blazingthru
Well-Known Member
Lesson 8: The Law of God and the Law of Christ *
Introduction: Are you bored? I hope not! You may be concerned that the last few lessons seem to repeat the same concepts. If you are bored, I apologize. On the other hand, understanding grace is critical - and hearing about it more than once is a blessing. The good news for the bored is that our lesson this week takes a turn to explore what grace means for everyday life. The good news for those who feel they could still use a little repetition about grace, is that we are still generally on that subject. Let's dive into our study of the Bible and learn more about the law and grace!
Law and Love
Read Matthew 22:34. How smart are Pharisees?
(Apparently they think they are smarter than the Sadducees. They think it is their turn to play the game called "outsmart Jesus." The Sadducees could not win, but the Pharisees think they can.)
Read Matthew 22:35-36. Is this a difficult question? If you think so, why?
(I consulted some Bible commentaries and found that Jewish theologians could not agree on the answer. By asking Jesus to state His opinion, the Pharisees would create a conflict between Him and at least some of the leading scholars - or so they hoped.)
Read Matthew 22:37-40. Let's go back to a topic I have repeatedly mentioned: the moral law was established by God as a reflection of His love for humans. God knew about the operation of the natural law, and to protect us from unwittingly being damaged by natural law, God gave us the moral law. Does my theory fit with what Jesus says here?
(Jesus says God's laws are all about love. If the goal of the law is to produce love in us, it makes perfect sense that God's motivation to give us the law was also love.)
If reason for the law is God's love for us, and the goal of the law is that we would love others, would God ever have a reason to end the law?
What advantage is there in being free from the law?
(Being free from the penalty of the law is one thing (grace), but being free from the protection of the law is foolishness.)
New Law on Love
Read John 13:33. If you were one of Jesus' disciples, would this worry you?
(You are a disciple! Why can't you go everywhere Jesus goes? This is worrisome.)
Read John 13:34-35. How can Jesus say this is a "new command" when we just read in Matthew 22:39-40 that loving our neighbor is a summary of both the law and the statements of the prophets of old? This is a very old command, right?
Let's re-read Matthew 22:39. Think carefully about this: What, exactly, is the standard for conduct when we are told to love our neighbor as our self?
Let's consider an example. If you've been reading my lessons for a long time, you know that I used to regularly mow my elderly neighbor's lawn. Does that mean that when I get older I expect someone younger might mow my lawn?
(Yes. This is the standard I've set for myself.)
Assume that I would never expect that someone would mow my law. Would I be following Jesus' command if I failed to mow the lawn of an elderly neighbor?
(Jesus seems to make us the standard for how we treat our neighbor. If we would not expect it for ourselves, then we need not provide it for our neighbor, right?)
Re-read John 13:34. Jesus is telling His disciples that He is going to His death and resurrection. Would you die for your enemy? See Romans 5:10. Would you give up your son's life so that someone else might live?
(No! Never!)
How is Jesus' command to His disciples "new?"
(It is absolutely new. The old standard for loving our neighbor turned on our own standard. Jesus tells us that the new standard is His standard - He was willing to die for us when we were His enemies! That is the new standard for love!)
Introduction: Are you bored? I hope not! You may be concerned that the last few lessons seem to repeat the same concepts. If you are bored, I apologize. On the other hand, understanding grace is critical - and hearing about it more than once is a blessing. The good news for the bored is that our lesson this week takes a turn to explore what grace means for everyday life. The good news for those who feel they could still use a little repetition about grace, is that we are still generally on that subject. Let's dive into our study of the Bible and learn more about the law and grace!
Law and Love
Read Matthew 22:34. How smart are Pharisees?
(Apparently they think they are smarter than the Sadducees. They think it is their turn to play the game called "outsmart Jesus." The Sadducees could not win, but the Pharisees think they can.)
Read Matthew 22:35-36. Is this a difficult question? If you think so, why?
(I consulted some Bible commentaries and found that Jewish theologians could not agree on the answer. By asking Jesus to state His opinion, the Pharisees would create a conflict between Him and at least some of the leading scholars - or so they hoped.)
Read Matthew 22:37-40. Let's go back to a topic I have repeatedly mentioned: the moral law was established by God as a reflection of His love for humans. God knew about the operation of the natural law, and to protect us from unwittingly being damaged by natural law, God gave us the moral law. Does my theory fit with what Jesus says here?
(Jesus says God's laws are all about love. If the goal of the law is to produce love in us, it makes perfect sense that God's motivation to give us the law was also love.)
If reason for the law is God's love for us, and the goal of the law is that we would love others, would God ever have a reason to end the law?
What advantage is there in being free from the law?
(Being free from the penalty of the law is one thing (grace), but being free from the protection of the law is foolishness.)
New Law on Love
Read John 13:33. If you were one of Jesus' disciples, would this worry you?
(You are a disciple! Why can't you go everywhere Jesus goes? This is worrisome.)
Read John 13:34-35. How can Jesus say this is a "new command" when we just read in Matthew 22:39-40 that loving our neighbor is a summary of both the law and the statements of the prophets of old? This is a very old command, right?
Let's re-read Matthew 22:39. Think carefully about this: What, exactly, is the standard for conduct when we are told to love our neighbor as our self?
Let's consider an example. If you've been reading my lessons for a long time, you know that I used to regularly mow my elderly neighbor's lawn. Does that mean that when I get older I expect someone younger might mow my lawn?
(Yes. This is the standard I've set for myself.)
Assume that I would never expect that someone would mow my law. Would I be following Jesus' command if I failed to mow the lawn of an elderly neighbor?
(Jesus seems to make us the standard for how we treat our neighbor. If we would not expect it for ourselves, then we need not provide it for our neighbor, right?)
Re-read John 13:34. Jesus is telling His disciples that He is going to His death and resurrection. Would you die for your enemy? See Romans 5:10. Would you give up your son's life so that someone else might live?
(No! Never!)
How is Jesus' command to His disciples "new?"
(It is absolutely new. The old standard for loving our neighbor turned on our own standard. Jesus tells us that the new standard is His standard - He was willing to die for us when we were His enemies! That is the new standard for love!)