Lord's Day 34 Heidelberg Catechism

Lord's Day 34

Scripture Readings: Exodus 20:1-17; Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:30

Question 92. What does the Lord say in his law?
Answer. God spoke all these words:
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me."
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
"You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments."
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
"You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyonewho misuses [the divine] name."
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
"Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it."
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
"Honor you father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving to you."
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
"You shall not murder."
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
"You shall not commit adultery."
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
"You shall not steal."
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
"You shall not bear false witness against you neighbor."
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; You shall not covet you neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to you neighbor." 10

Question 93. How are these commandments divided?
Answer. Into two tables: the first has four commandments, teaching us what our relation to God should be. The second has six commandments, teaching us what we owe our neighbor.

For discussion and reflection:
Why are the commandments arranged as they are, i.e., our realtion to God first, then in our relations to others second?
Each of the commandments teaches what is ________ and what is __________.