The 10 commandments revisted

[B-A-C]

It seems Christians today do not like talking about this, many consider this irrelevant, or it doesn't apply to them. I disagree. But then, what else is new.

The original 10 commandments are mostly in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy.

Exod 20:2; "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
Exod 20:3; "You shall have no other gods before Me.
Exod 20:4; "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
Exod 20:5; "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
Exod 20:6; but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Exod 20:7; "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
Exod 20:8; "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exod 20:9; "Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
Exod 20:10; but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
Exod 20:11; "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
Exod 20:12; "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
Exod 20:13; "You shall not murder.
Exod 20:14; "You shall not commit adultery.
Exod 20:15; "You shall not steal.
Exod 20:16; "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Exod 20:17; "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

However the two Jesus said were most important are...

Lev 19:18; 'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.
Deut 6:5; "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Matt 22:36; "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
Matt 22:37; And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
Matt 22:38; "This is the great and foremost commandment.
Matt 22:39; "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
Matt 22:40; "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

Mark 12:28; One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"
Mark 12:29; Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;
Mark 12:30; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'
Mark 12:31; "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Paul says in a few verses that if we are led by the Spirit, and if we are under grace, then we aren't under the law. I agree,
however I believe the law is really three different areas. The civil law, the moral law, and the ceremonial law.

More about that in a moment. Another common misconception is that the law was only meant for Jews. This is very easy to disprove in over a dozen verses. More about that later also.

Exodus 20:4; is repeated in the New testament a few places. In fact all of the commandments except one are repeated in the New testament. ( do you know which one wasn't ? )
1Thes 1:9; For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
1Jn 5:21; Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Exodus 20:12; is repeated quite a few times in the New Testament.
Matt 15:4; "For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.'
Matt 15:6; he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
Matt 19:19; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
Mark 7:10; "For Moses said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH';
Mark 10:19; "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"
Luke 18:20; "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

Matt 19:18; Then he *said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS;
Mark 10:19; "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"
Luke 18:20; "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

Paul wrote all the verses below, to Gentiles.

Rom 13:9; For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
Eph 4:28; He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
Eph 6:2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),
1Cor 7:19; Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.

In the verse below Paul is arguing against circumcision ( in fact most of Galatians is about circumcision )

Gal 6:12; Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

But the point here is, the Jews were telling Gentiles they needed to be circumcised. In other words, they were telling Gentiles they needed to follow thew law and the commandments.

In fact the first time the 10 commandments were read, it wasn't just read to Israelites, it was read to Gentiles as well.

Josh 8:31; just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
Josh 8:32; He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel.
Josh 8:33; All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had given command at first to bless the people of Israel.
Josh 8:34; Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
Josh 8:35; There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were living among them.

The strangers that were living among the Jews at this time would be people like Rahab from Jericho, we know she was spared. In fact, she is mentioned in the lineage of Jesus.

Circumcision was a part of the ceremonial law. The first two people circumcised were Gentiles.

Gen 17:23; Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the very same day, as God had said to him.
Gen 17:25; And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
Gen 17:26; In the very same day Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

The nation of Israel did not exist yet, the 12 patriarchs of Israel were not born yet. These were not Jews.

... to be continued.

 

[B-A-C]

Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthians, who were Gentiles, and he included this.

1Cor 6:9; Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
1Cor 6:10; nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

A number of these things are mentioned in the 10 commandments. fornication, adultery, idolatry, stealing ( thieves ), coveting.

Paul also wrote Galatians to the Gentiles.

Gal 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
Gal 5:21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Again we see sexual immorality here ( fornication, adultery ), also idolatry is mentioned again here. Envy ( coveting ) is mentioned here as well. All of this is written to Gentiles.

 

[B-A-C]

Keeping the commandments is mentioned over 20 times in the New Testament, by Jesus, Paul and John.

Matt 5:19; "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 19:17; And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
Matt 22:40; "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."
Mark 10:19; "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"
Luke 1:6; They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
Luke 18:20; "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"
John 14:15; "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:21; "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
John 15:10; "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

These two verses say, if you keep the commandments, Jesus will love you. If you keep the commandments, you will remain in Jesus's love.

1Cor 7:19; Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.
1Thes 4:2; For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

1Jn 2:3; By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
1Jn 2:4; The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

John says if we don't keep the commandments, we don't know Jesus. If you say you do know Him, you are a liar.
I'm not saying you have to be 100% perfect. But I am saying you should be trying to keep them as best you can.

1Jn 3:22; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

1Jn 3:24; The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and Christ abides in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

It says here, that we know Jesus abides in s, because we keep the commandments. If you keep the commandments, Jesus will abide in you.

1Jn 5:2; By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.
1Jn 5:3; For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
2Jn 1:6; And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
Rev 12:17; So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Rev 14:12; Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

Now I've heard people quote the following verses to say, we shouldn't keep the commandments, but notice they all say "the commandments of men". Not the commandments of God.

Col 2:22; (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
Tit 1:14; not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

Another commonly used verse is...

Eph 2:15; by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,

However, is this verse really talking about not keeping the commandments? No, it's talking about the law that kept Jews and Gentiles apart. Let's put that verse in context here.

Eph 2:11; Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands—
Eph 2:12; remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Eph 2:13; But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14; For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
Eph 2:15; by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
Eph 2:16; and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

The enmity isn't between man and the commandments, it was between the Jews and Gentiles.

.. to be continued.

 

[B-A-C]

So, OK, what about these verses?

Rom 6:14; For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Rom 6:15; What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!

Paul says we aren't under the law, but then he says we have to keep the commandments, so then, what law is he talking about? The ceremonial law.

Gal 3:10; For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM."
Gal 4:21; Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
Gal 5:3; And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.
Gal 5:18; But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

Again, what law is Paul talking about here? The ceremonial law. Circumcision. Not the commandments. None of the 10 commandments say, "thou shall be circumcised". In fact Paul says...

1Cor 7:19; Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.

 

[B-A-C]

Some people will read this and say, "you're being a legalist". "You're being just like a Pharisee!"

Not exactly, the Pharisees, weren't righteous law-mongers. In fact, Jesus says they were the opposite.

Matt 15:2 "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
Matt 15:3 And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
Matt 15:6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Mark 7:5 The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?"
Mark 7:8 "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."
Mark 7:9 He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.
Mar_7:13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that."

The leaven of the Pharisees wasn't that they kept the law. It was that they didn't!

Matt 23:15; "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Matt 5:20; "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.