Notes on Issues in the Interpretation of the Decalogue

How (and why) count ten in the list?

Is recognizing God independent of not having other gods?
Are other gods and sculpted images the same thing?
Are women property?
Judaism counts Exodus 20:2 as the first commandment, 20:3-6 as the second commandment, and 20:14 as the tenth commandment.
Catholicism counts Exodus 20:3-4 as the first commandment, 20:7 as the second commandment, and 20:14 as the ninth and tenth commandments.
Reform protestants count Exodus 20:3 as the first commandment, 20:4 as the second commandment, and 20:14 as the tenth commandment.
Who cares? What about crucifixes?

All agree there are two tablets, one about relationship with God, another about relationship with neighbor.
Judaism counts 5 and 5
Catholicism counts 3 and 7
Reform protestants count 4 and 6

Henotheism – having one god for oneself, but acknowledging the existence of other gods (cf. being devoted to the Spurs but acknowledging the existence of other teams)
Monotheism – only one god exists (the Lakers do not exist)
Pure monotheism does not appear in Israelite literature before Second Isaiah
The position that the idea of monotheism developed over time and is not always assumed in the Bible is a good example of modern (not early) biblical interpretation.

Does God visit the guilt of parents upon the children, upon the third and fourth generations of those who reject God?
Another good example of historical development in legal interpretation
See sources on transgenerational punishment in chronological sequence (PDF)