This is part of a paper I originally wrote for a collegiate class about 6-7months ago. Since then I have revised it some. It is certainly a great passage and one that is very important to Orthodox Judaism. However, Christians should understand this passage and understand it well because it is quoted in all of the Synoptic Gospels. Even though Shema is actually verses 4-9, I have only dealt with the first three here. There is much more I could have (and probably will) wrote about, i.e. the relationship between this passage and its quotations in the Synoptics. It is brief and is by no means a full-fledged commentary, but I hope it helps you understand this passage better.
A proper interpretation of any text in scripture consequently requires a proper method for interpreting that particular passage. In order to understand a passage one must first analyze such things as the author’s intended meaning, the original audience, and the historical and literary contexts of the passage one is attempting to interpret. It is clear that without the application of the aforementioned principles Deuteronomy 6:4-6 becomes difficult to fully understand. However, when these principles are applied, this passage of scripture can easily be interpreted correctly and effectively.
Historical Context of Deuteronomy 6:4-6
Authorship of the book of Deuteronomy is unanimously attributed to Moses. The strongest evidence for this rests in the fact that the writers of the New Testament recognized the penning of Deuteronomy as done by Moses (cf. Mark 10:5; 12:26; John 5:46-47; 7:19).[1] There is much evidence to suggest that Moses himself did not write the account of his own death found in Deuteronomy 34. However, this does not relate to the passage in discussion.
Most scholars date Moses’ birth to approximately 1520-1526 B.C. after a “consistent reconstruction of biblical chronology.”[2] Therefore, it is known that the pharaoh Amenhotep I was the one responsible for the edict that authorized the death of all Hebrew male newborns. It is also known that Thutmose III intensified Egyptian oppression of the Hebrews by reducing them to slaves under his administration.[3] After fleeing Egypt under Thutmose, Moses returned under the reign of Amenhotep II after the Lord called him to deliver His people.[4] Conservative estimates for the Hebrew’s exodus out of Egypt date to approximately 1447/1446 B.C. The book of Deuteronomy ends with the Israelites about to enter the land that was promised to them by the Lord since the wilderness era has lasted 40 years. Therefore, it can be safely estimated that Moses probably penned Deuteronomy around 1407/1406 B.C.
Traditionally, Deuteronomy is viewed as a sort of “farewell speech” that was delivered by Moses to the Israelites.[5] This can be seen by the language used in the first chapter. Moses is recollecting and reminding the Israelites of what the Lord has done for them and what they have been through (cf. 1:6). It is known that Moses was about to die and that the Lord had appointed Joshua to be Moses’ successor. Moshe Weinfeld states that “[m]ost of the Egyptian wisdom instructions were dressed in the form of testaments of kings and viziers to their successors. This technique may have exerted its influence on Israel’s literature.”[6] As one can see, Moses is addressing the Israelites in this fashion. Moses knew that his time was coming to an end which is why he thought it so “essential that he commit to writing the whole collection of tradition and truth that he understood to be the very revelation of God.”[7]
It is very important to understand that the generation that entered the promised land was not the same generation that received the first giving of the Law some 38-40 years ago at Sinai. A new generation has come on to the scene, one that was about to “embark on conquest” as Eugene Merrill states.[8] The covenant was in desperate need of being reiterated and reaffirmed to this new generation of Hebrews who had only heard about the history of their people. “[I]t was important that the people understood who they were, where they originated and what their God intended for them in the years to come.”[9] Most of the Israelites in the new generation about to enter the promised land had only experienced the tortuous wandering through the wilderness and had never experienced the exodus from Egypt. It is possible that they considered themselves to be a cursed people rather than a blessed one.
Literary Context
The title “Deuteronomy” itself is not the actual translation of the Hebrew title. The Hebrew title is elleh haddebarim, when translated into English reads “these are the words.”[10] As is ancient custom, this phrase provides us with the first words of the book.[11] The English title “Deuteronomy” is a mistranslation by those who penned the Septuagint.[12] The Septuagint translates it δευτερονόμιοv (deuteronimion).[13] They mistook the Hebrew words in Deuteronomy 17:18 (“a copy/repetition of the law”) to mean “second law.”[14] This immediately provides any reader of Deuteronomy with a misinterpretation of the purpose for writing Deuteronomy. The reader just supposes that Deuteronomy was written as a copy, or mere duplicate of the law, thus giving the reader less incentive to study it. Deuteronomy includes a second giving of the Law of Moses, however, “careful study of Deuteronomy makes it clear that the book is not a juridical statement at all but rather an exposition of a faith.”[15]
As was aforementioned, Deuteronomy presents itself as a speech, a collection of speeches rather, delivered by Moses shortly before his death. This proves the traditional analysis that Deuteronomy is more homiletical in its style.[16] As Duane Christensen states, “[t]hough [Deuteronomy] contains a series of laws, it is not a law code as such, but rather a work intended for religious instruction and education in ancient Israel.”[17] Christensen describes Deuteronomy as a book of “extraordinary literary coherence, poetic beauty, and political sophistication.”[18] Deuteronomy is a part of the Pentateuch or the Torah which in the Hebrew means “law” or “instruction.” It is therefore safe to assume that Deuteronomy was given for the purpose of instruction.[19] Deuteronomy also helps to bridge the gap between the first two major segments of the Hebrew Bible – The Torah and the Prophets.[20]
Deuteronomy 6:4-6 is specifically contained within the section in which Moses gives the Law for a second time to the Israelites. To be even broader, the text comes during a specific time in salvation history under what is called the Sinaitic Covenant. Under the Sinaitic Covenant one sees the specific promises of land and progeny (cf. Exodus 19:5-6; Leviticus 26:45). It is a passage that is usually described as a summation of the first four commandments of the Decalogue. The Decalogue is stated in the chapter prior to Deuteronomy 6 and is explained by Moses in the verses following it. In 6:1-3 Moses tells Israel why he is telling them the laws and commands of the Lord. He informs them that they need to know these things so that they may fear the Lord and so that they can increase greatly in the land that the Lord promised them. Then in verses 4-6 he gives the summation of the Decalogue in which he had previously given. Verses 7-9, the verses immediately following verses 4-6, Moses tells Israel what they are to do with the commandments of the Lord.
Exegesis
In the opening words of this passage, Deuteronomy 6:4-6, the phrase “Hear, O Israel” is what directly succeeds Moses instruction to Israel to obey and observe the laws that the Lord commanded Moses to teach to them once they enter the land (cf. 6:1). This phrase is a repetition of the opening words in verse three as well as 5:1 in which Moses instructs Israel to obey so that they “may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey” (NIV). The opening verb “‘[t]o hear,’ in Hebrew lexicography, is tantamount to ‘to obey,’ especially in covenant contexts such as this.”[21] So in turn, Moses is emphasizing the fact that in order to hear God, Israel must obey His commands.[22] The particular emphasis to obey the commands of the Lord is probably highlighted much more in the NLT which states “Listen, O Israel.” In 5:1 it is also stated that Moses gathered together all of Israel so it is known that Moses was indeed, literally, speaking to all of Israel during his collection of addresses.
“The Lord our God, the Lord is one” is the latter part of verse four. These words directly correlate to what Moses is trying to say to Israel. “The Lord alone” is the way the NRSV translates it. Between the NIV and the NRSV, these make up the two most common translations for the Hebrew phrase.[23] This is probably something that Israel already knew. So why would Moses choose to say this? Daniel Block offers two possibilities. He says that it could be a simple reminder to Israel that “Yahweh the God of Abraham, Yahweh the God of Isaac, and Yahweh the God of Jacob all represented a single deity.” He also proposes that Moses says this as “a declaration of the integrity of Yahweh, a cryptic reference to his internal consistency and fidelity, that is, morally and spiritually he is one.”[24] Other commentators seem to agree with the former. For example, Eugene Merrill states that “[t]he ideas clearly overlap to provide an unmistakable basis for monotheistic faith.”[25]
Then comes verse five in which the meat of the passage is presented and is where the very essence and theme of the passage reside. The command is given by Moses to Israel saying “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (NIV). The Lord has previously stated in 5:10 that he will show “love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Because of this, it is clear that to “love” the Lord here in this passage is not necessarily a reference to any kind of emotional or physical love. “In covenant terms, then, love is not so much emotive or sensual in its connotation (though it is not excluded in those respects), but it is of the nature of obligation, of legal demand.”[26] The Lord has chosen and elected a particular people to redeem and therefore requires of them the utmost obedience. Other translations such as the NASB translate the beginning of verse five as “you shall love.” Placing the “shall” at the beginning gives the verse a sense of obligation to the reader as if something has been done for them, therefore, they are at obligation to do something because of it.
There are three different levels of obedience that Moses lays out for Israel in the verse that show their devotion to Yahweh. First, Israel is to obey God with all their hearts. Just as is true in our culture, in Old Testament culture the heart was the very seat of all intellect and rationale.[27] Synonymous with the heart is the mind which contains all these things as well. Israel is to obey the Lord with their souls as well. The soul is a reference to the invisible part of a person’s devotion. Loving the Lord with all your soul means that one is in obedience to the Lord with all will and sensibilities.[28] “With all your strength” is the last part of the “trifecta” of an individual’s obedience to the Lord. This is certainly the physical side of obedience. According to Merrill “The word occurs only here and in 2 Kings 23:25 as a noun with nonadverbial nuance, and even here the notion is basically that of ‘muchness.’ That is, Israel must love God with all its essence and expression.”[29]
The final verse, verse six, is give a sort of closure to this particular passage, at least for a moment. “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts,” this is how verse six reads. As was previously discussed, in Old Testament anthropology the heart is the seat of all intellect and rationale. Therefore, when Moses says that the commandments are to “be upon your hearts,” he is using this phrase as an idiom probably to mean that they need to commit these commandments to memory.[30] To place words on one’s heart also constitutes loyalty.[31]
So taking this exegesis into intense consideration, Deuteronomy 6:4-6 reads like this: “Listen and obey the commandments of the Lord Israel: The Lord is your God and is one entity, therefore you should love Him with every element of your being; your mind, your inward desires, and your physical strength. You should commit these commandments to memory so that you may obey the Lord.”
Although the essence of this passage is still true today and is being taught, there are several differences, similarities as well, between the original audience and the audience today that one must take into account while interpreting this passage of scripture. As much as some would like to think so, Christians today in America do not belong to God’s chosen nation. Israel was God’s elected nation that He chose to redeem for His specific purposes and plans, therefore, one must understand that this passage, and the OT in general, must not be read as if they were being written to contemporary Christians. There are language differences that also exist. This text was originally written in the Hebrew language and anytime a language is translated there immediately becomes differences between the original and the translated texts.
The most important and biggest of all the differences, however, is probably the covenant differences. This passage was being written under a completely different covenant than exists for Christians today. It was a part of the Mosaic or Sinaitic covenant and was therefore being delivered to people who were living under this particular covenant. The covenant in which Christians today live under is a new covenant established by Christ himself. The Mosaic covenant is no longer a functional covenant because Christ has fulfilled it and established a new one. It is indeed safe to say that the river between the two audiences is quite wide. This passage was written under a different covenant, for a different people, in a different language, for a different purpose.
Theological Principles
The first theological principle that is found in this particular text is that obedience to God requires full devotion from your heart, soul, and strength. In the passage can be seen a theme that extends not just to Israel but to Christians today. In verse five Israel is to love God with all of their heart, soul and strength which is indicative of the fact that this is what the Lord requires for His people in order to be in full obedience to His commandments. Even the phrase in verse six, these commandments are to be upon your hearts, give good indication of the fact that in order to be completely and fully obedient to the laws of God, one must remember the laws, stay loyal to them, and commit them to memory. Regarding the theological implications of this passage Merrill writes “[t]he nature of the relationship between Yahweh and Israel consists fundamentally of the recognition that God is one (6:4-5) and that his people, if they are to enjoy the benefits of the ancient patriarchal promises, must serve him with undivided loyalty and faithfulness.”[32] It seems as though Yahweh is exclusively calling for a faithful and loyal response from His chosen and elected people. This is important to remember because “[t]he author of Deuteronomy desires that the people never forget the gracious God who gave them the land nor their responsibilities to worship him with the correct attitude.”[33]
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Block, Daniel I. “How Many is God? An Investigation Into The Meaning Of Deuteronomy 6:4-5.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 47 (2004): 193-212.
Byers, Ronald P. “Between Text and Sermon: Deuteronomy 6:1-15.” Interpretation 60 (2006): 194-196.
Carpenter, Eugene E. “Deuteronomy.” In Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Dictionary, ed. John H. Walton. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
Craigie, Peter C. The Book of Deuteronomy. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976.
Christensen, Duane L. Deuteronomy, Volume I. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, 1999.
Kline, Meredith G. “Deuteronomy.” In New International Bible Dictionary, eds. J.D. Douglas and Merrill C. Tenney. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987.
McConville, J.G. Deuteronomy. Leicester, England: Apollos, 2002.
Merrill, Eugene H. Deuteronomy. New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1994.
Thompson, J.A. Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1974.
Weinfeld, Moshe. Deuteronomy 1-11. Anchor Bible. New York, Doubleday, 1991.
Willoughby, Bruce E. “A Heartfelt Love: An Exegesis of Deuteronomy 6:4-19.” Restoration Quarterly 20 (1977): 73-87.
Wright, Christopher. Deuteronomy. New International Biblical Commentary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996.
This exclusive covenant commitment to Yahweh is known to Jewish tradition as the “Shema.” The Shema represents one of the most important symbols of Judaism. In most Hebrew manuscripts the last letters of the first and last words are exceptionally large, presumably to warn the reader that at this point the reading is to be especially precise. The importance of the Shema in Jewish tradition is also reflected in the Gospels. One day, apparently seeking to change the subject away from the issue of the resurrection, over which the Pharisees and Sadducees were arguing, one of the scribes asked Jesus, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" To which Jesus replied to with this very passage. To this day, Orthodox Jews recite the Shema twice daily as part of their prayers in the morning when they wake up, and at night before they fall asleep. In so doing they take "the yoke of the kingdom," which is to say that they place themselves under the sovereignty and kingship of Yahweh. The Shema is as close as early Judaism came to the formulation of a creed. (cf. Block, Deuteronomy 6:4-6, 194-5)
