Deuteronomy 14:1 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Of the Lord — Whom therefore you must not disparage by unworthy or unbecoming practices. Ye shall not cut yourselves — Which were the practices of idolaters, both in the worship of their idols, in their funerals, and upon occasion of public calamities. Is not this like a parent's charge to his little children, playing with knives, "Do not cut yourselves!" This is, the intention of those commands, which obliges us to deny ourselves. The meaning is, Do yourselves no harm! And as this also is, the design of cross providences, to remove from us those things by which we are in danger of doing ourselves harm.