Core Ethical Teachings (HSC SSCE Studies of Religion): Revision Notes
Core Ethical Teachings
Introduction to Christian ethics
Christian ethical teachings come from multiple sources that together form a comprehensive moral framework. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) provides foundational ethical principles, particularly through the laws in the Torah and the prophetic writings that emphasise social justice, such as the books of Amos and Micah. The Christian Gospels and New Testament add Jesus' own teachings and interpretations. Some denominations, particularly Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox churches, also draw ethical guidance from Church Councils, papal statements and episcopal teachings. Importantly, all Christian traditions stress the role of individual conscience in developing and applying ethical principles.
Christian ethics are closely related to Jewish ethics because Christianity emerged from Judaism and shares the Hebrew Bible as sacred text. Both traditions accept the Ten Commandments as the starting point for ethical teaching, though they interpret and apply them within their own theological frameworks.
The Ten Commandments
Origins and significance
The Ten Commandments are the most important laws that God revealed to the Jewish prophet Moses. They appear twice in the Hebrew Bible: Exodus 20:2-14 and Deuteronomy 5:6-18. These commandments establish the framework for relationships with God and with other people, forming the foundation of both Jewish and Christian ethics.
The Ten Commandments serve a dual purpose: they govern both our vertical relationship with God (commandments 1-4) and our horizontal relationships with other people (commandments 5-10). This comprehensive framework ensures that ethics encompasses all dimensions of human life.
The commandments explained
The commandments can be understood in two groups. The first group focuses on worship and relationship with God:
1. Worship only the Lord
This commandment establishes that believers must worship only the one God who delivered these commandments. It establishes monotheism as central to faith and prohibits the worship of other deities.
2. No carved images
The second commandment forbids worshipping carved images or idols. This protects against idolatry and ensures that worship is directed toward God alone, not physical representations.
3. Keeping contracts and oaths
The third commandment concerns the ethics of truthfulness. One must not use God's name to falsely promise something one does not intend to do. This establishes the sacred nature of oaths and promises.
4. Keep the Sabbath holy
The fourth commandment returns to worship, demanding that the Sabbath (the holy day of the week) be set aside for rest and worship. This establishes a rhythm of work and rest that honours both human needs and divine command.
The second group addresses ethical behaviour toward others:
5. Honour your parents
The fifth commandment demands that children show respect to their parents. This establishes the family as the foundation of society and recognises the authority and wisdom of the older generation.
6. Do not murder
The sixth commandment provides the ethical injunction against taking another person's life. This establishes the sanctity of human life and prohibits killing.
7. Do not commit adultery
The seventh commandment demands that men and women keep their marriage vows by not having sexual relations outside of marriage. This protects the institution of marriage and family stability.
8. Do not steal
The eighth commandment forbids stealing, establishing respect for property and the rights of others. This creates the foundation for economic justice and trust within communities.
9. Do not bear false witness
The ninth commandment is ethical in nature, stating that one must not lie when speaking about another person. This establishes the importance of truthfulness and protects individuals from slander and false accusations.
10. Do not covet
The tenth commandment demands that one not desire one's neighbour's house or possessions. Importantly, this commandment looks beyond actions to examine motives and desires. Ethics are therefore more than just behaviour; they involve one's inner thoughts and attitudes.
Different numbering traditions: For Catholics and Lutherans, commandments 1 and 2 are combined and considered together as the first commandment. This results in slightly different numbering systems across Christian denominations, though the content remains the same.
Function as ethical guide
Christians interpret the Ten Commandments as rules to live by and a guide to ethical behaviour. They provide clear boundaries for moral conduct and establish principles that support peaceful community living.
The Beatitudes
Context: The Sermon on the Mount
One of Jesus' most famous sermons is the Sermon on the Mount, presented in Matthew chapters 5-7. This extensive discourse touches on many significant ethical areas, examining not just actions but also the motives behind them. Jesus calls his followers to achieve an almost impossibly high standard of behaviour. The sermon begins with a section known as the Beatitudes, which sets the tone for all that follows.
Understanding the Beatitudes
The term "Beatitudes" comes from the Latin word beatitudo, meaning "happiness" or "blessedness". In Matthew 5:3-13, Jesus identifies certain people who will be blessed with happiness. This list is considered a summary of Jesus' ethical teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Some of these statements also appear in Luke's Gospel, though with different emphases.
The Beatitudes represent a radical reversal of worldly values. While society typically prizes wealth, power, and self-sufficiency, Jesus blesses the humble, the meek, and those who hunger for justice. This counter-cultural teaching challenges adherents to reconsider what truly matters in ethical living.
The eight Beatitudes are:
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit
Those who are humble and recognise their spiritual need will receive the kingdom of heaven. This reverses worldly values that prize pride and self-sufficiency.
2. Blessed are the meek
Those who are gentle and humble will possess the land. Meekness does not mean weakness but rather strength under control and humble submission to God.
3. Blessed are they who mourn
Those who grieve will be comforted. This acknowledges human suffering and promises divine consolation.
4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice
Those who earnestly desire righteousness and justice will have their fill. This emphasises active pursuit of what is right and good.
5. Blessed are the merciful
Those who show mercy to others will themselves obtain mercy. This establishes reciprocity in ethical behaviour.
6. Blessed are the clean of heart
Those who are pure in their intentions and motives will see God. This again emphasises the importance of internal purity, not just external behaviour.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers
Those who work to create peace will be called children of God. This actively promotes reconciliation and harmony.
8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice sake
Those who are persecuted because they pursue justice will receive the kingdom of heaven. This acknowledges that ethical living may lead to suffering.
Significance and broader context
These sentiments reflect themes found in Hebrew scripture that offer hope and comfort to those with little power or wealth. The Beatitudes suggest that being guided by mercy, driven to be pure, and working for peace will lead to both happiness in this life and entry into the kingdom of heaven.
Many Christians understand references to the Beatitudes to include the entire Sermon on the Mount. This sermon also contains the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12): "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount emphasise that ethical behaviour is not just about actions but about the motives and attitudes that underlie those actions.
The Commandment of Love
Jesus' central teaching
Love was a constant theme in Jesus' teaching and represents the ultimate ethical principle that should guide behaviour. Several passages in the Bible express what Christians call Jesus' commandment of love, emphasising the relationships that guide ethical behaviour.
The greatest commandment
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus identifies the most important commandment when he says:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. This is the greatest of the commandments, and the first. And the second, is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39)
This statement combines two elements: vertical relationship with God and horizontal relationships with other people. Both dimensions are essential to Christian ethics.
Agape love
The Greek word Jesus uses for love in these passages is agape, which means an unconditional, self-sacrificing love. This is not romantic love or friendship love, but rather a deliberate choice to seek the good of others regardless of feelings or personal benefit.
Understanding agape love: Unlike emotional or affectionate love, agape is a choice and commitment to act for the good of others. It does not depend on feelings or reciprocation. This makes it the highest form of love in Christian ethics—one that can be extended even to enemies and those who persecute us.
Jesus' command to love also appears in other Gospel passages:
- "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." (John 13:34)
- "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friend." (John 15:13)
- "I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another." (John 15:17)
Love as ethical standard
Jesus' own life and ministry were motivated by love. The commandment of love suggests that true love, expressed in relationships with others, is a self-sacrificing love that puts the interests of others ahead of self-interest. This creates a demanding, even impossible ethical standard for Christian adherents to strive toward. It goes beyond mere rule-following to require a fundamental orientation of life toward loving service of God and neighbour.
The commandment of love is not simply one rule among many—it is the principle that underlies and fulfills all other ethical teachings. As Paul writes in Romans 13:10, "love is the fulfilling of the law." This means that if one truly loves God and neighbour, all other commandments will naturally be kept.
The importance of ethical teachings in the lives of adherents
Practical application of the Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments can be divided into demands about worship (commandments 1-4) and demands about ethical behaviour toward others (commandments 5-10). The second group focuses on essential rules that enable communities to flourish.
The third commandment (keeping contracts and oaths) ensures that businesses and governments can trust people to do what they promise. This creates the foundation for reliable commercial and civic life.
The seventh commandment (against adultery) advocates that women and men remain faithful to each other. This is both an ethical concern about love and respect within marriage and a practical matter that protects family property and inheritance rights.
The eighth commandment (against stealing) helps guarantee the ownership of property and creates security within society.
The ninth commandment (against false witness) reminds people of the importance of honesty in all dealings, particularly in legal and judicial contexts.
The tenth commandment (against coveting) looks beyond actions to examine motives. Ethics are therefore more than just behaviour; they involve one's thoughts and desires. This internal focus distinguishes biblical ethics from purely legal or external moral codes.
These commandments have formed the basis for behaviour and laws in Western society, with many principles enshrined in civil and criminal law.
Impact of the Beatitudes
Jesus' Beatitudes suggest that meekness, patience and mercy are needed to transform the world's problems. These ideals are not satisfying as ends in themselves but lead toward the kingdom of heaven. This could refer to a future spiritual realm, but might also describe a perfect state or kingdom on earth that Jesus, as both a political and religious figure, was trying to create.
In the uncertain and politically challenging times in which Jesus lived, his call for universal love was bold, brave and exciting. Some scholars argue it was overly optimistic given human nature, yet it continues to inspire Christian adherents to pursue high ethical standards.
Love as motivation
Developing from the Beatitudes, Jesus declared that unselfish love is the ultimate way to connect with God and the ultimate purpose for each person on earth. This idea of the commandment of love suggests that love, expressed in relationships with others, is a self-sacrificing love that puts the interests of others ahead of self. This creates a demanding ethical standard that challenges adherents to examine not just their actions but their deepest motivations.
Additional sources of ethics
The Pauline letters (epistles written by the Apostle Paul) are also an important source of Christian ethics. These letters indicate that early Christian ethics represented a fusion of Jewish ethics drawn from Hebrew scriptures and the moral teachings found in Greco-Roman culture. This synthesis helped Christianity develop ethical teachings that could speak to both Jewish and Gentile converts.
Exam guidance
When answering questions about Christian ethical teachings:
Analyse questions: Identify the specific ethical teaching being asked about and explain how it functions in Christian practice. Show connections between different ethical teachings (e.g., how the Beatitudes develop the principles in the Ten Commandments).
Evaluate questions: Consider strengths and limitations of Christian ethical teachings. For instance, discuss whether the demanding standards Jesus sets are realistic or achievable, or examine how different Christian denominations interpret and apply these teachings differently.
Case study applications: Be prepared to apply these ethical teachings to contemporary moral issues, showing how Christians might use the Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, or commandment of love to address modern dilemmas.
Remember!
Key points to remember:
- Christian ethics come from multiple sources: Hebrew Bible, New Testament, Church teaching, and individual conscience
- The Ten Commandments form the foundation, covering both worship of God (1-4) and ethical behaviour toward others (5-10)
- The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount emphasise inner attitudes and motives, not just external actions
- Jesus' commandment of love (agape) represents unconditional, self-sacrificing love and is the ultimate ethical principle
- These teachings examine both actions and motives, creating demanding standards for adherents
Key terms:
- Ten Commandments: Laws given by God to Moses establishing foundations for worship and ethics
- Beatitudes: Eight statements of blessing from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
- Agape: Greek word for unconditional, self-sacrificing love
- Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12)
- Sermon on the Mount: Jesus' extensive ethical teaching in Matthew 5-7
- Sabbath: Holy day set aside for rest and worship
Critical connections:
- Christian ethics build on Jewish foundations but are transformed by Jesus' teachings
- All three major ethical teachings (Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, Commandment of Love) emphasise both external behaviour and internal motives
- These teachings have profoundly influenced Western legal systems and social values