286 There was tremendous holiness and power in this law because it is a
synopsis of all the elements of religion. It was engraved on two tablets,
one of which contains a synopsis of all things related to God, and the
other, a synopsis of all things related to us. For this reason the command-
ments of this law are called the ten words(Exodus 34 : 28 ; Deuteronomy
4 : 13 ; 10 : 4 ). They are called this because “ten” means all and “words” mean
truths. Of course, they contained more than ten words. For an explana-
tion that “ten” means all, and that tithes were established because of that
meaning, see Revelation Unveiled 101 ; on the point that this law is a syn-
opsis of all aspects of religion, see below [§ 289 ].
In Their Literal Meaning, the Ten Commandments
Contain General Principles to Be Taught and Lived;
in Their Spiritual and Heavenly Meanings,
They Contain Absolutely Everything287 It is generally recognized that the Ten Commandments in the Word are
called the law in a supreme sense because they contain all the princi-
ples to be taught and lived. They contain not only all the principles
related to God but also all the principles related to us. For this reason
this law was engraved on two tablets, one of which relates to God and
the other to us.
It is also generally recognized that all the principles to be taught and
lived come down to loving God and loving our neighbor. The Ten Com-
mandments contain all the teachings about these two kinds of love. The
entire Word teaches nothing else, as the Lord’s words make clear:
Jesus said, “You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with
all your soul, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
The Law and the Prophets hinge on these two commandments.”
(Matthew 22 : 37 – 40 )
“The Law and the Prophets” means the entire Word.
Further,
A lawyer tested Jesus by saying, “Master, what should I do to inherit
eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What has been written in the law?
How do you read it?” He replied, “You are to love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with