Was Christ instructing people in the Torah in the sermon on the Mt. or making new laws?
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Jesus was elucidating the intention, significance, and superiority of the Spirit of the law over the letter of the law.
This prophecy about the Messiah/Christ in the book of Isaiah explains one of the things Jesus came to do:
Isaiah 42:21
...he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
And those who believe on him are called to do the same also; by the Spirit he has given us.
God's main, or primary attribute is that He is righteous. This is displayed by the Law. But God has other attributes that He would like to exercise - like mercy and longsuffering. If God applies the Law all men are lost (see Romans Chapter 7). So God sends His Son Jesus to deal with the thing that separates men from God - sin and sins. Then, God, having set aside sin and sins, must give TIME for men to reconsider and be reconciled to Him. So the New Testament age is an age of "DEFERRED JUDGMENT". That means that God will allow some time to pass for men to come to the knowledge of what Jesus has done. He does not wink at evil, but He sets aside judgement for a time. And His disciples, having been made "ministers of reconciliation" (2nd Cor.5:18-19), must represent this, and exercise it.
So for the New Testament age, the Christian ONLY (NOT the Jew NOR the Gentile), is made subject to new and different governing principles. The Jew must stick to his Law and demand "an eye for and eye, and a life for a life". The Gentile is still subject to the Covenant of the Rainbow, and must seek the death penalty for murder (Gen.9:17). But the Christian must follow his Master and "turn the other cheek". Does God forget this blow to the Christian? NO! In Matthew 25:31-46 what was "done to the least of His brethren" will meet with recompense and retribution - BUT ONLY WHEN CHRIST COMES!
Then, when our Lord Jesus has COME again, He reverts to "the rule of the Rod of Iron" (Rev.19:15). That is, criminals and offenders will again meet with immediate and commensurate justice.
Pentecost hadn't happened yet giving the Holy Spirit to all believers and it was the Holy Spirit speaking to man rather than rituals given that is the basis of obedience by the spirit of the law. God had given the Jews everyday acts to do to remind them of the spirit of the law, and Christ never once spoke against what His Father had done. He would not have spoken against the letter of the law until the Holy Spirit was given to all to lead them to teach them true obedience.
I disagree. For one thing, some did have the Holy Spirit before Pentecost. And also, Abraham obeyed God before there even were laws.
The Lord was showing that righteousness through the Law was a lot more difficult than most people were taught.
He ultimately showed that righteousness through the Law is an impossibility on your own.
Lots of people are still banging their heads on that proverbial wall.
Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
He ultimately showed that righteousness through the Law is an impossibility on your own.
Lots of people are still banging their heads on that proverbial wall.
Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
We agree that some had the Holy Spirit before it was made available to all, but the new covenant is based on the Holy Spirit being given to all, for God now communicated with us through the spirit instead of through physical commandments.
We disagree about law. The entire earth operates by law. It is built into the creation of the earth. In Hebrew it was called the Torah, a word that has a long complicated meaning and expresses law as God gave it to us. Moses expressed it for us but it was not created by Moses but by the Lord and that was done at creation.
You are agreeing with me that Jesus was explaining the law, or as the original Hebrew language called it, the Torah. I love being agreed with! But we don't agree on how this law is to be thought of and used. We must accept both instructions to us: to be perfect and accept that perfection is not through our works but through Christ. They are to both be accepted by our giving being perfect our best efforts. We are not to accept sin in our life, even if our humanness leads us to sin. That sin is to be constantly given to Christ with our repentance as we try and try again for perfection.
The laws that run the universe were not given to Moses, nor are the 613 laws that were given to Moses meant for Christians. The Holy Spirit is not given to all, either. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. When we heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, and believed in Him, we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.
There is so much in scripture you need to add to your wonderful knowledge, it is a whole storehouse of wonders.
First, who do you think Israel is in God's eyes? Use your concordance and look up the strangers God speaks of and how God wanted the Jews to relate to them. God did not want Jews to accept their pagan ways, but the strangers were always welcome into Israel and under the same guidance. It teaches us that God does not look at who our parents are in order to love and guide us.
Next, please look up in Strong's (on the net if you don't own one) the Hebrew word torah to see what God meant by giving us law. It is the original word God used that is translated as law. It will give you a better understanding of how God guides us.
Then try to understand what is a guidance from the Lord for using a physical act (like cutting foreskin) and what is a guidance to truth. Belonging to the Lord is a truth, cutting foreskin is a physical act. You will then see how it was man's idea to cut out the feasts that are not a physical act but a celebration of Jesus' salvation.
[for me anyway] the Lord Jesus Christ says what He means, and means what He says; and it is He who has the last Word, and not us, nor any other. Therefore if He says "But I say unto you" then that is the final Word: for though it has been said by them of old time "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" yet to this Christ says "But I say unto you, that ye resist NOT evil"; this what He says is what we who say we believe are supposed to submit to and rely upon, and deny our own will.
Christ was explicating the Ten Commandments for their higher and spiritual meaning.
He was also indicating to the Jews that He had divine authority to do so, since He is the one who gave them the Ten Commandments in the first placed.
If you are going to obey the Lord you better listen to what the Lord tells you, first.
When God told Israel an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, the nations would cut off a hand if someone took an apple. There was no justice. Jesus is explaining the meaning of that, and it was a guidance to justice, And Jesus never said to let evil into your life. Not ever. In fact if someone treats you in an evil way, you are not to respond to him with evil or gossip but let it go past you.
C
cuz
Guest
Sorry if this upsets some people I dont mean to only trying to bring my understand to this
Hebrews 12:
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[c] 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[d]
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Jesus teaches freedom from the law through him giving a choose follow the mountain that cant be touched (Law of moses)
or come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Law of christ)
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Hebrews 12:
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[c] 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[d]
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Jesus teaches freedom from the law through him giving a choose follow the mountain that cant be touched (Law of moses)
or come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Law of christ)
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
To Magnenta: What of the scripture I am directing you to do you disagree with? Perhaps you have found some scripture that tells us not to celebrate that Christ gives us salvation? If you read the new covenant there is nothing there that tells us "don't celebrate". Perhaps you have decided that Paul was telling the Colossians To not celebrate when actually Paul was telling them to follow Christ who did celebrate as the Lord told Him to.
S
Scribe
Guest
I think he is saying those things to help people reflect on what has been said of old and also to give some new insight. He didnt come to get rid of the law but you fulfil it and give everyone more precise understanding.