careful to do everything they tell you. (Matthew
23:2–3a)
Jesus spoke two languages. To
those born under the law, he spoke the language of the law. But to those not
under law—Gentiles, you, me, and everyone born after the cross—Jesus speaks the
language of grace.
It is
essential that you understand this. Jesus lived under the law, but on the cross
he fulfilled all the requirements of the law so that we might live under grace.
It’s a whole new way of life with a whole new language.
How did Jesus preach the law?
Jesus is grace personified. In
chapter 4 we looked at some of the ways Jesus dispensed grace. But Jesus was
also the greatest law-preacher of all time. This is not obvious but it’s true.
When religious people came to trap him with theological puzzles, Jesus would typically
respond with the law. “What did Moses command you?” (Mark 10:3). To the Jews in
the temple, Jesus said:
Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you
keeps the law. (John 7:19a)
Nobody preached the law like
Jesus. Consider this famous passage:
For if you forgive other people when they sin against
you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others
their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14–15)
This is one of the most popular
sayings of Jesus. It is also vintage law and a killer scripture. It is not good
news. This verse should make us shudder, for it says our forgiveness rests on
our ability to forgive others. This is bad news because we are poor forgivers
indeed. People sin against us repeatedly. Have we honestly forgiven them all?
What if we miss one?
And what do
we say to those who have been abused and mistreated? What do you say to a child
who has been molested? “Sweetie, you need to forgive that evil man, otherwise
God won’t forgive you.” That’s not grace. That’s the condemning ministry of the
law in full bloom. How do you forgive the unforgivable? You can’t. Then you’re
in trouble, for the law condemns you as an unforgiver.
The law is
any conditional statement that links our behavior with blessings or curses.
It’s tit for tat and quid pro quo . How do we
recognize the law that Jesus preached? Just look for the carrots and sticks.
You will find plenty in the Sermon on the Mount.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
(Matthew 7:1)
That’s good advice but it’s
also law. It comes with a big stick (judgment). Here is another example:
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother
or sister will be subject to judgment … And anyone who says, “You fool!” will
be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:22)
This is not good news. It’s bad
news for anyone with a brother or sister. It’s pure law. There is no grace
here, just condemnation.
Here is
another tough saying of Jesus:
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and
cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members
perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand
causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable
for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast
into hell. (Matthew 5:29–30, NKJV)
Chop off your hand?! Was Jesus serious?
This is one of those passages
that causes you to do a double-take. What?! Did Jesus really say that? Was
he serious?
Perhaps you
think Jesus wasn’t serious. After all, Jesus is the kindest person there is. He
healed the sick and touched lepers. Surely he doesn’t want us to go around
maiming ourselves. Nevertheless, the question stands: Did Jesus mean what he
said? Was he being literal or figurative?
“Obviously
Jesus wasn’t being literal. He is using strong words to warn us about the
seriousness of sin. He’s not preaching self-mutilation but self-denial. He’s
telling us we should do whatever it takes to avoid hell.”
That’s a
common interpretation,
23:2–3a)
Jesus spoke two languages. To
those born under the law, he spoke the language of the law. But to those not
under law—Gentiles, you, me, and everyone born after the cross—Jesus speaks the
language of grace.
It is
essential that you understand this. Jesus lived under the law, but on the cross
he fulfilled all the requirements of the law so that we might live under grace.
It’s a whole new way of life with a whole new language.
How did Jesus preach the law?
Jesus is grace personified. In
chapter 4 we looked at some of the ways Jesus dispensed grace. But Jesus was
also the greatest law-preacher of all time. This is not obvious but it’s true.
When religious people came to trap him with theological puzzles, Jesus would typically
respond with the law. “What did Moses command you?” (Mark 10:3). To the Jews in
the temple, Jesus said:
Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you
keeps the law. (John 7:19a)
Nobody preached the law like
Jesus. Consider this famous passage:
For if you forgive other people when they sin against
you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others
their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14–15)
This is one of the most popular
sayings of Jesus. It is also vintage law and a killer scripture. It is not good
news. This verse should make us shudder, for it says our forgiveness rests on
our ability to forgive others. This is bad news because we are poor forgivers
indeed. People sin against us repeatedly. Have we honestly forgiven them all?
What if we miss one?
And what do
we say to those who have been abused and mistreated? What do you say to a child
who has been molested? “Sweetie, you need to forgive that evil man, otherwise
God won’t forgive you.” That’s not grace. That’s the condemning ministry of the
law in full bloom. How do you forgive the unforgivable? You can’t. Then you’re
in trouble, for the law condemns you as an unforgiver.
The law is
any conditional statement that links our behavior with blessings or curses.
It’s tit for tat and quid pro quo . How do we
recognize the law that Jesus preached? Just look for the carrots and sticks.
You will find plenty in the Sermon on the Mount.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
(Matthew 7:1)
That’s good advice but it’s
also law. It comes with a big stick (judgment). Here is another example:
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother
or sister will be subject to judgment … And anyone who says, “You fool!” will
be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:22)
This is not good news. It’s bad
news for anyone with a brother or sister. It’s pure law. There is no grace
here, just condemnation.
Here is
another tough saying of Jesus:
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and
cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members
perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand
causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable
for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast
into hell. (Matthew 5:29–30, NKJV)
Chop off your hand?! Was Jesus serious?
This is one of those passages
that causes you to do a double-take. What?! Did Jesus really say that? Was
he serious?
Perhaps you
think Jesus wasn’t serious. After all, Jesus is the kindest person there is. He
healed the sick and touched lepers. Surely he doesn’t want us to go around
maiming ourselves. Nevertheless, the question stands: Did Jesus mean what he
said? Was he being literal or figurative?
“Obviously
Jesus wasn’t being literal. He is using strong words to warn us about the
seriousness of sin. He’s not preaching self-mutilation but self-denial. He’s
telling us we should do whatever it takes to avoid hell.”
That’s a
common interpretation,
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