notes

Disclaimer

This page was automatically converted from a module that was shared prior to the release of Published Pages. Additionally, the arc below was auto-converted from the arc created by the author (which used the old module), and so it is possible there are misplaced logical relationships.

notes 1452680587073 Disclaimer This page was automatically converted from a module that was shared prior to the release of Published Pages. Additionally, the arc below was auto-converted from the arc created by the author (which used the old module), and so it is possible there are misplaced logical relationships.

Notes

2010-02-14 16:34:38

2010-02-22 06:20:40

Passage Commentary :: A little context might help us here. Exodus 20 is the famous chapter in which God gives the 10 Words, the 10 Commandments, to Moses and the people of Israel. He speaks these 10 Words in the hearing of all the people because at this point in the narrative Moses is at the bottom of Mt. Sinai speaking with the people as well. But to the people the voice of YHWH was like peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, shakings of the earth, and loud trumpet blasts. And quite naturally they feared for their lives! They say to Moses in v.19 - "You speak to us and we'll listen; but don't let God speak to us or else we'll die!" So when we arrive at v.20 this is Moses' attempt to comfort the people in their terror. Moses' injunction, "Take Courage!" is followed by a string of purpose clauses which serve as the ground or reason why the people can obey Moses' command. 1) "God has come to you in order to test you" - This awesome display of power before your eyes it a test for you, Israel, to see where your trust lies. The LXX translator is so set on communicating this point that he uses both a purpose conjunction and a purpose infinitive to make the point. But this purpose is not ultimate. 2) "in order that the fear of God might be in you" - This reverent fear YHWH is aiming at must be "in you". It is an external test with inward aims. God will not settle for external worship and submission if their hearts are far off. Pharaoh showed this kind of reverence at times when he acknowledged the greatness of YHWH but the fear was not in him. God came to test to produce inward fear, but this purpose is not ultimate. 3) "in order that you might not sin." - Here we land on God's ultimate purpose in this fiery ordeal, holiness! Sin is a powerful adversary and it has a death grip on all of humanity. Only something more powerful can combat this evil foe, only something that penetrates our hearts deeper, only something that fills us to overflowing. The people of YHWH needed a reverent fear of YHWH produced by a magnificent vision of YHWH if they were to follow the ways of YHWH, His 10 Words. This is the ultimate end of this verse, a fearful vision producing holiness. Did this happen? Sadly, no; v.21 tells us the people stood "far off" and the fear was not courageously in them. Not many chapters later the people of God learned how to ignore the thunders and thick darkness while they worshipped images made in the likeness of creation. But it need not be so with us! Everytime we sit before the sacred and terrible Word of God, take courage! God is there to reveal Himself in all His glorious majesty so that we fear ("believe") and live holy lives. What mercy it is to know Jesus Christ! In Him we can take courage and in Him have eyes to see this fearful vision leading to hoilness! Arc Commentary :: The language of purpose is heavy in this verse! The LXX translators used four different modes of communicating purpose: a purpose infinitive, ενεκεν, οπως, ινα. I've arced these interrelated purpose clauses in order from the initial indicative statement to the subsequent subjunctive and the final subjunctive. The last to purposes are contingent on the first happening which is why they are cast in the subjunctive. But, even more so, they are of higher purpose and therefore the ultimate aim is stated in the last purpose clause. Yet, the significance of Moses explaining the purposes of God is to serve as the ground for the original imperative, "Take Courage!"

10000000026278 26278 Notes 2010-02-14 16:34:38 2010-02-22 06:20:40 Passage Commentary :: A little context might help us here. Exodus 20 is the famous chapter in which God gives the 10 Words, the 10 Commandments, to Moses and the people of Israel. He speaks these 10 Words in the hearing of all the people because at this point in the narrative Moses is at the bottom of Mt. Sinai speaking with the people as well. But to the people the voice of YHWH was like peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, shakings of the earth, and loud trumpet blasts. And quite naturally they feared for their lives! They say to Moses in v.19 - "You speak to us and we'll listen; but don't let God speak to us or else we'll die!" So when we arrive at v.20 this is Moses' attempt to comfort the people in their terror. Moses' injunction, "Take Courage!" is followed by a string of purpose clauses which serve as the ground or reason why the people can obey Moses' command. 1) "God has come to you in order to test you" - This awesome display of power before your eyes it a test for you, Israel, to see where your trust lies. The LXX translator is so set on communicating this point that he uses both a purpose conjunction and a purpose infinitive to make the point. But this purpose is not ultimate. 2) "in order that the fear of God might be in you" - This reverent fear YHWH is aiming at must be "in you". It is an external test with inward aims. God will not settle for external worship and submission if their hearts are far off. Pharaoh showed this kind of reverence at times when he acknowledged the greatness of YHWH but the fear was not in him. God came to test to produce inward fear, but this purpose is not ultimate. 3) "in order that you might not sin." - Here we land on God's ultimate purpose in this fiery ordeal, holiness! Sin is a powerful adversary and it has a death grip on all of humanity. Only something more powerful can combat this evil foe, only something that penetrates our hearts deeper, only something that fills us to overflowing. The people of YHWH needed a reverent fear of YHWH produced by a magnificent vision of YHWH if they were to follow the ways of YHWH, His 10 Words. This is the ultimate end of this verse, a fearful vision producing holiness. Did this happen? Sadly, no; v.21 tells us the people stood "far off" and the fear was not courageously in them. Not many chapters later the people of God learned how to ignore the thunders and thick darkness while they worshipped images made in the likeness of creation. But it need not be so with us! Everytime we sit before the sacred and terrible Word of God, take courage! God is there to reveal Himself in all His glorious majesty so that we fear ("believe") and live holy lives. What mercy it is to know Jesus Christ! In Him we can take courage and in Him have eyes to see this fearful vision leading to hoilness! Arc Commentary :: The language of purpose is heavy in this verse! The LXX translators used four different modes of communicating purpose: a purpose infinitive, ενεκεν, οπως, ινα. I've arced these interrelated purpose clauses in order from the initial indicative statement to the subsequent subjunctive and the final subjunctive. The last to purposes are contingent on the first happening which is why they are cast in the subjunctive. But, even more so, they are of higher purpose and therefore the ultimate aim is stated in the last purpose clause. Yet, the significance of Moses explaining the purposes of God is to serve as the ground for the original imperative, "Take Courage!" notes

Arc

2010-02-14 16:34:38

2010-02-22 06:20:40

editing

Exodus

Exodus 20:20

OT

esv

mine

[TRANSLATION] And Moses said to them,

[SEPTUAGINT] καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς μωυσῆς

"Take courage!

θαρσεῖτε

for in order to test you

ἕνεκεν γὰρ τοῦ πειράσαι ὑμᾶς

God has come to you

παρεγενήθη ὁ θεὸς πρὸς ὑμᾶς

actionpurpose

in order that the fear of him might be in you,

ὅπως ἂν γένηται ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν

in order that you might not sin."

ἵνα μὴ ἁμαρτάνητε

ground

ideaexplanation

discourse

10000000026278 26278 Arc 2010-02-14 16:34:38 2010-02-22 06:20:40 editing Exodus 20 20 20 20 Exodus 20:20 2 OT esv mine i387544 i387538 [TRANSLATION] And Moses said to them, [SEPTUAGINT] καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς μωυσῆς i387545 i387539 "Take courage! θαρσεῖτε i387546 i387547 i387548 i387540 for in order to test you ἕνεκεν γὰρ τοῦ πειράσαι ὑμᾶς i387541 God has come to you παρεγενήθη ὁ θεὸς πρὸς ὑμᾶς actionpurpose 2 1 i387542 in order that the fear of him might be in you, ὅπως ἂν γένηται ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν actionpurpose 2 i387543 in order that you might not sin." ἵνα μὴ ἁμαρτάνητε actionpurpose 2 ground 1 ideaexplanation 1 1 1 1 esv 25 mine 25 a 50 discourse