When the grape harvest drew near, he sent his slaves to the farmers to collect his fruit.
But the farmers took his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.
Again, he sent other slaves, more than the first group, and they did the same to them.
Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance!’
So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
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 21:37 is found in this verse in the Old Testament.
Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
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. <\l >
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.