vv. 1-3
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Summary of Religion. (b. c. 1451.) 1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Observe here, 1. That Moses taught the people all that, and that only, which God commanded him to teach them, v. 1. Thus Christ's ministers are to teach his churches all that he has commanded, and neither more nor less, Matt. xxviii. 20. 2. That the end of their being taught was that they might do as they were taught (v. 1), might keep God's statutes (v. 2), and observe to do them, v. 3. Good instructions from parents and ministers will but aggravate our condemnation if we do not live up to them. 3. That Moses carefully endeavoured to fix them for God and godliness, now that they were entering upon the land of Canaan, that they might be prepared for the comforts of that land, and fortified against the snares of it, and now that they were setting out in the world might set out well. 4. That the fear of God in the heart will be the most powerful principle of obedience: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes, v. 2. 5. The entail of religion in a family, or country, is the best entail: it is highly desirable that not we only, but our children, and our children's children, may fear the Lord. 6. Religion and righteousness advance and secure the prosperity of any people. Fear God, and it shall be well with thee. Those that are well taught, if they do what they are taught, shall be well fed too, as Israel in the land flowing with milk and honey, v. 3.
vv. 4-16
II. Aquí se prescriben los medios para mantener y conservar la religión en nuestros corazones y hogares, para que no se marchite ni decaiga. Y son estos:—1. Meditación: Estas palabras que yo te mando hoy, estarán sobre tu corazón, v. 6. Aunque las palabras solas sin las cosas no nos harán ningún bien, sin embargo, corremos el peligro de perder las cosas si descuidamos las palabras, por las cuales ordinariamente la luz y el poder divinos son transmitidos al corazón. Las palabras de Dios deben ser guardadas en nuestro corazón, para que nuestros pensamientos puedan estar diariamente conversando con ellas y ocupados en ellas, y así toda el alma pueda llegar a permanecer y actuar bajo su influencia e impresión. Esto sigue inmediatamente a la ley de amar a Dios con todo tu corazón; porque aquellos que lo hacen guardarán su palabra en sus corazones tanto como una evidencia y efecto de ese amor como un medio para preservarlo y aumentarlo. El que ama a Dios ama su Biblia. 2. La educación religiosa de los hijos (v. 7): "Y las repetirás á tus hijos; y al comunicar tu conocimiento lo aumentarás". Aquellos que aman al Señor Dios deben hacer lo que puedan para comprometer los afectos de sus hijos hacia Él, y así preservar el legado de la religión en sus familias para que no sea cortado. Las afilarás diligentemente sobre tus hijos, así lo leen algunos; repíteles estas cosas con frecuencia, prueba todas las formas de inculcarlas en sus mentes y hacer que penetren en sus corazones; como, al afilar un cuchillo, se gira primero por un lado, luego por el otro. "Sé cuidadoso y exacto al enseñar a tus hijos; y procura, como al afilar, agudizarlos y darles filo. Enséñaselas a tus hijos, no solo a los de tu propio cuerpo" (dicen los judíos) "sino a todos aquellos que de alguna manera están bajo tu cuidado y tutela". El obispo Patrick observa bien aquí que Moisés consideraba su ley tan clara y fácil que todo padre podía instruir a sus hijos en ella y toda madre a sus hijas. Así, esa cosa buena que se nos ha encomendado debemos transmitirla cuidadosamente a los que vienen después de nosotros, para que sea perpetuada. 3. Discurso piadoso. "Y hablarás de ellas, con la debida reverencia y seriedad, para el beneficio no solo de tus hijos, sino de tus otros domésticos, tus amigos y compañeros, estando en tu casa trabajando, o comiendo, o descansando, o recibiendo visitas, y andando por el camino para divertirte, o para conversar, o en viajes, cuando por la noche te retires de tu familia para acostarte a dormir, y cuando por la mañana te hayas levantado y regreses a tu familia. Aprovecha todas las ocasiones para conversar con los que te rodean sobre cosas divinas; no sobre misterios no revelados, o asuntos de dudosa disputa, sino sobre las verdades y leyes claras de Dios, y las cosas que pertenecen a nuestra paz". Lejos de ser considerado una disminución del honor de las cosas sagradas el hacerlas tema de nuestra conversación familiar, se nos recomienda hablar de ellas; porque cuanto más familiarizados estemos con ellas, más las admiraremos y nos afectaremos por ellas, y así podremos ser instrumentos para comunicar luz y calor divinos. 4. Lectura frecuente de la palabra: Y has de atarlas por señal en tu mano, y estarán por frontales entre tus ojos: Y las escribirás en los postes de tu casa, y en tus portadas, v. 8, 9. Es probable que en ese tiempo hubiera pocas copias escritas de toda la ley, solo en las fiestas de los tabernáculos se leía al pueblo;
vv. 17-25
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A Charge to Israel. (b. c. 1451.) 17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. 18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord : that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, 19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath spoken. 20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you? 21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: 22 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: 23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us. Here, I. Moses charges them to keep God's commandments themselves: You shall diligently keep God's commandments, v. 17-19. Note, It requires a great deal of care and pains to keep up religion in the power of it in our hearts and lives. Negligence will ruin us; but we cannot be saved without diligence. To induce them to this, he here shows them, 1. That this would be very acceptable to God: it is right and good in the sight of the Lord; and that is right and good indeed that is, so in God's sight. If we have any regard to the favour of our Creator as our felicity, and the law of our creation as our rule, we shall be religious. 2. That it would be very advantageous and profitable to themselves. It would secure to them the possession of the land of Canaan, prosperity there, and constant victory over those that stood in their way. In short, "Do well, and it shall be well with thee." II. He charges them to instruct their children in the commands of God, not only that they might in their tender years intelligently and affectionately join in religious services, but that afterwards they might in their day keep up religion, and convey it to those that should come after them. Now, 1. Here is a proper question which it is supposed the children would ask (v. 20): "What mean the testimonies and the statutes? What is the meaning of the feasts we observe, the sacrifices we offer, and the many peculiar customs we keep up?" Observe, (1.) All divine institutions have a certain meaning, and there is something great designed in them. (2.) It concerns us to know and understand the meaning of them, that we may perform a reasonable service and may not offer the blind for sacrifice. (3.) It is good for children betimes to enquire into the true intent and meaning of the religious observances they are trained up in. If any are thus inquisitive in divine things it is a good sign that they are concerned about them, and a good means of their attaining to a great acquaintance with them. Then shall we know if thus we follow on to know. 2. Here is a full answer put into the parents' mouths to be given to this good question. Parents and teachers must give instruction to those under their charge, though they do not ask it, nay, though they have an aversion to it; much more must they be ready to answer questions, and to give instruction when it is desired; for it may be hoped that those who ask it will be willing to receive it. Did the children ask the meaning of God's laws? Let them be told that they were to be observed, (1.) In a grateful remembrance of God's former favours to them, especially their deliverance out of Egypt, v. 21-23. The children must be often told of the deplorable state their ancestors were in when they were bondmen in Egypt, the great salvation God wrought for them in fetching them out thence, and that God, in giving them these peculiar statutes, meant to perpetuate the memorial of that work of wonder, by which they were formed into a peculiar people. (2.) As the prescribed condition of his further favours (v. 24): The Lord commanded us all these statutes for our good. Note, God commands us nothing but what is really for our good. It is our interest as well as our duty to be religious. [1.] It will be our life: That he might preserve us alive, which is a great favour, and more than we could expect, considering how often we have forfeited life itself. Godliness has the promise of the continuance and comfort of the life that now is as far as it is for God's glory. [2.] It will be our righteousness. Could we perfectly fulfil but that one command of loving God with all our heart, soul, and might, and could we say, "We have never done otherwise," this would be so our righteousness as to entitle us to the benefits of the covenant of innocency; had we continued in every thing that is written in the book of the law to do it, the law would have justified us. But this we cannot pretend to, therefore our sincere obedience shall be accepted through a Mediator to denominate us, as Noah was, righteous before God, Gen. vii. 1; Luke i. 6; and 1 John iii. 7. The Chaldee reads it, There shall be a reward to us if we observe to do these commandments; for, without doubt, in keeping God's commandments there is great reward.