Search Site   
News Stories at a Glance
Deere 4440 cab tractor racked up $18,000 at farm retirement auction
Indiana legislature passes bills for ag land purchases, broadband grants
Make spring planting safety plans early to avoid injuries
Michigan soybean grower visits Dubai to showcase U.S. products
Scientists are interested in eclipse effects on crops and livestock
U.S. retail meat demand for pork and beef both decreased in 2023
Iowa one of the few states to see farms increase in 2022 Ag Census
Trade, E15, GREET, tax credits the talk at Commodity Classic
Ohioan travels to Malta as part of US Grains Council trade mission
FFA members learn about Australian culture, agriculture during trip
Timing of Dicamba ruling may cause issues for 2024 planting
   
Archive
Search Archive  
   
Understanding God’s law and its purpose in Christians’ lives

April 18, 2010
Background Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20; 22:34-40
Devotional Reading: Romans 5:1-11

One reason the scribes and Pharisees opposed Jesus was their suspicion that he wanted to abolish the one thing that distinguished Judaism: The law. That was understandable, because he often appeared to break the law.

Two examples: on the Sabbath he healed people (Mk. 1:21-27) and he and his disciples picked grain to eat (Mt. 12:1-8). Furthermore, he seemed to encourage people to break the law: “You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not’ … But I say to you …” (Mt. 5 21-48).

Yet, Jesus insisted: “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Mt. 5:17). So the Pharisees said he was breaking the law, but Jesus said he was fulfilling the law.

He goes on to say, “For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until it is accomplished” (5:17,18).

Law’s purpose

Jesus believed the Jewish law was essential, but he believed even more in the purpose that the law was intended to accomplish. The law was only a mechanism to accomplish God’s purpose. Jesus wanted to press on to the purpose that lay behind the law: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (v.19).

The Pharisees saw the law as a stopping place, but Jesus claimed it was a starting place to seek the righteousness intended in the law. The law is a gift of God to shape our behavior, but the gospel shapes the source of our behavior and is thus an even greater gift of God.

What did Jews mean by “the law?” Often it meant the Ten Commandments. For others, “the law” meant the first five books of the Bible, known collectively as the Pentateuch (the five scrolls). The Sadducees held that only the Pentateuch was authoritative, while the Pharisees also included the writings (Psalms, Proverbs, etc.) and books of prophecy.

So, when the Pharisees spoke of “the law,” they meant the Pentateuch and all of what we call the Old Testament.

Finally, as in Jesus’ day “the law” was used to include also the oral and scribal law that were not in the Old Testament.

It was also common in Jesus’ day for Jews to determine what commandment was paramount, and to reduce or summarize “the law.” This is exactly what Jesus did in Matthew 22:34-40, when he is asked: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
Jesus was neither the first nor last to be asked this question. It was said that Moses was given 613 commandments. David, it was said, reduced this to 11 commandments (Psalms 5), Isaiah to six (Isa. 33:15), Micah to three (Mic. 6:8), Amos to two (Amos 5:4) and Habakkuk to one (Hab. 2:4).

In the New Testament, in addition to Matthew 22:34, there is The Golden Rule (Mt. 7:12) and James 1:27.
Hear!

The response of Jesus to this question, Matthew 22:34-40, is based upon two favorite passages. The first was Deuteronomy 6:4-9: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” And the second was Leviticus 19:18 “… but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

The Deuteronomy 6 passage is known as the Shema, the Hebrew word for “Hear,” the first word uttered in any Jewish service and committed to memory by Jewish children. It is virtually the Jewish creed: The oneness of God and the command to love God with all one’s heart, soul and might and the neighbor as one’s self. But we must remember, as Ashley Montague puts it, “It is not the most lovable individuals who stand more in need of love, but the most unlovable.” But how do we do that? How do we overcome our feelings?

William Barclay says: “It is only when we love God that other people become lovable.” We recognize that everyone is created in God’s image and “It is for that reason that other people become lovable.” Even us. God is love and, when and where we love, we find Him again and again. Shema!

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World.
Readers with questions or comments for Rev. Althouse may write to him in care of this publication.

4/14/2010