Exodus 20:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is noteworthy that prior to crossing the sea, they were warned to shun idolatry, and once they had crossed, they learned the importance of honoring their parents and the prohibitions against adultery, murder, and other fundamental ethical behaviors.

Moses received the Law on the mountain, inscribed on tablets of stone by the hand of God (Exodus 31:18), to deliver to the people. This Law comprises the Ten Commandments and does not include mandates concerning circumcision or animal sacrifices, which Christians no longer practice. With the exception of the Sabbath, these commandments instruct what a Christian must refrain from doing: creating and worshiping idols or any deities other than the one true God, misusing the name of God, disrespecting parents, engaging in immoral acts, committing murder, theft, giving false testimony, adultery, and coveting others' possessions. Who can declare that a Christian should ignore these commandments? Perhaps when the apostle speaks of the letter that kills (2 Corinthians 3:6), he is referring to the law of circumcision and other ancient rituals that have been rendered obsolete, rather than to the commandments inscribed on those two tablets.

What could it signify to transgress just one command and thereby forfeit all, if not a failure in the commandment of love? According to the Apostle, without this love, no true perfection in the virtues can be obtained; rather, it results in the transgression of all other commandments.

The natural law proved ineffectual in guiding moral conduct, leaving even the wise among the Gentiles trapped in the folly of idolatry and the depths of corruption. Similarly, the written law could not justify itself and did not prevent the Hebrews from falling into the very same errors for which the prophets consistently rebuked them, and in many respects, it only added to their guilt. It provided commandments without preventing transgressions, identifying sin but lacking the means to avert it; it stood as a holy law tainted by unfaithful stewards. Therefore, it was essential for a new grace to succeed the natural law and enhance the written law, correcting the former and perfecting the latter. All nations eagerly awaited this from the benevolence of God, the creator of all, who sees no distinction between Jew, Scythian, or barbarian. This divine grace has been bestowed upon us through the Mediator of the New Covenant, known as the law of grace, which justifies us apart from the works of the law. The law is not annulled; rather, faith in Jesus Christ does not undermine it, but rather reinforces it.

Similarly, in his letter to the Hebrews, he notes that the message delivered by angels was well-known (Hebrews 2:2).

Three statements from the New Testament, although seemingly contrasting, do not conflict with the words of Moses but rather enhance the understanding of their true meaning. First, St. Stephen's reference to the reception of the Law through angelic agency highlights not merely the command itself but the role of angels as ministers and messengers of God during the significant announcement of the Law. According to the interpretation of the Holy Fathers, these holy, incorporeal beings acted as channels through which God manifested His presence on Mount Sinai amidst thunders, trumpet sounds, and other overwhelming signs of divine power, as noted by Blessed Theophylact.

Secondly, it is clear that the law of our God was not merely proclaimed by angels but was arranged in a manner that emphasized God's majesty during the public declaration of His written law. This arrangement is represented by the angelic administration, indicated by the sounding of trumpets with divine swiftness, which God Himself displayed through the tangible signs of His communication with Moses.

Lastly, the statements found in the Epistle to the Hebrews convey a similar meaning. They do not foretell future events as delivered by angels, nor do they pertain to the inscribing, the imagery, or the sensory teaching of God's commandments. Rather, they elucidate the role of the ministering spirits, who were engaged by their Creator in the announcement of His law. This understanding, supported by the unified perspective of Church theologians, clarifies that it was not the angels who dictated the commandments of God's Law, but rather the Creator Himself, surrounded by the divine glory of the angels, who inscribed His sacred Law in a manner that could be perceived by the senses, marked by the signs of His divine majesty. The visible manifestation of God's glory during the proclamation of the Law was apparent to all, as the peak of Mount Sinai, shrouded in dense clouds and flashing with lightning, produced a fearsome cacophony of trumpets and cymbals, instilling great trepidation throughout the land. Such a formidable display was intended by God to cultivate greater reverence and fervor for His commandments among the unfaithful generation of the Jews.

Second, in his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul remarks that “the law was ordained by angels, by the hand of a mediator” (Galatians 3:19). Third, the Epistle to the Hebrews reinforces this notion, noting that the message to Israel “was declared by angels” (Hebrews 2:2). It is thus to be understood that the exalted and pure heavenly beings, the divine messengers of God, conveyed the eternal truths recognized as the Ten Commandments at His directive.