Can anyone explain how the Levite priests were able to violate the Sabbath-day and yet were innocent of sin?
"Haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?'' (Matthew 12:5).
The Levite priests working in the Jewish temple consistently violated the Sabbath-day every week and yet were innocent of sin.
This proves that sin is not the transgression of the 10 commandments of the law, since the Sabbath-day rest was included in the 10 commandments of the law.
The Levites priests were commanded to work on the Sabbath day, and in so doing they violated the Sabbath day.
The non-Levites were commanded to rest on the Sabbath day, and in so doing they observed the Sabbath day.
The Levites priests and non-Levites were both obeying the commandments of God, even though they were not all observing the Sabbath day.
And the same is true of us today:
“One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.” (Romans 14:5-6).
We who observe the Sabbath day should observe it out of love to the Lord, and we who do not observe the Sabbath day do not observe it out of love to the Lord. Our actions may differ, but our love to the Lord is the same. Our actions may change, but our love to the Lord remains. This is why love is the fulfillment of the law:
“Whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:9-10).
Love allows us to be flexible in our actions as long as our actions do not violate God’s love. This is why Paul’s actions toward the Jews could differ from his actions toward the Gentiles:
“To those under the law I became like one under the law…so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law…so as to win those not having the law.” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).
In Paul's effort to win the Jews he followed the regulations of the law, and in his effort to win the Gentiles he ignored the regulations of the law. Paul actions were not restricted by the regulations of the law, but his actions always fulfilled the love required by the law.
Even Gentiles who do not have the 10 commandments of the law are still able to fulfill the love required by the law:
“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts” -- (Romans 2:14-15).
Gentiles who do not have the 10 commandments of the law, do fulfill by natural instinct the love required by the law, and they become a law for themselves since their actions are inspired by love from their hearts as required by the law, even though they do not have the 10 commandments of the law.
“If those who are not circumcised keep the righteous requirements of the law...who is not circumcised physically and yet fulfills the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written letter and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law.” -- (Romans 2:26-29).
The love required by the law can be transgressed even by those who obey the written letter of the law, those who obey the law of 10 commandments.
Sin, therefore, is not the transgression of the 10 commandments of the law, but is the transgression of the love required by the law. This is why the Levite priests could transgress the 10 commandments of the law and still be innocent of sin:
"Haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?'' (Matthew 12:5).
"Haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?'' (Matthew 12:5).
The Levite priests working in the Jewish temple consistently violated the Sabbath-day every week and yet were innocent of sin.
This proves that sin is not the transgression of the 10 commandments of the law, since the Sabbath-day rest was included in the 10 commandments of the law.
The Levites priests were commanded to work on the Sabbath day, and in so doing they violated the Sabbath day.
The non-Levites were commanded to rest on the Sabbath day, and in so doing they observed the Sabbath day.
The Levites priests and non-Levites were both obeying the commandments of God, even though they were not all observing the Sabbath day.
And the same is true of us today:
“One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.” (Romans 14:5-6).
We who observe the Sabbath day should observe it out of love to the Lord, and we who do not observe the Sabbath day do not observe it out of love to the Lord. Our actions may differ, but our love to the Lord is the same. Our actions may change, but our love to the Lord remains. This is why love is the fulfillment of the law:
“Whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:9-10).
Love allows us to be flexible in our actions as long as our actions do not violate God’s love. This is why Paul’s actions toward the Jews could differ from his actions toward the Gentiles:
“To those under the law I became like one under the law…so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law…so as to win those not having the law.” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).
In Paul's effort to win the Jews he followed the regulations of the law, and in his effort to win the Gentiles he ignored the regulations of the law. Paul actions were not restricted by the regulations of the law, but his actions always fulfilled the love required by the law.
Even Gentiles who do not have the 10 commandments of the law are still able to fulfill the love required by the law:
“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts” -- (Romans 2:14-15).
Gentiles who do not have the 10 commandments of the law, do fulfill by natural instinct the love required by the law, and they become a law for themselves since their actions are inspired by love from their hearts as required by the law, even though they do not have the 10 commandments of the law.
“If those who are not circumcised keep the righteous requirements of the law...who is not circumcised physically and yet fulfills the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written letter and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law.” -- (Romans 2:26-29).
The love required by the law can be transgressed even by those who obey the written letter of the law, those who obey the law of 10 commandments.
Sin, therefore, is not the transgression of the 10 commandments of the law, but is the transgression of the love required by the law. This is why the Levite priests could transgress the 10 commandments of the law and still be innocent of sin:
"Haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?'' (Matthew 12:5).
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