Confusion
October 15th, 2008 by hayesy
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19)
Huh? I don’t keep the least of the commandments in the Old Testament! Should I? Can someone please explain?
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Comments
October 15th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
It also can be seen as referring to the previous “Laws” taught in the Old Testament, like dragging unruly children to the city gates and stoning them to death. You’re right to be confused though – it’s not like the Bible doesn’t have other contradictions to be worried about!
Out of interest, which Commandments to you break? And since they’re Commandments from God himself, how could you call any of them “the least”? As orders from your deity shouldn’t they all be of the highest importance, none easier to break than the other?
October 15th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
There is only one person who has kept the law and taught others how to do so.It is not so much a matter of minute law keeping as being found in the one who has already become our righteousness.Your response of incredulity is correct.. it is impossible to fulfill the reqirements in your own strength. There is no self righteousness before the cross.
By the way I am not aware of unruly children being stoned in the OT.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Hi Healy, great to see you back around here.
I intended by my use of the word ‘commandments’ to include the previous “Laws” – the crux of my question is, why doesn’t my pastor tell me to keep the Laws, such as regulations on what food is clean?
Regarding how I can call any one the least, I don’t think it follows that all are equal. Not bowing down before an idol is of much more importance to God than giving 10% of your spice rack away.
But its not something I’ve made up – Jesus said it:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” (Matthew 23:23-24)
I don’t think the Bible is so full of contradictions as you suppose. In fact, at the very least it is remarkably free from contradictions, especially considering the number of authors, the diversity of their backgrounds, and the breadth of time and culture from which they wrote. At the very least, it is astounding in its coherency.
Out of interest, which Commandments to you break?
Assuming you’re referring to the 10, in my life I’ve broken all 10. I’ve made good things into God things (#1) and worshipped them instead of God (#2). I’ve used God’s name as a curse word (#3), I don’t keep the Sabbath (#4), I am terribly disrespectful to my parents (#5), I have hated people (which Jesus says is like murdering people in your heart; #6), I have and continue to lust after women (which Jesus says is committing adultery in your heart; #7), I’ve stolen (#9), I have and continue to lie (#9), and I covet other people’s possessions constantly (#10).
October 15th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
And eyedoc, should we be teaching people to keep the OT law? Jesus said…
October 15th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Depends on whether you mind being called least in the Kingdom of Heaven…
October 16th, 2008 at 9:52 am
This is the first I’ve heard of any discrimination between humans in Heaven. As long as you’re in Heaven, though, what’s wrong with being “least”? You still get your eternal bliss.
If it’s a harsher statement than that, though, and you’ll get punished properly for not following to the letter the most violent decrees of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, let alone the Ten (most famous of God’s multitude of) Commandments, then we’re all in trouble according to Matthew.
I’m sure the evangelical movement in general has gone to great lengths to justify its cherry-picking. Craig, Plantinga, Driscoll, Koukl and people like that will have whole essays on why eating pork and working any day of the week is okay now. You just have to search a bit.
The question will be whether you are then reassured enough to dismiss these direct orders from God, or you are compelled to take living Biblically to a whole new level.
October 16th, 2008 at 10:26 am
John, supposing I do mind. Should I then avoid wearing a garment of cloth made of two kinds of material (Lev 19:19)?
SmartLX – there is a third option: perhaps I misunderstand these verses.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Distinguishing between the kinds of laws in the Old Testament might help make sense of this:
The moral Law
The ritual Law
Jesus addresses the ritual law in Mark 7
Summary:
Jesus: “Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean’.
The disciples address some moral laws in Acts 15
Summary:
James: “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.”
October 16th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
“SmartLX – there is a third option: perhaps I misunderstand these verses.”
Yeah, Hayesy, that’s why you need to go looking. Every half-decent approach to this problem is already out there, and your group’s got an interpretation it’s happy with or else they’d already be pushing you to obey the obscure stuff. I’m saying that those you’re in contact with and those you admire have a ready solution which will probably satisfy you if you can read it in full, so all you have to do is look it up.