Querube Barber - The Ten Commandments

The Decalogue is a series of 10 movies originally made for Polish
television. These movies show the Ten Commandments through life situations. The first movie of The Decalogue was about the First Commandment found in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before me.” This movie had an interesting beginning but a sad ending. First, it was hard to figure out who was the man by the lake. Every time he was shown, this man sat watching everything. He kept a fire going. This man represented God.

There was also a father, Krzysztof with his son, Pawel. It was apparent that Krzysztof loved Pawel and had a good relationship with him. Krzysztof taught his son many things about science and computer, but he failed to follow Proverbs 22:6 which says, “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Krzysztof never talked to Pawel about God. Once when Pawel asked his father about death, Krzysztof gave him a scientific explanation. Even though his answer was correct, Krzysztof failed to see that Pawel was looking for more than a scientific explanation. Pawel was more interested in knowing about spiritual things like what happens after death.

Krzysztof was very intelligent; however, he had no regard for God. Proverbs 1:7 says that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Krzysztof trusted his own knowledge and not the knowledge that comes from God. His computer and his knowledge were his god. This unfortunate mistake cost Krzysztof the life of his son. He told Pawel that he could go ice skating on the lake. Krzysztof trusted his calculations about the temperature of the lake. His calculation proved to be wrong. The ice broke and Pawel fell and died. Krzysztof looks for his son desperately. He found out that his son was death. This scene was very moving and painful. Krzysztof placed his faith in his own ability and left God out of the picture.

So, how does this first movie represent the First Commandment? It showed us that we cannot make gods out of things, and we should not place our faith on things but rather in the one and only God.


The second movie was based on the Fifth Commandment found in Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.” In this movie, we saw how a young man brutally murdered a taxi driver.

At first glance, we might say that the taxi driver did not have a say in his outcome. Several people wanted to use his service as a taxi driver. He rejected them and chose to give his service to a young man who would become his murderer. He did have a choice of whom to give service. He made a bad choice. The result of his bad choice was fatal.

While watching his actions of the taxi driver, most people would have a hard connecting with him in anyway. The taxi driver was a cruel and wicked individual who mocked people. However, when he knew he was about to be murdered, he mentioned his wife. To me, that showed that he was concerned about her welfare if he was not around to take care of her. Therefore, he showed some tenderness in his heart, at least towards her.

The young murderer was also a mean individual but had some tenderness for small girls. For example, when he was at the restaurant, he was friendly and playful with the young girls outside the window. Perhaps because they reminded him of his little sister. Also when he was about to die, he was concerned about his mother.

It could be easy for anyone watching the movie to judge the taxi driver and the young man for their evil doing. Even though most of us would never consider killing a person, let’s remember that we all have our own sins. We read in Isaiah 53:6 that “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way…” All of us have committed sin and continue to sin. Therefore, we have all “fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. We all need a Savior.

There is a price to pay for sin. Because of this, many believe in the death penalty. However, others feel differently. They wonder if the state has the right to take an individual’s life as penalty for the sin that an individual has committed.