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Deuteronomy 6:4–5: Edit history

Revision #14043

Deuteronomy 6:4–5

Localized for English-speaking readers

Status: approved

Changes from the previous English revision

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= Deuteronomy is a book in sermonic form in which Moses expounds the law anew to Israel just before the people enter the land of Canaan. After restating the Ten Commandments in chapter 5, the book summarizes their core in chapter 6 with this brief confession and command. The verses that follow (6:6–9) instruct the people to keep these words in their hearts, to teach them diligently to their children, to bind them on their hands and between their eyes, and to write them on the doorposts of their houses.
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- "Shema" is the passage's first word, the Hebrew for "Hear." In Judaism the passage is recited morning and evening. Following 6:8–9, observant Jews wear phylacteries (tefillin) during prayer and affix small scripture cases (mezuzot) to their doorposts.
+ "Shema" is the passage's first word, the Hebrew for "Hear." In Judaism the passage is recited morning and evening, and, following 6:8–9, phylacteries (tefillin) are worn during prayer and small scripture cases (mezuzot) are affixed to doorposts.
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= ## Interpretation
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= ## Debates and Issues
- Jews and Muslims have appealed to this passage in criticizing the Christian doctrine of the Trinity as a departure from monotheism. Christians respond that the doctrine of the Trinity confesses not three gods but three persons within the one God. Some Christians point out that the word "one" (*echad*) can also denote a composite unity, as in "one flesh" in Genesis 2:24, though others caution that the word alone cannot prove the Trinity. New Testament scholars note that in 1 Corinthians 8:6 Paul draws directly on the Shema while placing "one God, the Father" alongside "one Lord Jesus Christ."
+ Jews and Muslims have appealed to this passage in criticizing the Christian doctrine of the Trinity as a departure from monotheism. Christians respond that the doctrine of the Trinity confesses not three gods but three persons within the one God. Some Christians point out that the word "one" (*echad*) can also denote a composite unity, as in "one flesh" in Genesis 2:24, though others caution that the word alone can hardly prove the Trinity. New Testament scholars note that in 1 Corinthians 8:6 Paul draws directly on the Shema while placing "one God, the Father" alongside "one Lord Jesus Christ."
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- ## In the Korean Church
- The phrase in 6:7, "thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children," is a key text for emphasizing family worship and faith education. Many churches run faith-education programs under the name "Shema education" that connect the home with the Sunday school.
+ ## In Korean Churches
+ In Korean Protestant churches, the phrase in 6:7, "thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children," is a key text for emphasizing family worship and faith education. Many Korean churches run faith-education programs under the name "Shema education" that connect the home with the Sunday school.
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= ## Related Passages
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Known as the Shema, this passage begins, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD." It is the central confession of faith in Judaism and was cited by Jesus as the greatest commandment. It also serves as the starting point for discussions of the relationship between monotheism and the doctrine of the Trinity.
Known as the Shema, this passage begins, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD." It is the central confession of faith in Judaism, was cited by Jesus as the greatest commandment, and serves as the starting point for discussions of the relationship between monotheism and the doctrine of the Trinity.

Full revision

Known as the Shema, this passage begins, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD." It is the central confession of faith in Judaism, was cited by Jesus as the greatest commandment, and serves as the starting point for discussions of the relationship between monotheism and the doctrine of the Trinity.

Context

Deuteronomy is a book in sermonic form in which Moses expounds the law anew to Israel just before the people enter the land of Canaan. After restating the Ten Commandments in chapter 5, the book summarizes their core in chapter 6 with this brief confession and command. The verses that follow (6:6–9) instruct the people to keep these words in their hearts, to teach them diligently to their children, to bind them on their hands and between their eyes, and to write them on the doorposts of their houses.

"Shema" is the passage's first word, the Hebrew for "Hear." In Judaism the passage is recited morning and evening, and, following 6:8–9, phylacteries (tefillin) are worn during prayer and small scripture cases (mezuzot) are affixed to doorposts.

Interpretation

  • As a confession of monotheism: Amid surrounding nations that worshiped many gods, the passage confesses that the God of Israel alone is the true God and that loyalty is owed to him alone. Because the Hebrew of verse 4 is terse, it can be rendered either "The LORD is one" (emphasizing his uniqueness) or "The LORD alone is our God" (emphasizing exclusive loyalty), and translations differ somewhat in emphasis.
  • As a command to wholehearted love: Verse 5 commands love for God with all one's heart (levav), soul or life (nefesh), and might (me'od, "all one's strength"). Jesus identified this verse as the greatest commandment and, together with Leviticus 19:18, presented it as a summary of the law (Mark 12:29–31). The Gospel citation adds "mind," yielding four elements rather than three.

Debates and Issues

Jews and Muslims have appealed to this passage in criticizing the Christian doctrine of the Trinity as a departure from monotheism. Christians respond that the doctrine of the Trinity confesses not three gods but three persons within the one God. Some Christians point out that the word "one" (echad) can also denote a composite unity, as in "one flesh" in Genesis 2:24, though others caution that the word alone can hardly prove the Trinity. New Testament scholars note that in 1 Corinthians 8:6 Paul draws directly on the Shema while placing "one God, the Father" alongside "one Lord Jesus Christ."

In Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant churches, the phrase in 6:7, "thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children," is a key text for emphasizing family worship and faith education. Many Korean churches run faith-education programs under the name "Shema education" that connect the home with the Sunday school.

Related Passages

  • Deuteronomy 6:6–9
  • Mark 12:28–34
  • 1 Corinthians 8:4–6
  • Deuteronomy 11:13–21
  • John 10:30
RevisionTime (UTC)ContributorSummaryStatus
#140432026-11-05 01:48:32AI localizationLocalized for English-speaking readersapproved
#140422026-11-05 01:48:32AI localizationEnglish baseline before localizationapproved