The Least Commandment

posthuman · Nov 23, 2020

I don't; Jesus says there is a least or set of 'leasts' - so I don't accept 'no such thing as least' as an answer.

Some people have suggested that the 'least' is different for everyone, and while that's plausible, it's not really an answer either, because what matters is what Christ meant by saying 'least' not what any person considers least to themselves.

Grandpa · Nov 23, 2020

The Lord was teaching that these commandments were Spiritual and not carnal.

Since we are "spiritually hindered", meaning we see through a glass darkly what we think is the "least" commandment the Lord assures us it is NOT the least commandment.

I think the choice of what ACTUALLY is the least commandment would be hard to find out. We all have our unique struggles so a commandment that may be easy for you might not be so easy for me. What would seem to be the least for you may be quite the opposite for me.

1 Timothy 1:5-7
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

Even the least commandments goal, or end, is Love out of a pure heart, a good conscience and Faith unfeigned.

So if you teach that the least commandment is no big deal then certain people who have that unique struggle that you don't have, may miss out on calling to Christ to help them and receiving the blessings that Christ gives.

Grandpa · Nov 23, 2020

I just started reading Matthew 5 again to see if I could glean anything.

I think the Lord may have been saying that the least commandments are the ones He lists and explains...

I don't suppose any of us would think of those as the least of commandments but the language of the KJV seems to suggest it.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Which refers to;
Matthew 5:21,27,31,33,38,43,48

Magenta · Nov 23, 2020

eternally-gratefull said:

Jesus told Pilate, "The one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”

oldethennew · Nov 23, 2020

it is clearly understood that there ARE weightier matters of The Law -
MATT. 23:23.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,
and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, judgment, mercy, and faith:
these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone. -

in OT times, this was referred to as 'light and heavy laws', in Hebrew, as Kalhomer'...
there are so many examples in every day life, such as in, WW11, there was a woman, Tenebaumb?,
that HID the Jews in her home, and regularly lied to the 'nazis', in order to save lives',
it was clearly understood, that saving lives was the 'heavier law' -
to 'lie' is still a 'sin', but the circumstances are for our God to judge - this is just a simple case...

as my husband has taught me, there are so many Laws in the Torah that will conflict with one another
in our present, evil world, that one will OFTEN have to 'choose' the 'lesser of two evils'...
hopefully this is understood from each of our individual lives accordingly...

JaumeJ · Nov 24, 2020

When I consider the laws as written down by Moses, and all our Lord has fulfilled, I am brought to His teaching to us all about what is important in applying the laws remaining.

Mat_23:23 (KJV) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

When I see a law not containing mercy, justice and needing faith to understand, I am always happy to pass it over, those condemning with no mercy, especially. Love will not condemn.

KJV1611 · Nov 24, 2020

All of the Ten Commandments are the least commandments. The greatest commandment is for our righteousness to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees.

FrankChatter · Nov 24, 2020

KJV1611 said:

Only way one way to do that.

FrankChatter · Nov 24, 2020

posthuman said:

He doesn't say singular PH, "these commandments" - probably he has in mind what he said here:

Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

KJV1611 · Nov 24, 2020

FrankChatter said:

Put on the righteousness of Christ.

I think there’s more to it than that. I think the verse is actually talking about the path to righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees - the law. Our path to righteousness is Christ.

posthuman · Nov 24, 2020

FrankChatter said:

Thanks - I was thinking of this verse last night in relation to this question!

This seems to rule out judgement, mercy and faith as 'least' commandments, because they are 'weightier' - and tho it doesn't definitively put tithing as the least, it does s bring it up as not as weighty as some others, so it's contending to be included in 'least'

FrankChatter · Nov 24, 2020

KJV1611 said:

Yeah it's both - the righteousness of the S&P would never bring life and is imperfect - whereas the righteous granted us in Christ is His righteousness is perfect

posthuman · Nov 24, 2020

FrankChatter said:

Earlier in the thread I agreed that 'least' is apparently a nonempty set that contains commandments; we'd like to know which commandments are in the singular 'set of least'

FrankChatter · Nov 24, 2020

posthuman said:

It's not really something I delved into PH. So I'm no use for that.

posthuman · Nov 24, 2020

FrankChatter said:

I've listened through every sermon I could find on Matthew 5:19 —it's not apparently a question much of anyone has really asked or explored.

Which is why I thought, what a good question to ask! Not so much to immediately find some authoritative answers, but to get us all to think about something that commentators don't give us ready replies to

Truth7t7 · Nov 24, 2020

posthuman said:

The scripture us very clear, Jesus Christ was speaking if the 10 commandments as seen below, and he strengthened them with precise explanation.

The focus is on breaking the 10 commandments,simple, clear,a and easy to understand.

Matthew 5:18-28KJV
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

KJV1611 · Nov 24, 2020

Truth7t7 said:

The scripture us very clear, Jesus Christ was speaking if the 10 commandments as seen below, and he strengthened them with precise explanation.

The focus is on breaking the 10 commandments,simple, clear,a and easy to understand.

Matthew 5:18-28KJV
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Jesus called all ten of the commandments the least of all commandments.

Truth7t7 · Nov 24, 2020

KJV1611 said:

What did my quote state, smiles!

Quote Truth7t7:
The scripture is very clear, Jesus Christ was speaking of the 10 commandments as seen below, and he strengthened them with precise explanation.

Mem · Nov 24, 2020

I read it, 'whoever dismisses (annuls; invalidates; voids) the most (seemingly frivolous; fickle) of these...'

posthuman · Nov 24, 2020

Truth7t7 said:

The scripture us very clear, Jesus Christ was speaking if the 10 commandments as seen below, and he strengthened them with precise explanation.

The focus is on breaking the 10 commandments,simple, clear,a and easy to understand.

Matthew 5:18-28KJV
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

so you're saying, God calls the 10 commandments "the least" of the commandments

The Least Commandment

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