The Law Given to the Israelites Only by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 19, 1871

The Law Given to the Israelites Only.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

WHEN God spoke the ten commandments he introduced himself to Israel in these words: “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” Ex. 20: 1, 2. Those who say that this law was given only to the Jews, try to make a strong argument, thus: I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt. The words thee and thy refer to those, and those only, who were brought out of Egypt. Then we go on with the commandments: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Six days shalt thou labor. The words thou and thee used in each one of the ten commandments, refer to the same individuals, viz., those brought out of the land of Egypt. Therefore this law was addressed only to the Israelites, and has no reference to other nations.

There are many overwhelming objections to this position; but try their own plan of playing upon the words, thy, thee, &c. I am the Lord thy God. Thy refers to those brought out of Egypt. Hence God is only the God of the Jews, and is not the God of the Gentiles, because they are not included in this term. It will be seen that it proves this position just as plainly as the other.

We know that this is false. Thus Paul says: “Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” Rom. 3: 29. This one fact shows the falsity of this argument, founded on the use of the words thee and thy in the ten commandments.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Decatur City, Iowa.