Christians & Commandments

This is an assignment due at Campbell Univeristy Divinity School for the Ministry of Writing class on Thursday, March 20, 2008. The assignment is to write a 600-word "lesson commentary" on a Bible passage of my choice. Here's a preview . . .


CHRISTIANS & COMMANDMENTS
Focal Passage: Mark 12:28-34

We often hear fellow Christians say that we do not follow the Ten Commandments because Jesus came to do away with them; or, he fulfilled them, and so we don’t have to worry about following them. Just what did Jesus have to say about the Ten Commandments? What about commandments in general? Did he have any special thoughts about commandments that should affect the way we live today?

The word “commandment” has several different meanings. In general, a commandment could be any authoritative instruction. Specifically, the Old Testament commandments were religious in nature, often concerning moral issues. There was a personal quality to the commandments given by God because these formed the covenant relationship between God and his chosen people, Israel. Being personal in nature, these commandments required a person to give his or her whole self in observance of them.

In later years, the Jews would recognize more than just ten commandments. Akiba, a first century AD Rabbi, identified 613 commandments contained within the Old Testament. Of these, 365 are prohibitions and 248 are mandates. These 613 commandments are often positioned within their relationship to the “original” Ten Commandments.

Jesus graciously answered when asked by one the scribes to identify the greatest commandment. It may surprise some Christians to know that the answer Jesus gave was based on two Old Testament commandments. The first, related to love for God, comes from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (with echoes of Joshua 22:5). Deuteronomy 6:4 is called the Shema by Jews and is recited twice per day by devout Jews. Deuteronomy 6:5 is called the V’ahavta. Both form a central part of Jewish worship services.

It is no surprise then that Jesus would choose this commandment, and his questioner was pleased with this response. The second commandment Jesus identified, love of neighbor, comes from Leviticus 19:18. Here Jesus has identified two commandments that he esteemed to be important. Both of these commandments would be known to the Jews of Jesus’ day.

When Jesus says, “the second is like unto it,” what he really says is: “this is just like the first one.” It is difficult to know if Jesus meant “just like” in terms of importance or that it relates to love, like the first one mentioned.

Many scholars have observed that Jesus’ answer “sums up” the Ten Commandments. The first four commandments are related to love for God; the last six, for our fellow man. Most would agree that love for God and love for neighbor is a Christian doctrine. What may be the dividing factor between the Christian and the ancient Jewish view is the motivation for obedience.

The apostle Paul recognized this distinction in his letter to the church at Rome: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:8-10, NRSV). This is how Jesus “fulfilled” the law. In loving God and one another, we fulfill the law today.

Do Christians still follow the commandments today? Yes, but for an entirely different reason than the people of the Old Testament. They obeyed from a position of obligation; we obey out of love.