Sometimes when my husband and I are talking about a task that needs to be done, especially one which involves calling and talking to someone on the phone, I will say something like: “ We need to call so and so about such and such. And by we I mean I’d like you to do that.”
This is an example of the Royal We where the We is directive not inclusive. We often joke about it when we, mostly me, do that.
The Ten Commandments were written to the Israelites as laws for behavior towards God and towards each other. What is interesting is they are not written to the Israelites as a group but rather as individuals: the word “you” as written in the Hebrew is singular not plural. These are personal!
Often I like to think of God’s commandments as written more broadly as to a society or a group where maybe I can slide by a bit on the obedience of others. But such is not the case. God is a personal God. He cares about ME individually and about my righteousness. I can’t play the Royal We card and slide His commandments over to someone else.
And while He also cares about everyone else not just me, it is not a broad, sweeping impersonal gesture of a King towards his subjects but rather of a Father towards His children.
So while the commandments which Jesus reminds us are the most important truly are for everyone, they are also personally for me.
Just as His love is personally for me.
Just Sayin' 