"
Do not take God's name in vain"
God's Word
John 12:49 49 For
I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.
Matthew 19 - Jesus is asked "
Which ones"
And the list He gives is very close to the same one Paul gives in Romans 13 -- for man's duty to man - as stated in "His Commandments"
if you wish to enter into life,
keep the commandments.” 18
Then he *said to Him, “
Which ones?” And Jesus said,
“
You shall not commit murder; Ex 20
You shall not commit adultery; Ex 20
You shall not steal; Ex 20
You shall not bear false witness; Ex 20
19
Honor your father and mother; Ex 20
and You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.” Lev 19:18
But He did NOT quote "
do not take the Lord's name in vain" Ex 20:7 nor "
Love God with all your heart" Deut 6:5 in that Matthew 19 list (which of course is the "greatest commandment" according to Christ). So then nothing from the "first four" commandments dealing with our duty to God. Just the ones for our duty toward our neighbor.
Notice - that in Romans 13 -- they are unchanged
Rom 13
he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled
the law. 9 For this,
“
You shall not commit adultery, Ex 20
You shall not murder, Ex 20
You shall not steal, Ex 20
You shall not covet,” Ex 20
and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying,
“
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Lev 19:18
10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of
the law.
But He did NOT quote "
do not take the Lord's name in vain" Ex 20:7 nor "
Love God with all your heart" Deut 6:5 in that Matthew 19 list (which of course is the "greatest commandment" according to Christ). So then nothing from the "first four" commandments dealing with our duty to God. Just the ones for our duty toward our neighbor.
Not because our duty toward God is deleted -- obviously.
This is a very good thread. Many good observations from scripture. John 12:49 is very important to keep in mind. Jesus relayed to his followers what his heavenly Father gave him to speak. In turn, Jesus' disciples relayed everything their Master taught them. Yet, there are Christians today who claim that Jesus or one of the NT writers made an affirmation in one place and then changed it -- sometimes in the very next sentence. Why would a disciple of Jesus record something Jesus said if he'd told them, "oh, wait, scratch that." His words weren't recorded until after his crucifixion and ascension into Heaven. Likewise, if one of the NT writers realized a statement they made in a letter to the churches wasn't correct, why wouldn't they have scrapped the papyrus they were inscribing on and started over? They were instructed by Messiah what to speak; they didn't have the authority to change the Word of God at will. If any scripture seems contradictory, it's because we don't fully comprehend it. I acknowledge I don't have a full of understanding of the scriptures and am eager to learn more of God's will for His people.
At one time, I thought Jesus quoted only the commandments pertaining to our relations with other people to the rich young ruler because the man could say that he'd kept those commandments, while Jesus already knew his service to God was lacking. But reading it now, the opposite seems to be true. The man possessed wealth and a place of authority. Jesus told the man, “If 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” (Matthew 19:21). Jesus wanted the man to go beyond what the commandments required to share what he possessed in material wealth and knowledge of the gospel with his fellow man -- not out of duty but out of love. Jesus wasn't implying that the young ruler's love for his fellow man should supersede his love for God. When the lawyer asked Jesus, “which is the great commandment in the Law,” Jesus replied:
37“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38This is the great and first commandment.
39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-39; Mark 12:28-31)
Paul's statement, "love is the fulfillment of
the law" (Romans 13:10) is the same idea. Luke also records Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) in response to the lawyer's question. The priest and Levite who passed the beaten man along the road connecting Jericho and Jerusalem were possibly on their way to Jerusalem to fulfill their priestly and levitical duties, or maybe were returning from performing their duties, but Jesus portrayed them negatively. On the other hand, Jesus upheld a Samaritan man (who were viewed very negatively by the Jews) as an example to follow because he showed mercy. The apostle John said:
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20)
Therefore, all ten commandments given to Moses are closely related. They cannot be obeyed by keeping strict ordinances, but must be lived out through love. Jesus described the Judgment Day as such:
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
44Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’
45Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)
My humble opinion.