On the negative side, the law with its ordinances indicates that man is fallen, is living in the fall, and is involved with Satan, related to demons, and enslaved to indwelling sin. On the positive side, the ordinances of the law reveal that God is kind, gracious, and loving, and that He cares for mankind, including servants, widows, orphans, and sojourners. Furthermore, Christ, the cross, redemption, and the economy of God are indicated, implied, and signified in the ordinances.

The ordinances of the law require man to preserve human life; to honor parents; to keep marriage pure; to be just, fair, honest, faithful, trustworthy and kind; to care for the needy; not to be greedy for base gain but to be willing to give; and to be a holy man unto God, submitting to Him and His authority and serving Him through the offerings that he may feast with God in God’s presence regularly.

The first ordinance concerning man’s relationship with others is an ordinance concerning a master and his slave. This indicates that in order to fulfill the ordinances of the law, we must be willing to sacrifice ourselves to serve others. Keeping the law requires the spirit, the love, and the obedience of a slave (Matt. 20:26-27; 22:36-40; John 14:31; Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:13-14). The servant in these verses is a type of Christ, who emptied Himself, took the form of a slave, humbled Himself, and sacrificed Himself to serve God and God’s people (Phil. 2:5-8; Matt. 20:28; Eph. 5:2, 25).

The freeing of a slave in a sabbatical year signifies that fallen man under bondage to sin (Rom. 7:14) may be freed by Christ as God’s rest (John 8:36 see note Heb. 4:9¹).

Love is the motive and prerequisite for a slave’s continued service. The Lord Jesus loved the Father (His Master — John 14:31), the church (His wife — Eph. 5:25), and all the believers (His children — Gal. 2:20b; Eph. 5:2). Motivated by such a love, He was willing to be a slave. All who believe in Christ, belong to Him, and have His serving life should take Him as their pattern (Matt. 20:26-28; Rom. 1:1; Phil. 2:5-8; Gal. 5:13; Eph. 5:2).

Others translate, the judges.

A slave should stand in the position of doing nothing on his own but acting only according to the word of his master and should have his ear open to hear the voice of his master (John 5:30; Psa. 40:6; Isa. 50:4-5).

The ordinances in vv. 7-11, 16, 33-36; 22:21-25 and Exo. 23:4-5, 9-11 are supplements to the law concerning man’s relationship with others, and the ordinances in Exo. 22:28-30 and Exo. 23:14-19 are supplements concerning man’s relationship with God.

The ordinances in vv. 12-14, 18-32 contain details related to the sixth commandment, forbidding murder (Exo. 20:13).

According to Num. 35:6, 9-15, these were the cities of refuge, to which one who killed another by mistake could flee. See note Num. 35:6^1a.

Lit., money.

Lit., he.

Lit., falls.

The ordinances in v. 15 and v. 17 give details related to the fifth commandment, concerning the honoring of one’s father and mother (Exo. 20:12).

The murder and lies within man signify that the devil, the source of murder and the father of lies, is working in fallen man (v. 14; 23:1-2; John 8:44; 1 John 3:12).