First and Last: The Bulwark Commandments
The Ten Commandments, as given to Moses in Exodus 20, are the cornerstone of morality, not only for the Israelites, but for all who embrace the Judeo-Christian tradition. All are important and critical to a right relationship with God and Man. But within this Decalogue, the 1st and 10th commandments stand as the bulwarks, acting as the ramparts that guard the sacred territory of all the others.
God's Bulwark
The 1st commandment sets the tone: “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:2-3) 1) In essence, it compels us to honor the Lord our God, to place Him at the center of our lives, and to make no other entity or ideology more important. It is the foundation upon which the next three commandments rest. For if we revere God as the only God, then naturally, we will not make or worship idols (2nd commandment, Exodus 20:4-6), we will respect His name (3rd commandment, Exodus 20:7), and we will observe His Sabbath (4th commandment, Exodus 20:). Thus, the 1st commandment is like the gateway through which one must pass to truly honor the next three.
Conversely, if we break the 1st commandment, it becomes easier to break the next three. If we allow other gods in our lives – whether they are false deities, wealth, power, or even our own ego – then we easily drift into idolatry, misuse God's name without reverence, and neglect the Sabbath.
Man's Bulwark
Turning to the last part of the Decalogue, the 10th commandment serves a similar, but inverse function: “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17) Covetousness, in essence, is an unquenchable desire for more. It’s the opposite of being content 2) and grateful for what God has given us. When we look with longing at what others have, discontentment seeps into our hearts and affects our relationships with God and people.
The 10th commandment helps protect the observance of the previous five commandments that deal with our relationship with others. For, if we keep our desires in check and don't covet, then we are less likely to dishonor our parents (5th commandment, Exodus 20:12), murder (6th commandment, Exodus 20:13), commit adultery (7th commandment, Exodus 20:14), steal (8th commandment, Exodus 20:15), or bear false witness against our neighbor (9th commandment, Exodus 20:16).
However, if we break the 10th commandment and covet, it becomes much easier to break the other five. Our hearts, consumed with a longing for what others have, can lead us down the path of dishonoring our parents, harming others, betraying our spouse, stealing, and even lying.
Conclusion
These two commandments, the first and the last, serve as the bookends, encapsulating the rest and guiding our conduct toward God and towards each other. Therefore, careful observance of these commandments fosters the observance of all the others.
Let us remember the words of our Savior in John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Love for God and our neighbor, as the essence of these commandments, is the true safeguard of obedience. And in following these commandments, we find our lives enriched and our relationship with God deepened. This is the true treasure of the commandments.