Don't Turn to the Right or Left

The repetition of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy gives added significance to the document because repetition is often used in the text to indicate intensity. It is clear these commandments are the path Hebrew behavior is to follow with no deviation. The key phrase “don't turn to the right or left” leaves these laws without exception. However it is important to remember these commandments are more like the constitution than a religious prescription. This is a national leader giving a political speech not just a preacher preaching a sermon. Because of that it is clear that these commandments were centerpiece to the culture of Israel. A politician must always appeal to the embedded theology of or they won't be in office for long.  

As we draw a close on the Torah it must be stated this is not a primarily religious text, but an ethnic text about the development, history, mythology, customs, and faith practices that define its people. We see in the early texts a history on which the more prescriptive texts are built. To take the Torah and apply it as a prescription on our nation is to misapply it. While the Ten Commandments do have their merit as some are acknowledged by Jesus we must be careful to prescribe all the regulations some of which are national identity markers as musts in the Christian faith. Using passages to forbid tattoos and to force women to wear pants betrays the texts historical context. We must remember the Torah is primarily the story and law of a nation and not the laws of our own.