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Deuteronomy covers Moses’s address to the new generation in the wilderness.
After reviewing Israel’s history, he recounts the Ten Commandments.
As part of Israel’s responsibility to God, the third commandment forbids the misuse of God’s name and warns that this attracts punishment
Earlier in Exodus, God instructs that they remember the Sabbath, but now Moses added that Israel must observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, suggesting laxity in obedience
They are to work for six days and dedicate the seventh day to God as a day of rest and worship.
Judaism observed the Sabbath on Saturday, but Christianity adopts Sunday as the day of worship.
The Sabbath must be observed weekly as a reminder not only of the creation account, where God rested on the seventh day, but also in the light of redemption, as with the freedom from bondage in Egypt
Beyond obedience, Israel must honor their parents so that it may be well with them
In the second lesson, some Pharisees came from Jerusalem to ask Jesus about his disciples’ treatment of the elders’ tradition
They asked Jesus why his disciples don’t wash their hands before they eat
The Pharisees were trying to enforce the level of purity demanded of the priest on every Jew through the ritual hand washing, extending it to meals
Jesus, in turn, confronted them with their practice of nullifying the word of God for the sake of their tradition
The fifth commandment instructs honoring parents with severe infringement like death
However, in place of honoring parents, the Pharisees have approved through their tradition the idea of diverting resources meant for parents in the name of “devoting it to God”
Jesus quoted from the prophecy of Isaiah about vain worship as it applies to the people
They have reduced religion into mere human rules characterized by lip service and with hearts far from God
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