Did The Catholic Church change the 10 Commandments?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Addoe_96
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Addoe_96

Guest
Hi members!

It is said that Bishop Augustine of Hippo in order to allow use of images & statues in worship services, he deleted the Second Commandment, divided the Tenth into two Commandments and then re-numbered his revised list of 10.

This is a constant attack on we Catholics. Can somebody explain to me what was the motive behind those changes?

Warm regards,

Addoe.
 
Last edited:
I disapprove of this Bishop’s moves in changing the commandments although I approve of using imaging and statues in worship services.
This is because the images are not meant for us to worship to; they are meant for us to contemplate on and think of God using the pictures, so we should still be worshipping God. Such images and statues also go a long way to helping us not get too distracted!
Hope this helps
 
Can you provide more information or provide examples of what you are talking about?
 
The Ten Commandments were not changed by the Catholic Church. The Biblical account does not provide a specific division for the commandments-- it does, however, give us their content, and tells us that they number ten (Exodus 34:28). In the Deuteronomy account, there is a clearer divide between the ninth and tenth commandments. And so, St. Augustine’s list, which is traditionally used by Catholics, is consistent with the meaning behind the directives given by the Lord to Moses.
melvfe said:
I disapprove of this Bishop’s moves in changing the commandments although I approve of using imaging and statues in worship services.
Click to expand...
See above.

You are correct, however, that the use of images, statues and the like is permitted. I’ll use this to continue…
Addoe_96 said:
in order to allow use of images & statues in worship services
Click to expand...
God does not forbid the mere making of the “likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or … in the earth beneath” but rather the worship of those things themselves. God Himself issues the making of such things (for instance Exodus 25:18). And so, the Ten Commandments as listed currently in the Catechism group the directive against the worship of “graven image” as part of the first commandment, against the worship of idols and false gods as opposed to the One True God.

Catholic practices do not include the worship of statues or any other forms of idolatry, as these are explicitly condemned in Scripture. We do not worship statues, nor do we pray to them; statues and images are material objects that serve as reminders of God and those the Church recognizes are with Him in heaven, whom we venerate and ask to intercede for us by offering their prayers to the Lord.

But anyway, the point is that the content of the Ten Commandments is preserved in the list traditionally used in Catholic catechesis. Some Protestants assert that Catholics group the specific command against the worship of idols with that against the worship of false gods in order to “permit” what is falsely construed by those people as idolatry. In actuality, the Church condemns idolatry, always has and always will.
 
Last edited:
No, the Catholic Church didn’t change or delete any of the Ten Commandments. Nor did we renumber them. Protestants think we did because theirs comes from Exodus 20:1-20 while we get ours from Deuteronomy 5:5-21.
 
Jesus, the Apostles and the Prophets DID NOT SPEAK OR WRITE IN ENGLISH.

It’s all done in translation.

Ditto Augustine.

Sometimes … no punctuation.
 
Biblical 10 Commandments
  1. You shall have no gods before me.
  2. You shall not make for your self an idol.
  3. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.
  4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
  5. Honor your father and your mother.
  6. You shall not murder.
  7. You shall not commit adultery.
  8. You shall not steal.
  9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
  10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
Catholic 10 Commandments:
1.You shall not have strange gods before me.
2.You shall not take the name of the LORD in vain.
3.Remember to keep holy the LORD’s Day.
4.Honor your father and your mother.
5.You shall not kill.
6.You shall not commit adultery.
7.You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bare false witness against your neighbor.
9.You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10.You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
 
Last edited:
7_Sorrows, please go through the Catechism of the Catholic Church as well as the Holy Bible - Exodus 20: 1-17, you will see what I mean.
 
Is this to imply that the ordering of the Catholic Ten Commandments is not biblical?
 
I really don’t know, that’s why I am here to ask.
 
Last edited:
Go to the Catechism and read the entire section on the Ten Commandments.
 
Seems strange that something as important and fundamental as 10 Commandments which were written on stone tablets has no clear text and numbering. Strange too that these tablets were not preserved.
 
Ok lilypadrees, but the word ‘Sabbath’ is being omitted in the catechism. Can you explain?
 
Addoe_96 said:
Biblical 10 Commandments
  1. You shall have no gods before me.
  2. You shall not make for your self an idol.
  3. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.
  4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
  5. Honor your father and your mother.
  6. You shall not murder.
  7. You shall not commit adultery.
  8. You shall not steal.
  9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
  10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
Catholic 10 Commandments:
1.You shall have strange gods before me.
2.You shall not take the name of the LORD in vain.
3.Remember to keep holy the LORD’s Day.
4.Honor your father and your mother.
5.You shall not kill.
6.You shall not commit adultery.
7.You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bare false witness against your neighbor.
9.You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10.You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
Click to expand...
  • Judaism, lists the first category of sin as “I am the L-rd, your G-d”.
  • Catholicism has coveting property to be separate from coveting a spouse.
  • Protestantism lists prohibition against idolatry independently.
Jewish Categories (the Ten Commandments)
  1. Ex. 20: 2 (No other gods)
  2. Ex. 20: 3-6 (Improper worship)
  3. Ex. 20: 7 (No Oaths)
  4. Ex. 20: 8-11 (Observance)
  5. Ex. 20: 12 (Respect)
  6. Ex. 20: 13 (Harming)
  7. Ex. 20: 14 (Sexual Immorality)
  8. Ex. 20: 15 (Thieving)
  9. Ex. 20: 16 (Speech)
  10. Ex. 20: 17 (Coveting)
 
Last edited:
It’s replaced with “the Lord’s Day”, which is Sunday when we commemorate Christ’s resurrection. The Sabbath is Saturday.
 
But the biblical account contains a list of commandments that are not in harmony so the actual tablets are very important.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top