Q. 1129.  Explain further how the two commandments of the love of God and of our neighbor contain the teaching of the whole ten commandments.  A. The two commandments of the love of God and of our neighbor contain the teaching of the whole ten commandments because the first three of the ten commandments refer to God and oblige us to worship Him alone, respect His name and serve Him as He wills, and these things we will do if we love Him; secondly, the last seven of the ten commandments refer to our neighbor and forbid us to injure him in body, soul, goods or reputation, and if we love him we will do him no injury in any of these, but, on the contrary, aid him as far as we can.

Q. 1130. {313} Which are the Commandments of God? 
A. The Commandments of God are these ten: 

 1.  I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
    out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt not have strange gods before
    me.  Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness
    of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor
    of those things that are in the waters under the earth.  Thou shalt
    not adore them, nor serve them.
 2.  Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
 3.  Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
 4.  Honor thy father and thy mother.
 5.  Thou shalt not kill.
 6.  Thou shalt not commit adultery.
 7.  Thou shalt not steal.
 8.  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
 9.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.
10.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.

Q. 1131.  What does the first commandment mean by a “graven thing” or “the likeness of anything” in heaven, in the earth or in the waters?  A. The first commandment means by a “graven thing” or “the likeness of anything” in heaven, in the earth or in the waters, the statue, picture or image of any creature in heaven or of any animal on land or in water intended for an idol and to be worshipped as a god.

Q. 1132. {314} Who gave the Ten Commandments?  A. God Himself gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, and Christ our Lord confirmed them.

Q. 1133.  How and when were the Commandments given to Moses?  A. The Commandments, written on two tables of stone, were given to Moses in the midst of fire and smoke, thunder and lightning, from which God spoke to him on the mountain, about fifty days after the Israelites were delivered from the bondage of Egypt and while they were on their journey through the desert to the Promised Land.

Q. 1134.  What do we mean when we say Christ confirmed the Commandments?  A. When we say Christ confirmed the Commandments we mean that He strongly approved them, and gave us by His teaching a fuller and clearer knowledge of their meaning and importance.

Q. 1135.  Was anyone obliged to keep the Commandments before they were given to Moses?  A. All persons, from the beginning of the world, were obliged to keep the Commandments, for it was always sinful to blaspheme God, murder, steal or violate any of the Commandments, though they were not written till the time of Moses.