Exodus
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Exodus 20 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered
A response and reply to the notes on Exodus 20 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).
King James Version
SAB comment
My comment
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
The Jehovah's Witnesses are not Christian in any meaningful sense of the word, see also the next verse.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Are we punished for the sins of others?
This is a theme frequently encountered in the Bible. But only for children that continue to do the sin of their fathers.
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Believers often say that the "days" of creation should be taken allegorically, but this verse is quite clear. God created the universe in six 24 hour days.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
How should parents be treated?
Is it OK to call your father (or anyone else) father?
Jehovah's Witnesses are disfellowshipped for celebrating Mother's Day or Father's Day. Why is that? Why aren't JWs encouraged to honor their parents by celebrating these days? It would seem like a perfect opportunity to follow the fifth commandment, "Honor thy father and thy mother."
On Jehovah's Witnesses, they are not Christians, and may speak for themselves.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
Is it wrong to steal?
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
To the God of the Bible, women and slaves (servants in the KJV) are the property of men; they are his possessions -- like an ox or an ass.
Is it OK to covet?
Does God approve of slavery?
On if this verse can be used as justification to claim a wife is a man's property: the issue is with the meaning of the word property. If I create something from clay, I may destroy it. It's my property. Is someone's wife property in that sense? Clearly not. But a man can lay claim to his wife in some sense, like she can to him. That's the meaning here. Someone's wife is his, not another. The word wife is exclusive.
On if it is OK to covet, see 1 Cor. 12:31.
On if God approves of slavery, see Philem. 1:10.
18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
Who gave the law to Moses?
23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
God gives instructions for killing and burning animals. He says that if we will make such "burnt offerings," he will bless us for it. What kind of mind would be pleased by the killing and burning of innocent animals?
Does God desire animal sacrifices?
Did God command the Israelites to make burnt offerings?
But note that his interpretation of the sacrifice and burnt offerings is completely over the top. These animals were to provide food for the priests, that's why they were killed. The killing was not torturous. Secondly, burnt offering doesn't mean these animals were burnt alive. They were killed first, then certain portions were burnt, see Lev. 1:4-8.
On the reason: it showed the people that death was the penalty for sin. It showed them that a sacrifice must be made for sin. And it also showed that animal sacrifice was not sufficient.
On if God desires animal sacrifices, yes, and see also the verses where the author of the SAB reads something different, such as Psalm 40:6.
On if the Israelites were commanded to make burnt offerings, yes, and see also the verses where the author of the SAB reads something different, such as Jer. 7:22.
25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
God tells the priests not to go up the steps to the altar "that thy nakedness not be discovered thereon." (Skirts on stairs are a problem.)
How many gods are there?
(20:3-5) "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.... Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them."
These verses are the basis of the Jehovah's Witness ban on saluting the flag. The governing body says that saluting the flag is a form of idol worship.