery” 6. Do not murder “Do not murder” 8. Do not steal “Do not steal” 9. Do not bear false witness “Do not give false testimony” 5. Honor your father and mother “Honor your father and mother” Jesus lists them in a chiastic order (7-6-8-9-5) that climaxes with the parental command, perhaps to sharpen the personal examination of this outwardly upright ruler. Why the Tenth Commandment Is Absent “Do not covet” deals with the unseen motive. Jesus will immediately expose that very heart-level covetousness by asking the man to redistribute his wealth (Luke 18:22). The omission is therefore deliberate: the final command is not forgotten but highlighted through narrative tension. Continuity of the Moral Law By treating the Decalogue as binding, Jesus authenticates Mosaic revelation. Far from abrogating it, He fulfills it (Matthew 5:17) and reasserts its moral authority for every era, including a young-earth timeline that places Sinai roughly 1,450 BC (1 Kings 6:1; cf. Usshur). The Law as Tutor to Christ Romans 3:20—“Through the law we become conscious of sin.” Galatians 3:24—“The law became our guardian to lead us to Christ.” Luke 18:20 functions exactly so: the ruler learns that external conformity cannot purchase eternal life, driving him to the One who alone keeps—and forgives—lawbreakers. Christ as the Law-Giver Incarnate The same voice that thundered from Sinai now speaks face to face. By invoking commands He authored, Jesus silently claims full deity. His later demand, “Follow Me” (18:22), elevates allegiance to His person above mere command-keeping. Synoptic Parallels and Consistency Matthew 19:18-19 and Mark 10:19 record the same episode with near-verbatim wording. The verbal coherence across independent witnesses underscores the historical reliability of the event—confirmed in Papyrus 75 (c. AD 175-225) for Luke and in early uncials ℵ and B for Matthew and Mark. Archaeological Corroboration of the Decalogue 4Q41 (Deuteronomy Scroll) from Qumran, dated c. 100 BC, preserves the Ten Commandments virtually identical to the Masoretic Text and the rendering. This attestation silences claims of late textual manipulation. Early Church Reception The Didache (c. AD 90) quotes the same five commandments as binding for believers (2.2-3). Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian all treat Luke’s recounting as historically factual and doctrinally normative. Theological Implications 1. The Decalogue remains God’s moral standard. 2. Perfect obedience is humanly impossible (James 2:10). 3. Salvation therefore rests exclusively on the crucified and risen Christ (Luke 24:46-47; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Practical Discipleship Applications • Use the Ten Commandments evangelistically to surface hidden sin (Ray Comfort’s approach). • Teach believers that holiness is Spirit-empowered law-fulfillment (Romans 8:4). • Encourage honoring parents as a creation ordinance with promise (Ephesians 6:2-3). Conclusion Luke 18:20 directly links Jesus’ gospel call to the timeless moral core revealed at Sinai. The passage affirms the authority, continuity, and convicting purpose of the Ten Commandments, ultimately steering every honest hearer to seek righteousness not in self, but in the risen Savior who perfectly kept—and graciously fulfills—the Law for us. |
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