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Becky Parker Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Feb 03 2010 at 4:10pm | IP Logged
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My 16 year old son was in conversation with a protestant man who explained to him that the Catholics changed the 10 commandments. He said we took out the 2nd commandment, regarding graven images, and divided the final commandment about coveting thy neighbors wife and they neighbors goods. So, this son came home and checked the Catholic Bible we have (Douay-Rheims), in order to prove this man wrong. But, now he's just confused because according to the wording of the Bible, it looks as though the man he was speaking to is correct, and the Catholic teaching is wrong.
I'm very upset by this because I don't want my son to doubt his faith, but the worst of it is I don't have an answer for him. Can anyone help me with this?
__________________ Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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JodieLyn Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Feb 03 2010 at 4:35pm | IP Logged
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Everything is there in both versions.. we just number them differently.
__________________ Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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MaryM Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Feb 03 2010 at 4:35pm | IP Logged
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First, you might want to point out that the Ten Commandments are not numbered in scripture and if you used verse number you would have more than 10 anyway. They are just listed and it is true that they have been grouped together in different ways for numbering by different groups. The graven images directive is part of "You shall have no other gods before me" commandment.
I know I read a really good explanation of this difference between the numbers for Catholics and Protestants. I'll look for that.
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Michaela Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005 Location: Washington
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Posted: Feb 03 2010 at 4:37pm | IP Logged
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The 10 Commandments are listed in two books of the Bible. Exodus 20: 1-20 and Deuteronomy 5:1-21. Did you and your son check both?
Catholics and Lutherans use Deut. most Protestants use Exodus.
Here is something I found at Catholic Answers (The 9th Q & A on this page)
Why is there a difference between the Catholic version of the Ten Commandments and the Protestant one?
”A: Differences between Christians over the enumeration of the Ten Commandments shouldn't surprise us. The Bible itself gives slightly different versions of the Decalogue in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21.
In Exodus, a man's wife is ranked with his possessions as part of his household. In Deuteronomy, the wife is distinguished from a man's possessions. If you follow Exodus, the prohibitions against coveting a neighbor's wife and his property could be counted as one commandment. If you follow Deuteronomy, they could be counted as two separate commandments. This is mainly a difference in emphasis.
If the biblical number ten is to be maintained (Dt 4:13; 10:4; Ex 34:28), then what is given as a single commandment in one book must be divided into two in the other. Catholics and Lutherans generally follow Deuteronomy in counting prohibitions against coveting another's wife and property as two separate commandments.
Most Protestants count these together and regard the prohibitions against idols and the worship of false gods as two distinct commandments, which Catholics and Lutherans regard as one.
Interestingly enough, modern Jews take a third route. They separate the introductory phrase "I am the Lord your God" (Ex 20:2; Dt 5:6) from the prohibition against false gods and idols, which they count as one commandment. The commandments against coveting a neighbor's wife and his property are listed as one prohibiting covetousness.
Catholics, Protestants, and Jews accept the entire Decalogue. What they differ on is how its components should be numbered, something which, in view of what is held in common by these three groups, is unimportant.
__________________ Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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MaryM Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Feb 03 2010 at 4:41pm | IP Logged
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Thanks, Michaela - that is one source I was remembering and also there is this explanation at EWTN. It has a nice visual of the two texts (Exodus vs. Deuteronomy) side by side as well as a visual of the Catholic numeration and Protestant numeration of the 10 Commandments side by side.
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Michaela Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005 Location: Washington
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Posted: Feb 03 2010 at 4:58pm | IP Logged
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The comparison chart that Mary shared is what came to mind, but I had no idea where I had seen it. Thanks for linking it, Mary!
__________________ Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Becky Parker Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Feb 04 2010 at 5:56am | IP Logged
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Thanks Ladies!
This is all very helpful. Phew! Not the big deal I thought it was going to be.
__________________ Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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