SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP (from Deut. 5:10)

It is a characteristic of Deuteronomy to link obedience to YHWH’s covenant to love for YHWH

(cf. 6:5; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1,13,22; 13:3; 19:9; 30:6,16,20).

YHWH’s love is not capricious, but clearly defined. He shows no partiality. His initiating covenant love is maintained by covenant obedience.

“Keep” (BDB 1036, KB 1581) is the key concept in this chapter (cf. Deut. 5:1,10,12,29,32 and many more times in Deuteronomy). The OT was based on the grace of YHWH and human obedience/performance. YHWH wanted to show human inability to respond appropriately (cf. Galatians 3). The NT (cf. Jer: 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-38) is based on God’s gracious initiation and redemption in Christ. Believers are still destined to be righteous (cf. Eph. 1:14; 2:10), but they have been accepted and forgiven by grace through faith (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). Now they obey/perform out of a sense of gratitude and family love (i.e., “those who love Me”). The goal is the same, a righteous (Christlike) people, but the mechanism has changed from human performance to Christ’s performance (cf. Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21).

Another Hebrew root used in Deut. 6:4, “hear” (BDB 1033, KB 1581), also means “hear so as to do/obey.” Obedience is the evidence that faithful followers ae faithful followers. Note Jesus’ words in Luke 6:46! One of the saddest passages in Isaiah describes Israel’s inability to obey (cf. Isa. 6:9-13)! also note Jesus’ words in Matt. 7:21-23,24-27.