Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mitch Ramalli, and welcome to today's RE lesson.

So today's lesson is the first lesson in the unit, "Religious law: What is the social context and relevance today?" And in today's lesson, we're going to be exploring the Ten Commandments, the context, the contents, and the relevance.

Okay, let's start the lesson.

Today's lesson outcome is, "I can explain the context for the Ten Commandments and their relevance today for people of different worldviews." To help guide us through today's lesson, there are three keywords.

Our keywords are Commandment, Exodus, and Moses.

Commandment refers to a divine rule given by God.

Exodus is a book of the Bible which contains the Ten commandments.

And Moses is a messenger or prophet of the Abrahamic religions.

Today's lesson on the Ten Commandments takes three parts.

So we will start by exploring the context of the revelation of the Ten Commandments, moving on to understand about the contents of the Ten Commandments, and then finishing with the relevance of the Ten Commandments in modern Britain.

So we're going to begin today's lesson by having some discussion.

So the first question is, what would happen if there were no rules in school or society? Secondly, if you could create three rules for society to follow, what would they be and who should write those rules? So with your partner or in a small group, I'd like you to spend some time discussing these three questions.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to move on with the lesson.

Fantastic discussions, everybody.

Well done.

So now I'd like you to look at this picture.

What can you see in this picture? Which historical figure do you think this man represents? And which biblical event do you think is being depicted? With your partner or in a small group, I'd like you to discuss these questions.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to reflect on your answers.

Welcome back, everybody.

Okay, let's reflect on your answers.

Well, this picture shows the prophet Moses.

Well done if you were able to identify that this was Moses in the picture.

Now Moses is an important messenger or prophet of the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Prophets are significant figures in religions who may receive information through religious experiences that then become part of belief or practise.

The story of Moses can be found in the Old Testament, which is part of the Jewish Torah and Christian Bible.

The story of Moses can be found in the Book of Exodus.

Let's pause and complete a check for understanding.

In which biblical book would you read the story of Moses? A, the Book of Exodus, B, the Book of Genesis, or C, the Book of Deuteronomy.

You've got five seconds to pick the answer that you think is correct.

Well done if you selected answer A, the Book of Exodus is a biblical book where you would read about the story of Moses.

Jacob wants to learn why Moses is important.

He interviews Victoria who has a Jewish worldview.

Jacob asks, "Who is Moses and why is he important to you?" Victoria replies, "I believe Moses is a prophet and law giver.

In Judaism, he is the greatest prophet.

He's important to me because he led the Israelites, the ancestors of the Jewish people, out of slavery in Egypt.

Moses received the Torah, including the Ten Commandments, from God at Mount Sinai." Jacob asks, "What are the Ten Commandments and why did Moses receive them, Victoria?" Victoria says, "The Ten Commandments are divine rules given by God.

Moses received the Ten Commandments to help guide the Israelites.

After leading them out of Egypt, the Israelites required rules to build a strong and respectful community.

Despite the fact they had been rescued, they gave up on following God pretty quickly." True or false? The Ten Commandments are defined rules given by Moses.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you said this statement is false.

The Ten Commandments are divine rules given by God to Moses.

Now we're going to pause and complete our first practise task where you can demonstrate your understanding of the context of the Revelation.

You need to explain the context of the Ten Commandments being revealed to Moses in three sentences.

You must include the following words, Moses, Exodus, Old Testament, and Israelites.

You might like to use a sentence stem, "Many Jews believe the Ten Commandments were revealed to.

." Good luck completing the practise task.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Okay, well done, everybody.

Let's check your answers for the first practise task.

So you're ask to explain the context of the Ten Commandments being revealed to Moses in three sentences.

Your answer may look like this.

"Many Jews believe the Ten Commandments were revealed to Moses by God on Mount Sinai.

The story of Moses can be found in the Book of Exodus, which is in the Old Testament.

The Commandments were given by God to help guide the Israelites after leaving Egypt." So now we're gonna move on to the second part of our lesson on the Ten Commandments, to consider the content of the Commandments.

The Ten Commandments can be found in the Book of Exodus.

God gave Moses the Commandments as laws to follow.

Many Jews believe that when the laws are followed, it pleases God.

The first Commandment in Exodus states, "And God spoke all these words, 'I'm the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

You shall have no other gods before me.

'" Exodus 20:1-3.

How might the first Commandment be interpreted, and why do you think this Commandment is the first? With your partner, I'd like you to discuss those two questions.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to reflect on your answers.

Welcome back, everyone.

Great discussions.

So let's check the answers to those two questions.

Well, the verse could be interpreted to mean that God must come first in a believer's life, and that nothing should be prioritised or placed higher than God.

That would also explain why this is the first of the Ten Commandments.

The next three Commandments are, two, "Do not make or worship idols." Three, "Do not disrespect or misuse God's name." And four, "Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy." Jacob continues his interview with Victoria, who is a Jewish worldview, and focuses on individual Commandments.

"What does the Sabbath mean, Victoria?" Victoria replies, "The Sabbath day is holy.

It means taking one day each week to rest and focus on things that really matter, like family, faith, and community.

For Jews this day is a Saturday, and for Christians it is a Sunday." True or false? The first four of the Ten Commandments all linked to a belief in loving God.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you said this statement is true.

The first four Commandments are, "You shall have no other gods before me." "Do not make or worship idols." "Do not disrespect or misuse God's name." And "Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy." Commandments five, six and seven are, "Honour your mother and father." "Do not commit murder." And "Do not commit adultery." Commandments eight, nine, and 10 are, "Do not steal." "Do not tell lies." And "Do not be envious of others." Jacob wants to know whether the Commandments are important to followers of the Abrahamic faith.

So he asks Victoria, "Are these Commandments important to you, Victoria?" Victoria replies, "Yes, they are important to me because I believe they are divine rules given to the Jewish people through Moses on Mount Sinai.

These Commandments help guide me on how I should live a good, respectful, and meaningful life." Victoria explains further about the importance of the Ten Commandments.

"The Ten Commandments teach me to believing one God, to treat others kindly, and to do the right thing but not stealing or lying.

Following these Commandments is a way for me to stay close to God and honour the special relationship or covenant that God made with the Jewish people a long time ago.

It's kind of like having a list of promises that help keep life respectful and full of purpose." Let's complete a check for understanding.

Which one of the following is not one of the Ten Commandments? A, do not steal, B, do not commit murder, C, do not commit adultery, or D, do not harm any living being.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you said the correct answer is D, "Do not harm any living being" is not one of the Ten Commandments.

Time to complete our second practise task.

You need to explain the meaning of the Ten Commandments and why they are important to most Jews.

Include examples of the Commandments in your answer.

You might like to use the sentence stem, "The Ten Commandments are important to most Jewish people because.

." Pause the video and press play when you are ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back, everybody.

So you were asked to explain the meaning of the Ten Commandments and why they were important to most Jews.

Include examples of the Commandments in your answer.

So your answer may include the following points.

So your answer may look like this.

"The Ten Commandments are important to most Jewish people because they are divine rules given to the Jewish people through Moses.

Commandments such as "Do not murder," "Do not steal," or "Do not lie," help guide Jews on how to lead a good and meaningful life.

Following these Commandments is a way for Jewish people to stay close to God and honour the special relationship or covenant that God made with the Jewish people a long time ago.

Well done on completing the second practise task.

So that brings us on to the third and final part of our lesson on the Ten Commandments, to consider the relevance of the Ten Commandments in modern Britain.

This is a shop sign from the UK.

What do you notice about the different opening hours? So for example, what do you notice about the different opening hours on a Monday to Saturday compared to a Sunday? Do you know why the opening times are different on a Sunday? With your partner or in a small group, I'd like you to discuss those questions.

Pause the video and press play when you're ready to move on with the lesson.

Well, trading laws in the UK are different on Sundays, primarily due to historical and religious reasons.

Traditionally in the UK, Sunday has been regarded as a day of rest or Sabbath and worship.

True or force? Trading laws in the UK are different on Sundays.

Pause the video and then press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you said that statement is true.

Trading laws in the UK are different on Sundays.

Traditionally, Sunday has been regarded as a day of rest and worship in countries like the UK, or has been regarded as the Sabbath.

This is reflected in the trading hours being shorter on a Sunday.

Jacob wants to investigate if the Ten Commandments are still relevant today.

He invites Mahsa who has a Jewish worldview, Fergus who has a Christian worldview, and Nell who has a Humanist worldview to discuss their beliefs.

They all live in Britain.

"Moses received the Ten Commandments over 3,000 years ago.

Are they still relevant today?" Mahsa says, "I believe the Commandments are still very relevant today.

They remind Jews to be honest, respectful, and kind, and stay connected to their faith and family.

Even though they were given a long time ago, the messages still help guide people to make good choices and build a better community." "As a Christian, Fergus, do you think the Ten Commandments are still relevant today?" Fergus says, "Yes, I believe they are still relevant today because they show how God wants people to live.

They help me understand right from wrong, love God, and treat others with respect.

Even though Jesus taught about love and forgiveness, the Ten Commandments are still a strong foundation for living a faithful and moral life." Jacob asks, "As a humanist, do you think the Ten Commandments are still relevant today, Nell?" Nell replies, "I believe that some of the Ten Commandments are still useful, like being respectful and honest to others, but not the first four, which require a belief in God.

I believe we can decide what's right and wrong by using reason, thinking about how our actions affect others, and wanting to make the world a better place." True or false? Humanists may not believe that all the Ten Commandments are relevant in Britain today.

You've got five seconds to choose the answer that you think is correct.

Well done if you said that statement is true.

The first four of the Commandments reflect a relationship with God.

Therefore, Humanist may not believe these Commandments are relevant.

Time to complete our third and final practise task.

So here you have the statement, "All of the Ten Commandments are still relevant in Britain today." Write a paragraph to show why some might agree with the statement, and write a paragraph to show why some might disagree with the statement.

Good luck completing the practise task.

Pause the video here and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Okay, welcome back, everybody.

So your answers, you may have said, "Most Jews and Christians would agree with the statement because they believe that Ten Commandments were given to Moses as divine rules from God.

They believe the Commandments show how to love God and show people how to treat others with respect and honesty.

Most Humanists will disagree with the statement and say that only some of the statements are relevant in Britain today.

They may argue that the first four Commandments are not relevant because they require a belief in God." Well done on completing the third and final practise task.

So that brings us to the end of today's lesson on the Ten Commandments.

So I hope you've enjoyed your learning in today's lesson.

So remember, we've covered the context in which the Ten Commandments were revealed, the content of the Ten Commandments, and the relevance of the Ten Commandments in modern Britain.

So here is a summary of our key learning points.

Moses is an important messenger or prophet of the Abrahamic religions, which are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The Ten Commandments are divine rules given by God to Moses.

The Ten Commandments can be found in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Exodus.

The Commandments include rules such as, "You shall have no other gods before me," and "Do not murder." And finally, there are different views on whether all of the Commandments are still relevant in Britain today.

So remember for example, as a Humanist, Nell said she didn't think the first four Commandments were relevant to her because they are linked to having a relationship with a loving God, and as a Humanist, she doesn't believe in God.

Well done on all of your hard work in today's RE lesson, and thank you very much for joining me.

Goodbye.