What is the benefit of the ten commandments?

Answer 1

The Ten Commandments are a pillar of Western civilization. They have improved the conduct of billions of people. These Commandments are so important that God revealed His presence to the entire Israelite nation when He spoke these Commands. And He scribed them in stone (Deuteronomy ch.9); unlike the rest of the Torah, which He had Moses write (Deuteronomy 31:24).

What would Western society look like without these Commandments?

1) "I am the Lord your God..." has shaped the Western beliefs about God. Pantheism and polytheism, which were excuses for immorality, are out.

2) The 7-day week, including a day of rest for everyone, is thanks to the Fourth Commandment.

3) Without the Fifth Commandment, society might still permit abandoning our aged parents to die.

4) Without the Sixth Commandment, we might still be killing our own children. Aristotle, who was among the greatest of the Greeks, and Seneca, the famous Roman, both write that killing one's young babies is perfectly acceptable; and that was the practice in their societies.

The above are just a few examples.

And how might we live by the Commandments in our daily lives?

1) "I am the Lord your God" is our reminder to be aware of God constantly.

2) "You shall not have other gods" means not to make anything other than God too important. Example: not to "worship the almighty dollar" or anything other than God.

3) "You shall not use God's name needlessly" teaches us to deal with God's names with the utmost reverence.

4) "Remember the Sabbath day": to honor it as a testimony to the Exodus and to the Creation of the world (Exodus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5:14).

5) "Honor your father and mother": to do our best to honor and assist them; and to avoid being cheeky to them. No "generation gap" should be allowed to spoil family ties.

6) Do not kill: also hints at avoiding character assassination or endangering someone.

7) Do not commit adultery: flirting is playing with fire.

8) Do not steal: even a paperclip should not be filched.

9) Do not bear false witness.

10) Do not covet: to avoid jealousy and gazing longingly at what is not ours. To realize that the other fellow's possessions have been allotted to him by God.

Answer 2

The Ten Statements were given to Jews as the core guidelines for how we can live righteously as Jews. According to the Tanach, Jewish Bible, the Ten Statements only apply to Jews. There are a separate set of 7 guidelines for the rest of humanity called the Noahide laws.

Answer 3

They are one of the pillars of society, even today.