Abstract
The Ten Commandments adorn the walls of many churches, keeping them before the eyes of worshippers as a symbol of what it means to respond faithfully to God. David Baker’s study explicates each line of the Decalogue in order to commend its enduring relevance.
Part 1 of the book is entitled ‘What is the Decalogue?’ and examines the shape, form, origin and purpose of the Ten Commandments. Concerning the shape of the ‘ten words’, Baker outlines the differences in numbering between various traditions (adopting the Jewish/Reformed pattern rather than the Roman Catholic/Lutheran enumeration). Among other introductory topics, he asks whether the Decalogue follows the pattern of an ancient Near Eastern treaty, concluding that it ‘expresses the essence of the covenant but is not a treaty document itself’ (p. 12) (this is a typically judicious stance; surprisingly, given Baker’s familiarity with the literature, he does not mention F. M. Cross’s thesis that biblical covenants have a familial background). The next chapter considers the form of the Ten Commandments in the two biblical and two extra-biblical versions (these are in the Nash Papyrus and the Samaritan Pentateuch), investigating whether it is possible to trace an original, pre-canonical form. Baker concludes that while a shorter, simpler Decalogue may have existed this cannot be proved. What, then, of the origin and purpose of the Ten Commandments? Although Baker eschews pinning his colours to any particular mast regarding the origins of the Decalogue, he states that social location is key for interpretation; he avers that the Ten Commandments are assumed by the prophets and implicit in the wisdom literature (p. 24). He also highlights the contrast between, on one hand, the Book of the Covenant, Holiness Code and Deuteronomic law, which are all portrayed as being mediated by Moses, and, on the other hand, the Decalogue, which is presented as the very words of God. Baker discusses whether the Ten Commandments are for all people everywhere, for free adult male Israelites or for all Israel, concluding that it is the last (p. 32). He then considers whether the Decalogue was the Hebrew catechism, ancient Israel’s criminal law, a set of basic moral and ethical principles, or the Israelite constitution. Because the Ten Commandments start with the basis of God’s relationship with Israel and then lists primary obligations, Baker draws a comparison with the Magna Carta: ‘Far from being a dry legal document or a burden to bear, the Decalogue is a charter of freedom to be embraced and celebrated’ (p. 35).
The following two parts, ‘Loving God’ and ‘Loving Neighbor’, both contain five chapters, each of which considers a commandment’s ancient Near Eastern background and canonical context before offering a reflection on its contemporary relevance. A single example of Baker’s approach will serve as an illustration.
The seventh commandment prohibits adultery. The chapter starts by citing a number of ancient Near Eastern laws, for example, the Code of Hammurabi 129, to show that sanctions for adultery were widespread. A feature of these laws was that men and women were to be treated similarly, and that both perpetrators were typically subject to capital punishment. Exceptions for cases of seduction and rape in the Middle Assyrian Laws and Hittite Laws—often based upon the location of the event—are referenced. Although there is some gender parity in terms of punishment, Baker notes that there is an ‘imbalance’ in the perception of adultery itself, which was considered a crime against the woman’s husband, the gods and society (pp. 112–13). Turning to the biblical commandment, Baker carefully notes its concern with male intercourse with a married woman who is not the man’s wife, and that it applies to betrothed couples as well as marriage partners. Because adultery is a capital crime but fornication is not (Exod. 22:16–17; Deut. 22:28–29), Baker concludes that the commandment’s concern is the ‘sanctity of marriage’ (p. 114). He proceeds to note some examples of adultery in biblical narrative, including instances where the death penalty was not executed, for example, in the case of David and Bathsheba. The chapter finishes with a reflection on the commandment’s contemporary relevance. The reflection asserts that marriage laws are best obeyed in ‘spirit and truth’ rather than to the letter: Baker suggests it is better faithfully to ‘live in sin’ than have a series of marriages without technically committing adultery. Concerning divorce, Baker affirms that in the light of Jesus’ reaction to the scribes and the Pharisees in Jn 8:30–11, the Decalogue is not the final word on the matter. Indeed, Jesus’ comment about even looking at another lustfully (Matt. 5:28–29) leads Baker to posit the priority of purity of heart and mind (p. 120).
In a short conclusion, ‘Loving God Today’, Baker notes that in their literary context the Ten Commandments are given to the Israelites after their rescue from oppression: they are, he suggests, the principles for responding to God that underlie the more detailed injunctions in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Leviticus (p. 156). A (very) brief discussion of Jesus’ attitude to the Ten Commandments and an affirmation that they should, along with other selected biblical texts, for example, the Sermon on the Mount, be ‘the starting point’ for Christian ethics (p. 158) brings The Decalogue to a close. The book contains a bibliography organised by commandment, plus author, subject and Scripture indices.
Baker is a well-read guide to the ancient cultural contexts for the Decalogue and his book provides readers with much interesting and relevant background information. This is all presented with a light touch and engaging style making it an ideal book for students.
The most significant caveat for ethicists, however, concerns Baker’s hermeneutics in the final section of each chapter, where he attempts to demonstrate the contemporary relevance of each commandment. His approach is to juxtapose biblical text and modern situation, then draw some lessons in a fairly straightforward manner. There is little attempt to provide a ‘thick description’ of a modern context to which a command might speak or to argue for a particular ethical posture or conclusion: both the situation and remedy are presented as fairly self-evident, more sermonic than nuanced. This is probably because of the constraints of space—Baker lived and taught in Indonesia for many years and is well aware of the difficulties presented by cultural distance, both between different contexts or between text and context—but more detail and rigour here would have enhanced his argument.
Notwithstanding this comment, Baker’s reliable guide can be warmly recommended as an informative and suggestive introduction to a text which remains central to the Christian imagination and, for many, to Christian ethics.