Jeremiah said the New Covenant would replace the Old Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34). Moses said the Old Covenant was the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 9:9 etc.). And Jesus said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 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.” (Matthew 5:17–18).
So how do we harmonize Jeremiah who says the New Covenant will replace the Ten Commandments? And Moses who confirms the Ten Commandments are the Old Covenant. With Jesus who says “one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Does this mean heaven and earth cannot end until he fulfills all? And that he would do this before the New Covenant could begin?
The solution is in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus shows how to fulfill the Ten Commandments with the Two Great Commandments. The Two Great Commandments teach: “…. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Luke 10:27 (KJV 1900) Calling for positive action based on love towards God and people.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan the passersby avoided the mugging victim. But they kept the Ten Commandments. They kept the eighth commandment by not stealing more from the victim while in a vulnerable position. But they still robbed him according to the Two Great Commandments. By not treating him as their equal and running to his aid.
So Why the Ten Commandments? The Ten Commandments aimed at controlling the wicked unbelievers in the nation. These were so wicked it took 40 years of toil to complete an eleven day journey from Egypt to Canaan. Wandering in the desert until all but faithful Caleb and Joshua dropped dead. God denied them the land promises because of their sin.
As Paul says: “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;” 1 Timothy 1:8–10 (KJV 1900)
It is obvious Abraham, Abel, Job and other believers did not need the Law or they would have had it too. When God removed the unbelievers from Israel under Christ (Romans 11), he removed the Ten Commandments with them (Colossians 2:14). Leaving only the moral law in its spiritual application for believers.
During the closing years of the Old Covenant Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Showing the Ten Commandments were morally equal to the Two Great Commandments when understood. As with the Good Samaritan, passively not stealing from someone according to the Ten Commandments is still stealing if you owe them the same treatment you lavish on yourself. Not stealing under threat of death does not make you good. It only makes bad people not do badly under threat of death. Only when obeyed actively in love for God and others did a person keep the Ten at a level equal the Two Great Commandments.
Jesus showed how to fulfill the Law. If he fulfilled the Ten Commandments on the cross as the unbelieving Jews understood them. He would not have lusted after Pilate’s wife. Or stolen his spear. Or coveted the soldier’s shield, and such. And then he would have felt good about himself for not doing these when he wanted to. This is the level most kept the Ten Commandments as seen in the Pharisees. And then perhaps thanking God as the Pharisee that he is not like others who do such.
But when Jesus fulfilled the Two Great Commandments, he fulfilled the Ten Commandments in a proper way too. Because when spiritually understood they have equal moral value to the Two Great Commandments. (Matthew 22:40).
So how did Jesus fulfill the Law?
“And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Luke 10:27 (KJV 1900)
When Jesus fulfilled the Law on the cross, he Loved God with all his mind, body, soul, and heart and strength. And his neighbor as himself.
He gave all his body over to the worst death imaginable in love for God and enemies. He gave his entire mind and soul in love for God when he said “not my will but thy will be done”. And he gave his last ounce of strength in his love for God and enemies as we wrenched the last drop of blood from him. And he loved his enemies as his own self when he asked God to forgive them for killing him.
So Jesus when fulfilling the Two Great Commandments also fulfilled the Ten to the fullest extent. And in that he abolished them in their redundancy by nailing them to his cross (Colossians 2:14). So when we think of the Law as believers today, we see the Ten Commandments no longer in their elementary form. But in their spiritual form equal to the Two Great Commandments through the Sermon on the Mount. Providing a practical application of the Two Great Commandments for everyday life.
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