From Feast upon the Word (http://feastupontheword.org). Copyright, Feast upon the Word.
Note: this page allows you to see all the commentary pages for Deuteronomy chapter 6 together. Click on the heading to go to a specific page.
Deut 6:1-5
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The Old Testament > Deuteronomy > Chapter 6
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Lexical notes
Verse 1
- Judgments. The Hebrew word mishpat can mean "judgment, justice, or ordinance." In English, these meanings seem quite dissimilar at first blush. Judgment and justice come from the Indo-European root deik- which means to show or pronounce solemnly. Ordinance on the other hand comes from ar- meaning to fit together (as in establishing order). Two more similar English words from these same two roots are, respectively, dictum and ordinance—both are pronouncements made for the purpose of establishing order.
Verse 2
- Fear the Lord. The Hebrew word yare' can mean fear, reverence, or awe. Translated fear, this verse stands in contrast to the commandment to love God in verse 4 (cf. 1 Jn 4:18 and Moro 8:16). However, translated as reverence, this verse seems more similar to love in verse 4. (See also verses 13 and 24 on fear and 7:8 which includes several more cross-references in Deuteronomy on love.)
Verses 3-4
- Hear, O Israel. See Deut 7:12 for structural notes regarding this phrase.
Verse 5
- Love the Lord. Notice the contrast here with the phrase "fear the Lord" in verse 2 (and the associated cross-references).
- Heart and soul. There is not really a word in Biblical Hebrew for mind per se. In fact, when this passage is quoted in Mark 12:30, the word mind (dianoia) is inserted after the words "heart" (kardia) and soul" (psyche) perhaps because the Hebrew words lbb (heart) and nphsh (soul) include the Greek concept of dianoia (mind).
Exegesis
Verses 4-5: Loving one God
Why is the phrase "our God is one Lord" included in verse 4? One possible reason is that it sets up a contrast between the belief in many gods and the belief in the one true God (Jehovah). Another reason might be to emphasize the unity of God (and/or the Godhood) so as to justify the command given in verse 5, to love God with heart, soul and might. In this sense, one might be emphasizing God's integrity and/or immutability. If God there were more than one God (contrary to the former interpretation), or if God were more fickle (contrary to the latter interpretation), then loving God so completely would likely be less achievable or more futile.
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Deut 6:6-10
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The Old Testament > Deuteronomy > Chapter 6
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Lexical notes
Verses 7-9 and 20-25: Structural bookends
These passages both discuss the need to teach the law to subsequent generations. These passages thus serve as structural bookends to the intervening verses which exhort complete devotion to God.
Verse 7
- Thou shalt teach . . . thy children. During the reign of the judges, the Israelites do not heed this advice and lose God's favor (cf. Judg 2:10).
Exegesis
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Deut 6:11-15
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The Old Testament > Deuteronomy > Chapter 6
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Lexical notes
Verse 13
- Fear the Lord. According to The Anchor Bible (v. 5, p. 345), fear (cf. verse 2) and love (cf. verse 5) were considered synonyms in Old Testament times. Only in late times did the distinction between serving God out of love versus serving God out of fear come about. (For example, Ben Sira seems to use fear and love interchangeably in The Book of Sirach 2:18-19 and 7:29-30, but in Philo's On the Unchangeableness of God (XIII-XIV) a distinction between serving out of love and fear is made.)
- Christ's quoting of this verse. Note that Christ seems to quote this verse when he is being tempted by Satan in Matt 4:10.
Verse 14
- Go after. According to The Anchor Bible (5:6-18 Notes), this expression has conjugal connotations (cf. Jer 2:2, 25; Hosea 2:7, 15).
Verse 15
- God is a jealous God. See the notes on Deut 5:9 where God says this in relation to the second of the 10 commandments about not bowing down to other Gods.
Exegesis
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Deut 6:16-20
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The Old Testament > Deuteronomy > Chapter 6
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Verse 16
- Christ's quoting of this verse. Note that Christ seems to quote this verse when he is being tempted by Satan in Matt 4:7.
- Massah. See Ex 17:7 where the children of Israel murmured against Moses for lack of water.
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Deut 6:21-25
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The Old Testament > Deuteronomy > Chapter 6
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Lexical notes
Verse 22
- Before our eyes. This phrase may suggest that the plagues inflicted upon Pharaoh were for the benefit of Israel. That is, perhaps another method may have been employed to free the Israelites from Egypt but would not have left as strong of an impression on the Israelites. In Deut 28:60 Israel is warned that the plagues will befall them if they are not obedient to God's laws.
Verse 24
- Fear the Lord. See Deut 6:13 for more on the theme of fearing and loving God in this chapter. Also, see Deut 28:58-68 for the curses that await Israel if they are not obedient to God's laws, thus providing a good reason to fear God.
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