Be Ye Doers of the Word - Part 832

Know therefore that the LORD thy God -- He is God -- the faithful God which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him. We are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that [we] should show forth the praises of Him who hath called [us] out of darkness into His marvellous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” (I Peter 2:9-10)

In this context, the Ten Commandments and/or Leviticus Law as many in the religious culture of this day would have us believe are not the commandments for this current generation. Indeed, Jesus gave only two commandments for His people. That is, we are to love the Lord thy God with all our heart ... with all our soul ... with all our mind and strength, and second, to love our neighbour as our self. “On these two commandments,” said Jesus, “hang ALL the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:40) 

This is a critical point, because there are those (both inside and outside the church) who would have us living our lives based solely on old covenant law. These do not understand that we currently live in the dispensation of grace whereby the veil between God and man was torn from top to bottom once and for all because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. And these do not comprehend that salvation is a gift of God that came about because of His abundance of love and mercy for His people. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

In fact, the scriptures are clear on this point. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation. Nothing! Why? “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) The scriptures in Matthew 22 and Mark 12 expand on this point.

"But when the Pharisees had heard that [Jesus] had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"

Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang ALL the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:40)

The same example is repeated again in Mark 12:18-32.  Herein, Jesus is speaking unto them in parables. He is sharing a parable about a certain man that plants a vineyard. This man sets a hedge about it, digging a place for the wine fat, and then builds a tower. He lets it out to husbandmen, and travels into a far country. And at the season, he sent to the husbandman a servant that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 

When Jesus finishes this parable, "one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked [Jesus], "Which is the first commandment of all?" 

And Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is, "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:28-34)

And the scribe said unto Him, "Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He, and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” And no man after that durst ask Him any question. (Mark 12:29-34) But Jesus did not stop preaching. What happens next?

And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, “How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, “The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.” David therefore himself called Him Lord; and whence is He His son?” And the common people heard him gladly.

And He said unto them in His doctrine, “Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.”

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. [But] there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and said unto them, “Verily I say unto you that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury. For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” (Mark 12:35-44) Now that is standing in the offering plate.

Indeed, there are so many lessons that we need to know from Mark 12 that I have copied the entire chapter below for your edification.

“And He began to speak unto them by parables. “A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his well- beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, “They will reverence my son.”

But those husbandmen said among themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.” And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.

What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? [Good question!] He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.” (Mark 12:1-9)

Then Jesus said, “Have ye not read this scripture? The stone which the builders rejected is become the Head of the corner. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?”

And they sought to lay hold on Him, but feared the people: for they knew that He had spoken the parable against them: and they left Him, and went their way. And they send unto Him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. And when they were come, they say unto him, “Master, we know that Thou art true, and carest for no man: for Thou regards not the person of men, but teaches the way of God in truth.

Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, “Why tempt ye me? Bring me a penny, that I may see it.” And they brought it. And He said unto them, “Whose is this image and superscription?” And they said unto him, “Caesar's.”

And Jesus answering, said unto them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marvelled at Him. Then come unto Him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked Him, saying,

^“Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.” Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? For the seven had her to wife.”

And Jesus answering said unto them, “Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke unto him, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?” He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.”

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

And Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

And the scribe said unto Him, “Well, Master, Thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.” And no man after that durst ask him any question. And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, “How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, “The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit Thou on my right hand, till I make Thine enemies thy footstool.

David therefore himself called Him Lord; and whence is He then His son? And the common people heard him gladly. And He said unto them in His doctrine, “Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.”

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.”

^“For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” 

Praise Jesus today. Like the certain poor widow that Jesus noticed most in this scriptural passage -- still noticing even when Jesus was surrounded by those that were rich -- know that Jesus seeks our heart. Therefore, cast all your burdens and worldly cares upon Him. Why? Because our Lord God and Saviour Jesus never fails!