Lord’s Day 34
Q93. How are these commandments divided?
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.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Matthew 22:37–40
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
This Question concerning the division of the Decalogue is necessary and profitable; 1. Because God himself expressed a certain number of tables and commandments in the Decalogue.
2. Because Christ divided the sum of the whole law into two commandments, or into two kinds of commandments.
3. Because a correct division of the Decalogue contributes much to a proper understanding of the commandments. It teaches and admonishes us in reference to the degrees of obedience required by each table, and shows that the worship of the first table is the most important.