Identifying Jesus' Commandments in the New Testament
Identifying Jesus' Commandments in the New Testament
Jesus' commandments are a central aspect of Christian ethics and discipleship. In the New Testament, Jesus is recorded as giving various commands to his followers, which are scattered throughout the Gospels and Epistles.
The New Testament writers often refer to Jesus' teachings as "commandments" or "commands" [1]. For instance, in 1 Thessalonians 4:2, Paul reminds the Thessalonians of the "commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus" [1]. This suggests that Jesus' teachings were considered authoritative and binding on his followers.
One of the key sources of Jesus' commandments is the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), where he teaches about the kingdom of God and the ethics of his followers. Jesus' commandments in this sermon include loving one's enemies (Matthew 5:44), not judging others (Matthew 7:1-2), and seeking first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) [6].
Jesus also gives commandments outside of the Sermon on the Mount. In John 13:34, he commands his disciples to "love one another as I have loved you" [2]. This commandment is repeated in other parts of the New Testament, such as 1 John 3:23, where it is described as a command from God.
The New Testament writers often interpret Jesus' commandments in light of the Old Testament. For example, in Mark 12:29-31, Jesus combines two Old Testament commands (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18) to form a new commandment to love God and one's neighbor [5]. This demonstrates that Jesus' commandments are not isolated from the rest of Scripture, but are rather part of a larger narrative of God's relationship with humanity.
The early Christian writers also understood Jesus' commandments as being closely tied to the Old Testament. According to Matthew Henry, the gospel is considered a "new testament" that supersedes the old covenant, but still builds upon it [3]. John Chrysostom, an Eastern Orthodox father, also interprets Jesus' teachings in light of the Old Testament, demonstrating the continuity between the two testaments [7].
In identifying Jesus' commandments, it is also important to consider the context in which they were given. Jesus' teachings were often responses to specific situations or questions from his disciples, and were shaped by his Jewish context. Understanding this context can help to clarify the meaning and significance of his commandments.
The commandments of Jesus are not limited to the Gospels. The Epistles also contain references to Jesus' teachings as authoritative commands. For example, in 2 Peter 1:19, the author refers to the "word of the prophets" and the "commandment of the Lord and Savior" [4]. This demonstrates that Jesus' commandments were considered important not just during his earthly ministry, but also in the early Christian community.
Sources
- I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 4:2 (Geneva1599) — For ye knowe what commandements we gaue you by the Lord Iesus.”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “John 4:10 cross-references: Exodus 17:6, 2 Chronicles 33:12, 2 Chronicles 33:18, Psalms 10:17, Psalms 36:8, Psalms 46:4, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 12:3, Isaiah 35:6, Isaiah 41:17, Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 43:20, Isaiah 44:3, Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah 49:10, Isaiah 55:1, Isaiah 55:6, Jeremiah 2:13, Ezekiel 16:35, Ezekiel 47:1, Zechariah 13:1, Zechariah 14:8, Luke 11:8, Luke 11:13, Luke 18:13, Luke 23:42, John 3:16, John 4:14, John 4:25, John 6:35, John 6:51, John 7:37, John 9:35, John 16:3, John 17:3, Acts 9:11, Romans 8:32, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 10:4, 2 Corinthians 9:15, Ephesians 2:8, 1 John 5:20, ”
- Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 1:1: We may observe here, I. What the New Testament is - the divine testament, to which we adhere above all that is human; the new testament, which we advance above that which was old. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, Mar 1:1. 1. It is gospel; it is God's word, and is faithful and true; see Rev 19:9; Rev 21:5; Rev 22:6. It is a good word, and well worthy of all acceptation; it brings us glad tidings. 2. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the anointed Saviour, the Messiah promised and expected. The foregoing gospel began with the generation of Jesus Christ -”
- 2 Peter (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 2 Peter 1:19: In these words the apostle lays down another argument to prove the truth and reality of the gospel, and intimates that this second proof is more strong and convincing than the former, and more unanswerably makes out that the doctrine of the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is not a mere fable or cunning contrivance of men, but the wise and wonderful counsel of the holy and gracious God. For this is foretold by the prophets and penmen of the Old Testament, who spoke and wrote under the influence and according to the direction of the Spirit of God. Here no”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 12:29: 12:29-31 Jesus’ reply combined two widely separated commands from the Torah. • The first, Deut 6:4-5, was probably the best known passage in the Old Testament, for it was repeated twice daily by observant Jews. It is called the Shema because it begins with the word Listen (Hebrew shema‘). The first command corresponds to the first part of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:2-11), which deals with a person’s relationship to God. • The oneness of God is foundational to Jewish and Christian monotheism and is the basis for the command to love God with all one’s heart (think”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:19: 5:19 The realization of the law in Christ means that obedience to all of his commands (see 28:20) is the only acceptable response for his disciples. • Commandment refers to the Old Testament commands (5:18) as now fulfilled in Christ’s teaching (see 5:21-48). • the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: Jesus may mean that such an individual will enter the Kingdom, but only barely and with low status; alternatively, some Jewish evidence suggests that he is referring to damnation (cp. 8:12, where “those for whom the Kingdom was prepared” are eternally excluded).”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:26 2:10 2:18 2:21 2:21 2:24 2:24 2:24 3:5 3:6 3:11 3:16 3:16 3:16 3:19 3:19 4 4:2 4:6 4:7 4:7 4:7 4:9 4:9 4:10 4:10 4:10 4:11 4:14 6:3 6:3 6:9 9:5 9:20 9:22 11:8 11:31 12:3 12:7 12:7 14:14 15:12 15:13-14 18:3 18:3 18:3 18:7 18:17 18:19 18:27 18:33 21:12 22:3 22:18 25:33 27:27 27:41 27:45 28:12 28:20 29:23 30:1-2 31:7 31:15 31:40 32:10 32:21 32:28 32:29 33:19 37:18 39:1-20 40:23 41:40 41:42-43 42:21 45:5 45:5 45:9 45:24 48:16 49:7 60:8 Exodus 1:14 1:22 2:11 2:13 2:15 2:22 3:1 3:2 3:2 4:10 4:22 5:2 9:11 17:4 18:2”