The Law of God, as Contained in the Ten
Commandments, Explained and Enforced
By William S. Plumer, 1864
The Second Table of
the Law
The sum of the last six commandments is by our Lord given
in these few words: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matt. 22:39.
He says of the second table of the law that "it is like unto the first." It
is like unto it in these things: that it proceeds from the same divine
authority; that in order to the fulfilling of it, we must have genuine love;
that it is very comprehensive, involving many duties; that it requires our
utmost care and vigilance to avoid transgression; that if we have a right
spirit towards God, we shall not practice wickedness towards man; that the
scope and aim of both are purity; that he who requires holiness in the
church no less requires it "in the market, in the shop, at home, abroad; not
only in prayer but at the plough." The law would have been an imperfect rule
for the government of human beings, existing in society, if it had not as
clearly taught us our duty to man, as our duty to God. Domat: "Man's first
law is the spirit of his religion.... This implies a second law which
obliges men to unity among themselves, and to the love of one another."
It was particularly necessary that we should have the
second table, in order to avoid that fatal mistake made by many, that if we
are strict in our conduct towards God, we may be lax in our demeanor towards
men. At the very beginning of a revelation of true religion, God would have
us to understand that genuine piety will surely manifest itself towards
those around us. And in all the Scriptures God "has showed you, O man,
what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, and
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8. If men "keep
the way of the Lord," they will be sure to do justice and judgment. Gen.
18:19. No possible devotion to prescribed forms of religious worship is ever
pleasing to the Almighty, or can save a people from ruin, unless they learn
"to seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for
the widow." Isaiah 1:17. Indeed, when God would save a backslidden church
from utter extinction, he says, "These are the things that you shall do;
Speak every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and
peace in your gates: and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against
his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate,
says the Lord." Zech. 8:16. In like manner does God instruct us by the pen
of Paul. Romans 13:8-10.
The second table contains six precepts, beginning with
the fifth commandment, which points out the duties of our stations in
society; the sixth commandment is a bulwark around human life; the seventh
is God's protection to chastity and domestic peace; the eighth warns all
evil doers against infractions of rights of property; the ninth is God's law
respecting the good name of man; and the tenth is the keystone to this arch
of morals, covering everything that involves the temporal good of our fellow
men. We have an excellent help in the study of the second table. It is given
us by our Lord himself. It is simple, easily remembered and easily applied
to all the diversified cases that arise in fellowship between men: "Do for
others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that
is taught in the law and the prophets." Matt. 7:12. Another evangelist gives
it in still fewer words. "Do for others as you would like them to do for
you." Luke 6:31.
There is no possible situation in which men can be placed
in their dealings with each other, where, if the heart be honest, this rule
will not furnish a sufficient guide to our conduct. True indeed, no man will
rightly use even this plain maxim, unless he has learned the meaning of
Paul, when he says, "Each of you should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others." Phil. 2:4.
The second table of the law is well sustained by many
parts of Scripture, in showing that the will of God is that man's earthly
existence should be social, and not secluded. The Author of our existence
brings us into this world in a state of entire dependence on our
fellow-creatures, and this dependence lasts longer in the case of man than
of any other creature. Like dependence often recurs in old age. Nor can the
perfection of man's nature in any sense be attained in absolute solitude.
Hare: "Were we all so many hermits, made to live each by himself, having no
ties or dealings with other men, the first table of the law would perhaps
have been sufficient; as in that case, man would have owed no duties, except
to God only. God, however, did not form men to live alone, but to live in
society."