{"id":2729,"date":"2021-06-05T21:03:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-06T03:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/integritysyndicate.com\/?p=2729"},"modified":"2022-01-12T21:18:06","modified_gmt":"2022-01-13T04:18:06","slug":"not-under-the-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/integritysyndicate.com\/not-under-the-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Not Under the Law"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
As soon as Jesus begin his ministry after he proclaimed the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, in Luke 4:25-29 he made direct reference to the story of Naaman (2Kings 5:8-19) and the Widow of Zarephath (1Kings 17:8-16) who were both non-Jews outside of the law. He said, “But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land,\u00a0and Elijah was sent to none of them but\u00a0only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but\u00a0only Naaman the Syrian.\u201d (Luke 4:25-27)\u00a0This infuriated the Pharisees as they were filled with wrath and sought to drive him out of town and throw him off a cliff. The idea of God favoring\u00a0those outside of the law was offensive to many that Jesus encountered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t 25<\/sup> But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26<\/sup> and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon<\/b>, to a woman who was a widow. 27<\/sup> And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian<\/b>.\u201d 28<\/sup> When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath<\/b>. 29<\/sup> And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff<\/b>.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t When Jesus was asked by a rich man in\u00a0Matthew 19:16-21, \u201cWhat good deed must I do to have eternal life,\u201d he said, \u201cIf you would enter life, keep the commandments.\u201d But when questioned about which ones, Jesus did not say all of them or the entire law of Moses. He only mentioned six commandments. Five of them are from the ten commandments including, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, and Honor your father and mother, and he added, \u2018You shall love your neighbor as yourself.\u2019 Rather than appealing to the entire law, he appealed to this select group of\u00a0commandments consistent with his teachings of righteousness.<\/p> The man said, \u201cAll these I have kept, What do I still lack?\u201d Jesus further states in\u00a0Matthew 19:21, \u201cIf you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.\u201d Here we see Jesus\u2019 standard is not the entire Mosaic Law but those principals of God\u2019s law that pertain to loving humanity and living a selfless life. If Jesus believed the 613 commands of the Mosaic law were critical, this would have been the perfect opportunity to say so.\u00a0Rather, Jesus\u2019 prescription is to focus on the principles of goodness that pertain to love and charity. Jesus standard of perfection was living a selfless life as a servant – not\u00a0complete conformance to the law of Moses.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t 16<\/sup> And behold, a man came up to him, saying, \u201cTeacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?\u201d 17<\/sup> And he said to him, \u201cWhy do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.\u201d 18<\/sup> He said to him, \u201cWhich ones?\u201d And Jesus said, \u201cYou shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness<\/strong>, 19<\/sup> Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself<\/strong>.\u201d 20<\/sup> The young man said to him, \u201cAll these I have kept. What do I still lack?\u201d 21<\/sup> Jesus said to him, \u201cIf you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t \u00a0We should hear and understand as Jesus said, \u201cIt is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.\u201d (Matt 15:10-11) In saying this he declared all foods clean. (Mark 7:19) The Pharisees were offended by this saying, but Jesus said of them, \u201cthey are blind guides \u2013 and if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit. (Matt 15:12-14) Whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled \u2013 but what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. (Matt 15:17-18) For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander \u2013 these are what defile a person.\u201d (Matt 15:19-20) Jesus said, \u201cWatch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees\u201d referring to their teaching. (Matt 16:6-12) He said of them that they preach, but do not practice \u2013 they tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people\u2019s shoulders. (Matt 23:1-4) Woe to the scribes and Pharisees, they are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people\u2019s bones and all uncleanness \u2013 those who outwardly appear righteous to others, but within are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matt 23:27-28). Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. (Luke 12:1-3)<\/p> When asked, \u201cWhich is the great commandment in the Law?\u201d Jesus answered, \u201cYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself – on these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.\u201d (Matt 22:36-40) Jesus said, \u201clove your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (Luke 6:35) You are to be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.\u201d (Luke 6:36) The new commandment he gave was this, \u201cthat you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.\u201d (John 13:34-35) Jesus said, “Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father\u2019s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:9-10) He said to his disciples, \u201cThis is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.\u201d (John 15:12)<\/p> Jesus emphasized love over any other rule including loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43-45) We are to Judge not, that we are not judged \u2013 for with the judgement we pronounce we will be judged and with the measure we use it will be measured to us. (Matt 7:1-2) When we pray, we are to forgive those who have trespassed against us, so that God will forgive our trespasses. (Matt 6:12, Luke 11:4) The narrow gate is to do to others as you would wish that others would do to you, this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matt 7:12) Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners according to the principle, \u2018I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.\u2019 (Matt 9:13) Jesus calls to those who labor and are heavy laden saying, \u201cI will give you rest \u2013 take my yoke upon you, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls \u2013 for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.\u201d (Matt 11:28-30) Those who understand what it means, \u2018I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,\u2019 do not condemn the guiltless who work on the sabbath. (Matt 12:1-8) The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)<\/p> In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. (Gal 5:6) We fulfill the law of Christ by bearing one another\u2019s burdens. (Gal 6:2) We are to owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. (Rom 13:8) For the commandments, \u201cYou shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,\u201d and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: \u201cYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.\u201d (Rom 13:9) Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore\u00a0love is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom 13:10) If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, \u201cYou shall love your neighbor as yourself,\u201d you are doing well. (James 2:8) This is the commandment of God, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. (1 John 3:23)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t 43<\/sup> \u201cYou have heard that it was said, \u2018You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy<\/strong>.\u2019 44<\/sup> But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you<\/strong>, 45<\/sup> so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.<\/strong><\/p> 12<\/sup> and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors<\/strong>.<\/p> 1<\/sup>\u00a0\u201cJudge not, that you be not judged<\/strong>.\u00a02<\/sup>\u00a0For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.<\/p> 12<\/sup> \u201cSo whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets<\/strong>. 13<\/sup> \u201cEnter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14<\/sup> For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. 10<\/sup> And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11<\/sup> And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, \u201cWhy does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?\u201d 12<\/sup> But when he heard it, he said, \u201cThose who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13<\/sup> Go and learn what this means: \u2018I desire mercy, and not sacrifice<\/strong>.\u2019 For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p> 28<\/sup> Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29<\/sup> Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30<\/sup> For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p> 1<\/sup> At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2<\/sup> But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, \u201cLook, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath<\/strong>.\u201d 3<\/sup> He said to them, \u201cHave you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4<\/sup> how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5<\/sup> Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6<\/sup> I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7<\/sup> And if you had known what this means, \u2018I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,\u2019 you would not have condemned the guiltless<\/strong>. 8<\/sup> For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p> 10<\/sup> And he called the people to him and said to them, \u201cHear and understand: 11<\/sup> it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person<\/strong>.\u201d 12<\/sup> Then the disciples came and said to him, \u201cDo you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?\u201d 13<\/sup> He answered, \u201cEvery plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14<\/sup> Let them alone; they are blind guides<\/strong>. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit<\/strong>.\u201d 15<\/sup> But Peter said to him, \u201cExplain the parable to us.\u201d 16<\/sup> And he said, \u201cAre you also still without understanding? 17<\/sup> Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18<\/sup> But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person<\/strong>. 19<\/sup> For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander<\/strong>. 20<\/sup> These are what defile a person<\/strong>. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.\u201d<\/p> 6<\/sup> Jesus said to them, \u201cWatch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees<\/strong>.\u201d 7<\/sup> And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, \u201cWe brought no bread.\u201d 8<\/sup> But Jesus, aware of this, said, \u201cO you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9<\/sup> Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10<\/sup> Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11<\/sup> How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees<\/strong>.\u201d 12<\/sup> Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees<\/strong>.<\/p> 34<\/sup> But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35<\/sup> And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36<\/sup> \u201cTeacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?\u201d 37<\/sup> And he said to him, \u201cYou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind<\/strong>. 38<\/sup> This is the great and first commandment<\/strong>. 39<\/sup> And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself<\/strong>. 40<\/sup> On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p> 1<\/sup> Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2<\/sup> \u201cThe scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3<\/sup> so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice<\/strong>. 4<\/sup> They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger<\/strong>.<\/p> 27<\/sup> \u201cWoe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. 28<\/sup> So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness<\/strong>.<\/p> 23<\/sup> One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24<\/sup> And the Pharisees were saying to him, \u201cLook, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?\u201d 25<\/sup> And he said to them, \u201cHave you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26<\/sup> how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?\u201d 27<\/sup> And he said to them, \u201cThe Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath<\/strong>. 28<\/sup> So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.\u201d<\/p> 15<\/sup> There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him<\/strong>, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him<\/strong>.\u201d 17<\/sup> And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18<\/sup> And he said to them, \u201cThen are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19<\/sup> since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?\u201d (Thus he declared all foods clean.<\/strong>) 20<\/sup> And he said, \u201cWhat comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21<\/sup> For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22<\/sup> coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23<\/sup> All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.\u201d<\/p> But\u00a0love your enemies, and do good,<\/strong>\u00a0and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and\u00a0you will be sons of the Most High<\/strong>, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.\u00a0Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful<\/strong>.<\/p> 4<\/sup> and forgive us our sins, 1<\/sup> In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, \u201cBeware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy<\/strong>. 2<\/sup> Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known<\/strong>. 3<\/sup> Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops<\/strong>.<\/p> 34<\/sup> A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.<\/strong> 35<\/sup> By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p> 9<\/sup>\u00a0As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.<\/strong>\u00a010<\/sup>\u00a0If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love<\/strong>.\u00a011<\/sup> These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12<\/sup>\u00a0\u201cThis is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.<\/p> 6\u00a0<\/span>For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p> 2<\/span>\u00a0Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ<\/strong>.<\/p> 8<\/span>\u00a0Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.\u00a09<\/span>\u00a0For the commandments, \u201cYou shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,\u201d and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: \u201cYou shall love your neighbor as yourself<\/strong>.\u201d\u00a010<\/span>\u00a0Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore\u00a0love is the fulfilling of the law<\/strong>.<\/p> 8<\/span>\u00a0If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, \u201cYou shall love your neighbor as yourself,\u201d you are doing well<\/strong>.<\/p> 22<\/span>\u00a0and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.\u00a0Luke 4:25-29 (ESV), All in the synagogue were filled with wrath<\/strong><\/h3>
Jesus\u2019 standard of perfection<\/h2>
Matthew 19:16-21 (ESV), If you would be perfect<\/strong><\/h3>
Jesus rejected legalism<\/h2>
Matthew 5:43-45 (ESV), Love your enemies and\u00a0 pray for those who persecute you<\/h3>
Matthew 6:12 (ESV), As we also have forgiven our debtors<\/h3>
Matthew 7:1-2 (ESV), Judge not, that you be not judged<\/h3>
Matthew 7:12-13 (ESV), This is the Law and the Prophets<\/h3>
<\/p>Matthew 9:10-13 (ESV), I desire mercy, and not sacrifice<\/h3>
Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV), My yoke is easy, and my burden is light<\/strong><\/h3>
Matthew 12:1-8 (ESV), For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath<\/strong><\/h3>
Matthew 15:10-20 (ESV), It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person<\/h3>
Matthew 16:6-12 (ESV), Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees<\/strong><\/h3>
Matthew 22:34-40 (ESV), On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets<\/strong><\/h3>
Matthew 23:1-4 (ESV), They tie up heavy burden, and lay them on people’s shoulders<\/strong><\/h3>
Matthew 23:27-28 (ESV), you outwardly appear righteous, but within you are full of hypocrisy<\/h3>
Mark 2:23-28 (ESV), The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath<\/strong><\/h3>
Mark 7:15-23 (ESV), Thus he declared all foods clean.<\/strong><\/h3>
Luke 6:35-36 (ESV),\u00a0Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful<\/strong><\/h3>
Luke 11:4 (ESV), We ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us<\/h3>
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.<\/p>Luke 12:1-3 (ESV), Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy<\/h3>
John 13:34-35 (ESV), A new commandment I give to you<\/h3>
John 15:9-12 (ESV),\u00a0If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love<\/strong><\/h3>
Galatians 5:6 (ESV),\u00a0Only faith working through love<\/strong><\/h3>
Galatians 6:2 (ESV), Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ<\/h3>
Romans 13:8-10 (ESV),\u00a0The one who loves another has fulfilled the law<\/strong><\/h3>
James 2:8 (ESV),\u00a0If you really fulfill the royal law, you are doing well<\/strong><\/h3>
1 John 3:22-24 (ESV),\u00a0This is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son and love one another<\/strong><\/h3>