Are the Ten Commandments teleological or deontological?

A:Deontology is the study of duty; teleontology is concerned with the purpose behind an action.

The first three commandments are essentially different ways of saying to worship no other god. The next commandment says to do no work on the Sabbath, nor to require or request others to do so or even allow an animal to do so, although it is almost never honoured. The fifth commandment is to honour your father and your mother. All of these were duties required of the ancient Israelites.

The last five commandments define some important moral ideals, although only stated in general terms: do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness against your neighbour, do not covet that which belongs to your neighbour, including his wife or slaves. There is only an implied purpose, as well as an implied duty in each of these commandments.

In my view, the Ten Commandments could better be defined as deontological.