>>>Look at the context: Matt. 5: 17-20---
17Don't suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. [a] I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. 18 Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen. 19 If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. 20 You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you that you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

That translation has modified the text at the most relevant juncture. It replaces the word "these" with "in the law." What does that prove other than the fact that you can't trust a Christian translator any further than you can throw a piano!

>>>Literal translation:
Matthew 5:17-20 (Young's Literal Translation)
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
17`Do not suppose that I came to throw down the law or the prophets -- I did not come to throw down, but to fulfill;
18for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass.
19`Whoever therefore may loose one of these commands -- the least -- and may teach men so, least he shall be called in the reign of the heavens, but whoever may do and may teach [them], he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.
20`For I say to you, that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye may not enter to the reign of the heavens.

Again, Young's modified the text to fit his understanding. He offsets "the least" in order to make it appear that it is the referent of the relative pronoun! I think I'm gonna puke!

If we just read it as is written "the least of these commands" then what are "these commands?" There is no referent in back but there is one just ahead: his own.

But let's just see if you, who desire to be a teacher of the law (moral law, ceremonial parsing, etc) are COMPLYIN with this passage? Are you not saying that the least commands of the Torah can be safely ignored? Sure you are. That is EXACTLY what lies at the core of your parsing into different laws! You are using a passage about not parsing in order defend your parsing!

Do you have any idea what things you are affirming when you affirm Matt 5:17-19?:

1Ti 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

You want to say that Jesus is preaching the Torah. But the law came through Moses, no? Favor and truth came through Jesus. The law is the shadow, not Jesus. The body (the thing casting the shadow) is his:

Col 2:
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 ¶ Let no man therefore [because the Torah was "blotted out" in reference to the believer] judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, ***or of the sabbath days***:
17 ***Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ***.

You want Matthew 5-7 to side with you that the moral law is found in a subset of the Torah rather than in the body who cast the shadow of law, brought the truth, in whom were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, etc?? What kind of a Christian are you?

Heb 10:1 For ***the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things***, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Are you sure that three tents is a good idea? Shouldn't you hear *him*?:

Matthew 17:
4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, ***let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias**.
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, ***This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him***.
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, ***they saw no man, save Jesus only***.

Hey, that's pretty good preaching!

Bill Ross

I think you'll enjoy this. Let me know if you have any questions about it.


The Law and The Gospel

1. WHAT is one of the uses of the law?
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20.

2. In thus making known sin, and the consequent need of a Saviour, what part does the law act?
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Gal. 3:24.

3. What is the gospel declared to be?
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Rom. 1:16.

4. What is the significance of the name bestowed by the angel upon the Saviour before His birth?
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins." Matt. 1:21.

5. In whom is this power to save from sin revealed?
"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." 1 Cor. 1:23,24.

6. What was foretold concerning Christ's attitude toward the law of God?
"Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O M y God: yea, Thy law is within My heart." Ps. 40:7,8.

7. What is the first promise of the new covenant?
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts." Heb. 8:10.

8. What is Christ's relation to this new covenant?
"But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant; which was established upon better promises." Verse 6.

9. How is this same work for man otherwise described?
"For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer. For if He were on earth, He should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law." Verses 3,4.

10. What is necessary on the part of the individual in order to receive the benefit of Christ's work?
"With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. 10:10.

11. For what did the apostle Paul trust Christ?
"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Phil. 3:8,9.

12. What relation does the law sustain to this righteousness?
"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." Rom. 3:21.

13. Does the faith which brings righteousness abolish the law?
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Verse 31.

NOTE.-The law reveals the perfection of character required, and so gives a knowledge of sin; but it is powerless to confer the character demanded. In the gospel, the law, first written in the heart of Christ, becomes "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," and is thus transferred to the heart of the believer, in whose heart Christ dwells by faith. Thus the new covenant promise is fulfilled that the law shall be written in the heart. This is the genuine experience of righteousness by faith,- a righteousness which is witnessed by the law, and revealed in the life in harmony with the law. The gospel is thus seen to be the provision for restoring the law to its place in the heart and life of the one who believes on Christ, and accepts His mediatorial work. Such faith, instead of making void the law, establishes it in the heart of the believer. The gospel is not against the law, therefore, but upholds, maintains, and presents the law to us in Christ.

14. What did Christ take away?
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29.

15. What has Christ abolished?
"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2 Tim. 1:10.

16. What change is brought about through the gospel?
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18. See note on question 17 of Chapter 20. of this book.

NOTE.-It is sometimes claimed that Christ changed, abolished, or took away the law, and put the gospel in its place; but this shows a misapprehension of the real work of Christ. The individual believer is changed by beholding the glory revealed in the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4; John 1:14); death has been abolished through the death of Christ; and sin has been taken away by the great Sin-bearer; but the law of God still remains unchanged as the very foundation of His throne.

17. What spiritual interpretation did Christ give to the sixth commandment?
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire." Matt. 5:21,22.

18. How did He interpret the seventh commandment?
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Verses 27,28.

19. Of what prophecy was this teaching a fulfillment?
"The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Isa. 42:21.

NOTE.-Christ not only gave a spiritual interpretation to the law and Himself observed it according to that interpretation, but He showed the holiness and the immutable nature of the law by dying on the cross to pay the penalty of its transgression. In this way, above all He magnified the law, and showed its far-reaching, immutable, and imperishable nature.

20. In what promise was the gospel preached to Abraham?
"And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the
heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed." Gal. 3:8.

21. On what basis was Abraham accounted righteous?
"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Rom. 4:3.

22. What scripture cuts off all hope of justification by works?
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20.

23. In what way are all believers in Jesus justified?
"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Verse 24.

24. After this work of grace has been accomplished, is the believer expected to go on in sin?
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Rom. 6:1,2.

NOTE.-Even in the days of Abraham the same gospel of righteousness by faith was preached as now, while the law made known sin, and witnessed to the righteousness obtained through faith, just as it has done since the cross. From this it is evident that the relation between the law and the gospel has always been the same.

25. What was Christ's personal attitude toward the law?
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Matt. 5:17. "If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." John 15:10.

26. What scripture shows that God's remnant people will have a right conception of the proper relation between the law and the gospel?
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.

>>>I think you'll enjoy this. Let me know if you have any questions about it.

John317, I am most keenly interested in knowing if you think that mankind will be judged by the "law of liberty" aka "the morality precepts of the Torah."

As this touches on the role that the law plays or doesn't play in final justification, it seems to be a cerntal question in whether or not your beliefs are compatible with Paul.

Thanks,

Bill Ross

>>>6. What was foretold concerning Christ's attitude toward the law of God?
"Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O M y God: yea, Thy law is within My heart." Ps. 40:7,8.

I wonder if the signicance of this is not that Jesus was enamored with the Torah (which it says he set aside) but rather that he came bearing in his belly (not heart) the "law of Christ". The belly is also where a woman bears a child:

LXXe
7 (39:7) Then I said, Behold, I {1} come: in the volume of the book it is written concerning me, {1) Or, am come}
8 (39:8) I desired to do thy will [not Torah - see Heb 10:10], O my God, and thy law [the one] in the midst of mine heart [belly].
9 (39:9) I have preached [proclaim] righteousness in the great congregation; lo! I will not refrain my lips; O Lord, thou knowest my righteousness.
10 (39:10) I have not hid thy truth within my heart [cp. Ps 119:11], and I have declared thy salvation; I have not hid thy mercy and thy truth from the great congregation.

So this is not "Christ as Torah observer" but "Christ as [new] Torah bearer and preacher of righteousness and salvation."

>>>7. What is the first promise of the new covenant?
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts." Heb. 8:10.

A. You really owe it to yourself to rush over to Jeremiah 31 and read the subsequent text ask yourself if this not specific to Israel.

B. Check out 2 Cor 3-4 and see if you still think that the laws here are some subset of the Torah!

>>>8. What is Christ's relation to this new covenant?
"But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant; which was established upon better promises." Verse 6.

He is also the lawgiver:

Ga 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

He is also the "death brought in" to ratify the covenant.

>>>10. What is necessary on the part of the individual in order to receive the benefit of Christ's work?
"With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. 10:10.

Yeah! You get faith!

>>>12. What relation does the law sustain to this righteousness?
"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets." Rom. 3:21.

Groovy.

>>>13. Does the faith which brings righteousness abolish the law?
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Verse 31.

The law established is the law of faith. Your car just swerved off the gospel road into the law ditch.

>>>NOTE.-The law reveals the perfection of character required, and so gives a knowledge of sin;

"Sin" that is revealed by the law is not "sins" but rather the evil alien living in one's muscles, per Rom 7. Everyone has a conscience and does not need to know when they are doing wrong.

>>>but it is powerless to confer the character demanded. In the gospel, the law, first written in the heart of Christ, becomes "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," and is thus transferred to the heart of the believer, in whose heart Christ dwells by faith. Thus the new covenant promise is fulfilled that the law shall be written in the heart.

The bankrupt error that you make at this juncture is you imagine that what is written on the heart is a subset of the Torah (which you call "the moral law") while what the NT says that the breath of life imparts (not "the spirit of life") is the very mind of God, yea, the deep things of God - the treasures of wisdom and knowledge:

1 Cor 2:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

>>>This is the genuine experience of righteousness by faith,- a righteousness which is witnessed by the law, and revealed in the life in harmony with the law.

You are trying to say that the new wine is placed in an old bottle - the carved rocks, or that it "patches up" the old garment of Torah. Not so:

Mr 2:22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

Mt 9:16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

Christ is a new regime altogether, apart from the law:

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [regime]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

>>>The gospel is thus seen to be the provision for restoring the law to its place in the heart and life of the one who believes on Christ, and accepts His mediatorial work.

Ugh. Restoring some subset of Torah... It is almost humorous that whereas the NT urges Jews be reborn as Christians, you suggest that Christians are reborn as Jews!

>>>Such faith, instead of making void the law, establishes it in the heart of the believer.

Ugh.

Ro 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

>>>The gospel is not against the law, therefore, but upholds, maintains, and presents the law to us in Christ.

Ugh. One must die to the lie, but you have one being birthed into it!:

Ro 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

>>>14. What did Christ take away?
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29.

Um, I think the lost community still has its sin. This is a promise of a future violent purging of the land:

Re 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

>>>...16. What change is brought about through the gospel?
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18. See note on question 17 of Chapter 20. of this book.

The "open face" refers to not wearing the veil that obscures the fact that the glory of Moses and the ministry of death and condemnation carved in rocks is vanishing.

>>>NOTE.-It is sometimes claimed that Christ changed, abolished, or took away the law, and put the gospel in its place; but this shows a misapprehension of the real work of Christ. The individual believer is changed by beholding the glory revealed in the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4; John 1:14); death has been abolished through the death of Christ; and sin has been taken away by the great Sin-bearer; but the law of God still remains unchanged as the very foundation of His throne.

The throne of God does not rest upon some subset of the Torah. You deserve a poke in the eye for that one!

>>>17. What spiritual interpretation did Christ give to the sixth commandment?
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire." Matt. 5:21,22.

This is not a "spiritual interpretation." "Interpretation" means that you "explain" something. Jesus is **contrasting** "but I say" with what "was said by them of old." One does not explain the other. They are different. It is a case of apples and oranges.

>>>19. Of what prophecy was this teaching a fulfillment?
"The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Isa. 42:21.

That is mistranslated and out of context.

>>>NOTE.-Christ not only gave a spiritual interpretation to the law and Himself observed it according to that interpretation, but He showed the holiness and the immutable nature of the law by dying on the cross to pay the penalty of its transgression.

He did not die to "pay" anything but rather to justify God for failing to pay his debt, through a public gesture. Rom 3.

>>>In this way, above all He magnified the law, and showed its far-reaching, immutable, and imperishable nature.

His death was not accomplished as an act under Torah. He set that aside because it was useless and acted under a differnt law:

Heb 7:
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law [different applicable law].
13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18 ***For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof***. [JESUS HAD NO USE FOR THE TORAH]

Heb 10:
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. ***He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second***.
10 ***By the which will*** we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

>>>24. After this work of grace has been accomplished, is the believer expected to go on in sin?
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Rom. 6:1,2.
NOTE.-Even in the days of Abraham the same gospel of righteousness by faith was preached as now, while the law made known sin, and witnessed to the righteousness obtained through faith, just as it has done since the cross. From this it is evident that the relation between the law and the gospel has always been the same...

The law came 430 years after Abraham!

Bill Ross

Paul is compatible with the entire Bible, isn't he? Or do you see a contradiction between Saint Paul and other parts of Scripture?

According to your understanding, what is the legal basis of the judgment?

Here's my answer:

By what law is the knowledge of sin?
"I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." Rom. 7:7.

NOTE.-The law which says, "Thou shalt not covet" is the ten commandments.

By what are all men to be finally judged?
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man: For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12:13,14. "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James 2:12.

NOTE.-The law which is here called " the law or liberty," is the law which says, "Do not commit adultery" and "Do not kill," for these commandments had just been quoted in the verse immediately preceding. In verse 8, this same law is styled "the royal law;" that is, the kingly law. This is the law by which men are to be judged.

>>>Paul is compatible with the entire Bible, isn't he? Or do you see a contradiction between Saint Paul and other parts of Scripture?

Yes, I do. But I am able to enter into the perspective of the NT writers and plead their cause as well.

>>>According to your understanding, what is the legal basis of the judgment?
Here's my answer:
By what law is the knowledge of sin?
"I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." Rom. 7:7.
NOTE.-The law which says, "Thou shalt not covet" is the ten commandments.

Note that Paul does not say "sins" but "sin." He is speaking of the evil alien resident in his muscles. But every man has a conscience and gentiles will be judged by it:

Romans 2:
14 For when the Gentiles, ***which have not the law***, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Jews, because they are under the law, will be judged by that law:

Ro 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

But believers will be judged by the law of liberty:

Mt 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

This is what James was teaching. Some were judging others by the Jewish law. James said that they had become **judges** and thus would themselves be judged:

Jas 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and ***are become judges*** of evil thoughts?

He tells them that if they invoke the law to judge another, that same law would judge them, and their only escape would be to keep the whole law and offend in no point:

8 ¶ If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

His recommendation? Avoid the law altogether and show mercy to the poor. Then they will be judged mercifully by the law of mercy:

12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Lu 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

But YOU desire to be judged by the ten commandments rather than the law of liberty! Good luck because you are going to need it!

>>>By what are all men to be finally judged?
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man: For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12:13,14.

This does not say that one is judged by the 10 commandments!

>>>NOTE.-The law which is here called " the law or liberty," is the law which says, "Do not commit adultery" and "Do not kill," for these commandments had just been quoted in the verse immediately preceding. In verse 8, this same law is styled "the royal law;" that is, the kingly law. This is the law by which men are to be judged.

That is the law by which Jews, foolish Galatians and SDAs will be judged, not the merciful and forgiving.

Ro 4:15 Because ***the law worketh wrath***: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Bill Ross

The definite article and adjective-- "the least"-- refers to "these commandments." How can we be absolutely certain? Because all four words perfectly agree: genitive plural feminine.

You apparently misunderstand Young's translation. He is not making it refer to the relative pronoun-- "who"-- or to the relative pronoun "one", but to the commandments Jesus has just mentioned. "Who" is nominative singular masculine.

Do you know of a single commentator who agrees that in Matt. 5:19, Jesus' words, "these commandments," refers to what Jesus will say, instead of to the commandments in the law? I do not know of a single one.

Neither are there any translations that would lead anyone to conclude that "these commandments" refers to Jesus' teachings that He will begin to utter at Matt. 5:21. Those teachings are the word of God, of course, but those are not the commandments Jesus is talking about in Matt. 5: 19.

If you should continue to have any doubt about this, study the exegetical and critical commentary on the Greek text by Henri Alford. I will quote for you if you are interested. He shows on the basis of the grammar that it cannot refer to anything but the commandments referred to in 5: 17-18.

Look at this translation by the New King James Version:

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For [or because] I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.



The use of the conjunction, "therefore," together with the demonstrative pronoun-- "these"-- leaves no doubt that what he is saying in this verse (v. 19) is the logical result of what he has said in verses 18. Take this to any professor of Koine Greek and ask them if this is true.

>>>..."Who" is nominative singular masculine.

Sorry, I meant the demonstrative pronoun, "these."

>>>Do you know of a single commentator who agrees that in Matt. 5:19, Jesus' words, "these commandments," refers to what Jesus will say, instead of to the commandments in the law? I do not know of a single one.

I can't name one. So? Point?

>>>Neither are there any translations that would lead anyone to conclude that "these commandments" refers to Jesus' teachings teachings that He will begin to utter at Matt. 5:21. Those teachings are the word of God, of course, but those are not the commandments Jesus is talking about in Matt. 5: 19.

So in your view "these commands" refers to/agrees with "the law [the Torah] and the prophets?" Those are not commands. Those are libraries.

>>>If you should continue to have any doubt about this, study the exegetical and critical commentary on the Greek text by Henri Alford. I will quote for you if you are interested. He shows on the basis of the grammar that it cannot refer to anything but the commandments referred to in 5: 17-18.

Please do quote it.

>>>Look at this translation by the New King James Version:
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Alright, let me ask you again what you are affirming... Are you affirming that if his hearers are even more meticulous about keeping the minutae of the Torah then they will be called great in the kingdom of heaven? And unless they are even more meticulous in their observation of the least commandments of Torah, they will not enter into the kingdom?

So then my question is, will you enter into the kingdom?

Bill Ross

>>>The word "therefore" proves that what he is saying in this verse (v. 19) is the logical result of what he has said in verses 18.

"My mission is not to loosen...whosoever then loosens the least of these shall be called least...and unless your righteousness [ie: faith, law of Christ] is greater that that of the Pharisees [meticulous Torah observance] you won't enter the kingdom."

This is a consistent NT teching if I've ever seen one.

Your reading might have done great in 1st century Galatia.

Bill Ross

Do you think there might be a good reason why all these people who have made a life study of Koine Greek-- the very language we are discussing-- do not agree with what you are saying?

That would be like my telling you something about English grammar and then asking you to accept what I say and reject every single dictionary and book on the English language.

In the case we are discussing, show rules of Greek grammar that would permit the demonstrative pronoun in verse 17 to refer to teachings of Christ found in verses 21 and onward.