2. Key Text
If you love me,
you will obey what I command.
John 14:15
3. “This is he who was in the
congregation in the wilderness with
the Angel who spoke to him on
Mount Sinai, and with our fathers,
the one who received the living
oracles to give to us.” (Acts 7:38)
In the Old Testament, “the Angel
of the Lord” is Jesus. He is given
divine attributes and is called
“the Lord” (Joshua 5:13-15;
Judges 13:17-20; Zechariah 3:1-2)
That Angel appeared to Moses at
the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-6)
and on mount Sinai (Acts 7:38)
Jesus gave the Israelites the Ten
Commandments and the laws
that are found in the Pentateuch.
4. “Do not think that I came to
destroy the Law or the Prophets. I
did not come to destroy but to
fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)
Jesus didn’t come to destroy de Law.
He came to deepen the meaning of
the Law, thanks to His teachings and
His example.
“His mission was to ‘magnify the
law, and make it honorable.’ Isaiah
42:21. He was to show the spiritual
nature of the law, to present its far-
reaching principles, and to make
plain its eternal obligation… [Jesus]
was a living representation of the
character of the law of God.”
5. IT WAS SAID…
“You shall not murder.”
(Ex. 20:13)
“You shall not commit
adultery,” (Ex. 20:14)
“If he doesn’t like her… let him
give her a certificate of
divorce.” (Dt. 24:1)
“You shall not swear
falsely.”(Lv. 19:12)
“An eye for an eye and a tooth
for a tooth.” (Ex. 21:24)
“You shall love your neighbor.”
(Lv. 19:18)
BUT I SAY TO YOU…
“Whoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of
the judgment.” (Mt. 5:22)
“Whoever looks at a woman to lust for
her has already committed adultery
with her in his heart.” (Mt. 5:28)
“Whoever divorces his wife for any
reason except sexual immorality causes
her to commit adultery.” (Mt. 5:32)
“Do not swear at all.” (Mt. 5:34)
“Do not to resist an evil person.”
(Mt. 5:39)
“Love your enemies.” (Mt. 5:44)
Jesus extended the Law and explained its true meaning.
He based His teaching on his own authority as Lawgiver.
6. “He said to them, ‘Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted
you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.’” (Matthew 19:8)
How did Jesus extend the meaning of adultery in the 7th Commandment?
Matthew 5:28-32
Jesus explained that adultery also
involves the immoral thoughts and
desires.
Jesus used a hyperbole (“If your right
eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and
cast it from you”) to teach us that we
must take the measures necessary to
avoid (or flee from) temptation before it
becomes a sin.
Jesus bore polygamy and divorce for
some time because of the weakness of
Israel. But now, He dignifies the
holiness and perpetuity of marriage.
7. “For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your
mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother,
let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man
says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit
you might have received from me is Corban”—’
(that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let
him do anything for his father or his mother.”
(Mark 7:10-12)
According to the Pharisees, if a man dedicated all
his possessions to God (that is, he bequeathed his
belongings to the Temple), he was exempt from
keeping the 5th Commandment and he still could
use his possessions.
Human philosophies and traditions can never
substitute or modify the Ten Commandments God
wrote down.
“And in vain they worship Me, teaching as
doctrines the commandments of men.” (Mark 7:7)
8. “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him,
‘”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and
with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment.’” (Matthew 22:36-38)
God wants us to surrender all to Him,
being motivated by love.
That surrender will result in obedience to
the divine will, which is reflected in His
Commandments.
The rich young man kept the
Commandments (Matthew 19:16-22), but
he was not willing to leave everything
behind when the Teacher told him, “come
and follow me.”
Obedience without love is worthless.
Obedience and surrender to God must
always come together. If they don’t, we
will live just a facade of a Christian life.
9. “In His teachings, Christ showed how far-reaching
are the principles of the law spoken from Sinai. He
made a living application of that law whose
principles remain forever the great standard of
righteousness—the standard by which all shall be
judged in that great day when the judgment shall
sit, and the books shall be opened. He came to fulfill
all righteousness, and, as the head of humanity, to
show man that he can do the same work, meeting
every specification of the requirements of God.
Through the measure of His grace furnished to the
human agent, not one need miss heaven. Perfection
of character is attainable by every one who strives
for it. This is made the very foundation of the new
covenant of the gospel. The law of Jehovah is the
tree; the gospel is the fragrant blossoms and fruit
which it bears.”
E.G.W. (Selected Messages, vol. 1, cp. 26, pg. 211)
