Subject: Confused? |
Bible Note: Doc, Yes, Jesus is the living fulfillment of the Torah. You are correct that he is much more than a teacher. When I wrote that Jesus did not add to the laws, I had in mind first and foremost the command in Deut. 12:32 that says, "See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it." But yes, Lev 19:18 is relevant as well. Jesus is obviously alluding to this commandment. It is new in as much as it is Jesus himself, the Messiah, who tells us that to love ones neighbor as oneself is fulfilled by loving as he as loved. Love for oneself can be unhealthy at times and loving ones neighbor as oneself is a very open ended command. Jesus is putting a finer point on this command by saying, "I have showed you how to love and you being my disciples should do likewise." And of course his love was sacrificial, servant like, and absolute. It's new in the sense that we have a new picture to relate the command of love to, but it is not new in that the Torah did not already command us to love our neighbors. Of course if Jesus did add a totally new commandment, he would have broken a commandment nullifying his ability to be the unblemished perfect sacrifice for our sins. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to flesh out that statement in my pervious post. I was wondering if someone might catch that… MJH |