Command and Instruct

I have been reading through Matthew as a part of my daily routine. I have just finished reading chapters 5 & 6. I noticed that the Lord used a repetition through out these chapters of "Command and Instruct" according to the Law in that day. 

God says before all these instructions,

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law

or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy

but to fulfill."

Matthew 5:17

My MacArthur Study Bible in the NKJV explains this verse like this:

"Jesus was neither giving a new law nor modifying the old, but rather explaining the true significance of the moral content of Moses' law and the rest of the OT [old testament]. 'The Law of the Prophets' speaks of the entirety of the OT Scriptures, not the rabbinical interpretations of them. fulfill. This speaks of the fulfillment in the same sense that the prophecy is fulfilled. Christ was indicating that He is the fulfillment of the law in all its aspects. He fulfilled the moral law by keeping it perfectly, He fulfilled the ceremonial law by being the embodiment of everything the law's types and symbols pointed to. And He fulfilled the judicial law by personifying God's perfect justice (cf. 12:18,20)"

He was our example of living a righteous life. When Christ died, we were no longer held under the bondage of the Law, but covered by grace. That doesn't mean we are free to live lives of sin. The standard of a life of Holiness is Christ. He was perfect, but still tempted. Tempted in all ways we are, but was still without sin. His death covered our sin, so that we may life free in His grace, and that we could come to Him to give us all we need to live holy lives. 


Throughout chapters 5 He talks about Murder, Adultery, Divorce, Oaths, Retaliation, but ends the chapter with Love! And goes on in chapter 6 to talk about Charitable Deeds, Prayer, Fasting, Wealth. All things we as people will deal with in our daily lives. 


For the next few days I will be posting each one so that my posts are shorter and so we can take each one in at a time and praise the Lord for His goodness and grace in our lives. 


Lets start with the passages in Chapter 5, starting in verse 21-22 for the first command I saw:

Command

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgement.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire." 

Instruct

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come offer your gift."

I love that when the Lord shows us our sin, and commands us to turn, He does not leave us in the dark wondering where the door is. He shows us the way to leave our sin behind and move forward. 

Our God is always fair, always just and always gracious! Let us rejoice as we gather in His promises, His instruction and the treasure we are storing up in Heaven as we seek God's word to live lives that glorify Him. 


In Christ, Gather In.


Jess