Moses and the Influence of Ancient Egyptian Thought: The Ten Commandments and the 42 Laws of Maat

Greetings and peace be upon you! Today, we explore a fascinating aspect of ancient history: the possibility that Moses, as a grandson of a Pharaoh and a member of the Egyptian royal family, might have been influenced by the 42 Laws of Maat, an ancient Egyptian moral and ethical code, when he received the Ten Commandments from God.

Did Moses Take the 42 Laws of Maat with Him?

Acts 7:22 describes Moses as a grandson of a Pharaoh who was educated in the royal house. It is unlikely that an influential young man like Moses would have gone his entire life without knowing about the 42 Laws of Maat, especially given his royal background and the vast wealth of knowledge available to him in the royal archives. Additionally, as a leader, it is logical that Moses may have had access to and perhaps considered these laws when formulating his own ethical framework for the Israelites.

Was it possible for Moses to have pondered on the 42 Laws of Maat even if he did not physically take them with him when he fled Egypt? The answer is yes. Moses, before receiving the Ten Commandments, had not yet been given the full set of divine laws. Therefore, he might very well have sought guidance from the concept of Maat, an ancient Egyptian principle of truth, balance, order, and justice.

Coalescing the Laws: From 42 to 10

Both the 10 Commandments and the 42 Laws of Maat serve as ancient moral frameworks that promote harmony and ethical behavior. It is reasonable to suggest that Moses, after receiving the 10 Commandments, may have used the 42 Laws of Maat as a reference. The 10 Commandments, as summarized by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-40 and John 13:34, form the core of divine law, which can be seen as a summary of the 42 Laws of Maat. Similarly, Christ, the Mediator of God's Law, condensed more than 600 laws into the 'two greatest commandments.'

Thus, it is plausible that Moses received a similar summary of the 42 Laws of Maat, reducing them to the 10 Commandments, which he then elaborated upon. This process of synthesis and summarization aligns well with the logical coherence between both sets of laws.

The Egyptian Influence on Moses' Formative Years

There is no doubt that Moses was heavily influenced by his Egyptian environment, even after his flight from Egypt. At 40 years of age, he spent a significant portion of his life in Egypt, learning the cultural and spiritual values of the Egyptian people. While the period he spent living as a bedouin in Midian before receiving the call of God (Exodus 3) is crucial, it must be acknowledged that his formative years were shaped by his experiences in both the palace and the land of the free.

Moses' education and upbringing in the royal household provided him with a rich spiritual and intellectual context. The ancient Egyptians served the same God as Abraham, maintaining a monotheistic belief until polytheism later crept in. The relationship between Israel and Egypt is one of the top three nations beloved by God, as seen in Isaiah 19:21-25 and Ezekiel 29:13-14. This enduring connection is evident in Abraham's visits to Egypt and his subsequent land inheritance.

Moses' connection to Egypt is further highlighted by the repeated interventions of God to save His people, from times of famine in Genesis 12:10 and 41:54 to the birth of Ishmael, son of Abraham and a part-Egyptian, who helped ensure the survival of the Israelite tribes. Even during the period of Joseph, Moses' great-grandfather and the Pharaoh's prime minister, the unity of the land under one God was maintained.

It is clear that any claim that there was no Egyptian influence on Moses is not only inaccurate but also illogical. His royal background and the environment in which he was raised undoubtedly shaped his worldview, influencing the principles and values he would later impart to the Israelites through his role as a mediator between God and humanity.

In conclusion, it is reasonable to hypothesize that Moses, as a member of the Egyptian royal family, would have been exposed to the 42 Laws of Maat, which would have influenced his formulation of the Ten Commandments. This synthesis of ethical and moral principles would have provided a solid foundation for the laws he brought to the Israelites, ensuring the spiritual and moral integrity of the covenant between God and His people.