Matthew 22:35-40
And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ You SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH
ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.”
“This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ” YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF./”
On these two commandments depend the whole law and the Prophets.”
It sounds like Jesus is giving two new commandments in this discourse. But, Scripture makes it clear that He is just summarising the Ten Commandments, in the manner that the first four commandments relate to our relationship with God, and the following six relate to our relationship with our neighbours.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
The wording of Matthew 22:35-40 is found in this verse in the Old Testament.
In Deuteronomy Chapter 5, Moses reads The Law (Ten Commandments) to the people of Israel.
Then in Deuteronomy Chapter 6 he summarises the first four Commandments.
Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.
Again Moses does in the Old Testament what Jesus does in the New Testament, He summarises the last six commandments.
Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments:
Do not commit adultery;
do not murder;
do not steal;
do not covet;
and whatever other commandment – all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.
The Apostle Paul uses the same principle used by Jesus and Moses when he summarises the last six commandments.
Jesus did not give any new commandments while He was on earth. He simply reinforced His Eternal Law.
Another statement that is popular today is that, Jesus has abolished the Ten Commandments. Now they are written on our hearts.
Hebrews 10:16 is used to confirm their argument. Well, what does Scripture say about it?
This is the covenant I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws on their hearts
and write them on their minds,
Has God changed His order of doing things? Is this a new way of doing things in the New Testament?
Well, let’s have a look at the Old Testament to see if this is something new.
Deuteronomy 6:6
These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.
Jesus is not giving us a new instruction in the New Testament. His Ten Commandment Law was, and will always be written in our hearts.