10 Commandments (Decalogue)

[Matt_G83]

On a presumably Catholic website (not an “official” site) re: the 10 commandments, the following statement is made…

The Catholic Ten Commandments are linked together to form a coherent whole. If you break one of them, you’re guilty of breaking all of them (Catechism, #2069).<<<

It references para 2069 of the CCC which states:
The Decalogue forms a coherent whole. Each “word” refers to each of the others and to all of them; they reciprocally condition one another. The two tablets shed light on one another; they form an organic unity. To transgress one commandment is to infringe all the others. One cannot honor another person without blessing God his Creator. One cannot adore God without loving all men, his creatures. The Decalogue brings man’s religious and social life into unity.

It also references para 2534 of the CCC:
The tenth commandment unfolds and completes the ninth, which is concerned with concupiscence of the flesh. It forbids coveting the goods of another, as the root of theft, robbery, and fraud, which the seventh commandment forbids. “Lust of the eyes” leads to the violence and injustice forbidden by the fifth commandment. Avarice, like fornication, originates in the idolatry prohibited by the first three prescriptions of the Law. The tenth commandment concerns the intentions of the heart; with the ninth, it summarizes all the precepts of the Law.

I think that the statement that, “If you break one of them, you break all of them”, is incorrect. The simple logic question would be, “if one kills somebody, how can that one also be guilty of coveting one’s goods and bearing false witness?”

I do understand that coveting another’s goods or lusting after another’s spouse could lead to murder…

I have sent an e-mail to the administrator of the site but have yet to get a response.

Thank you in advance for you response.

 

[Earnest_Bunbury]

James 2:10 And whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.

Haydock Bible Commentary [10] “Guilty of all;”… That is, he becomes a transgressor of the law in such a manner, that the observing of all other points will not avail him to salvation; for he despises the lawgiver, and breaks through the great and general commandment of charity, even by one mortal sin. For all the precepts of the law are to be considered as one total and entire law, and as it were a chain of precepts, where, by breaking one link of this chain, the whole chain is broken, or the integrity of the law consisting of a collection of precepts. A sinner, therefore, by a grievous offence against any one precept, incurs eternal punishment; yet the punishment in hell shall be greater for those who have been greater sinners, as a greater reward shall be for those in heaven who have lived with greater sanctity and perfection.

It isn’t that we break the other precepts but that we transgress the spirit of the law which is the honor we are to give to God by acting in accord with the commandments.

 

[Matt_G83]

I think I get your point. The explanation is almost like trying to split hairs with an ax.

You state: "It isn’t that we break the other precepts but that we transgress the spirit of the law which is the honor we are to give to God by acting in accord with the commandments. "

1.) Just trying to wrap my brain around this…in my words…by breaking ANY of the 10 commandments, we transgress (violate) the spirit of the commandments which is to honor God. (Is this correct?)

2.) from the dictionary…trangress is to violate…infringe is to break/transgress…
“To transgress one commandment is to infringe all the others.”

3.) How do I explain this to someone who is against all religion but believes in God? He uses the above (para 2069 of the CCC) as an example of more silly stuff from the Catholic Church? (to answer my own question —the commandments, and our obedience to them, are homage to God. Any individual transgression shows that you violate the idea of honoring God. Also, covetousness, lust, etc. could lead to something like murder.) Is this reasonable/correct?

Thanks!

 

[Earnest_Bunbury]

I think I get your point. The explanation is almost like trying to split hairs with an ax.

You state: "It isn’t that we break the other precepts but that we transgress the spirit of the law which is the honor we are to give to God by acting in accord with the commandments. "

1.) Just trying to wrap my brain around this…in my words…by breaking ANY of the 10 commandments, we transgress (violate) the spirit of the commandments which is to honor God. (Is this correct?)

2.) from the dictionary…trangress is to violate…infringe is to break/transgress…
“To transgress one commandment is to infringe all the others.”

3.) How do I explain this to someone who is against all religion but believes in God? He uses the above (para 2069 of the CCC) as an example of more silly stuff from the Catholic Church? (to answer my own question —the commandments, and our obedience to them, are homage to God. Any individual transgression shows that you violate the idea of honoring God. Also, covetousness, lust, etc. could lead to something like murder.) Is this reasonable/correct?

Thanks!

Yes, and since God is the Author and Creator of everything it is in this that we damage the life of grace that comes from God that allows us to keep the commandments. It is the life of grace which unites us to God that allows us to avoid sin, which is the transgression of precepts such as the Decalogue as well as the other precepts from God made known through His Church. Without religion one has no Divine Revelation from God as to His commands and without God it is ones own god, and ones own self, that is worshiped.

One can believe in God, immanently reasonable in itself, but have no faith in God. Faith, a theological virtue, comes from God and from us returns to Him as the object of our faith. I believe someone must nurture their own faith by not turning away from God toward sinful acts and increase their life of grace in union with God in order to pray for ones friends and acquaintances, since only God can give the grace to see the divine truth of Church teaching. Knowing well ones faith is best to help others in both mental aspects and spiritual matters.

 

[diggerdomer]

On a presumably Catholic website (not an “official” site) re: the 10 commandments, the following statement is made…

The Catholic Ten Commandments are linked together to form a coherent whole. If you break one of them, you’re guilty of breaking all of them (Catechism, #2069).<<<

If you break one of them, you sin against God.

That’s the point.

Isn’t sinning against God the real point of the 10 commandments? In that sense, does it really matter which of the 10 we might break?
Right?

 

[Matt_G83]

Thank you for your response.

I think I get it. We can look at the “break one, break all of them” literally which may or may not make sense. (ie murder may have nothing to do with bearing false witness but, lust/greed/envy may lead to murder). Or, we look at it in the “big picture” mode. Then we see that it really does not matter which you break; you offend God regardless of which commandment you break. There is more than one level of understanding…