The Heart Behind the Commands Is What Matters
This paper is about the Law and commands, and how to think about them. There are some subtleties, but they are really important.
Let me pose a question. Let’s say we lived together and every day you woke up in the morning and took a sip from a cup filled with poison. After I while, if I said to you “can you stop doing that”, would you consider that a command? Or would you realise I’m simply asking you not to do something that isn’t good for you?
Another one. If you were about to jump off a cliff, would you think it ridiculous if I told you not to do it? You could say “The Lord will save me because He can do anything”. True, He can do anything. But asking you not to do that is a reflection of the natural laws governing the system in which you live. It is simply helping you navigate safely your environment.
This illustrates two principles – we can look at a command as something to which we have to adhere. Or we can look at the heart, or the intent, behind the command and appreciate that the one giving the command is:
- Helping us avoid things that are bad for us, or won’t go well
- Helping us appreciate the environment in which we are operating.
Hold that thought.
Now, at the end of the sermon on the mount, Jesus says this.
24 “Whoever hears these words of Mine and does them, will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain came down. The water came up. The wind blew and hit the house. The house did not fall because it was built on rock. 26 Whoever hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down. The water came up. The wind blew and hit the house. The house fell and broke apart.” 28 Then Jesus finished talking. The people were surprised and wondered about His teaching. 29 He was teaching them as One Who has the right and the power to teach. He did not teach as the teachers of the Law.
Jesus seems to be saying pretty clearly, that understanding his words in the Sermon on the Mount are critical to getting our foundations right. So let’s go through the Sermon to see very broadly what Jesus is saying, and perhaps that will guide us to the intent – or the heart – behind the Law.
The Sermon on the Mount
This is in my view one of the most important pieces of scripture, as Jesus is speaking unbroken for three chapters (Matthew 5-7). The full text is below, and I have added comments throughout to draw out key points.
5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
This whole first section sets the scene and challenges what people previously thought about who would enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Interestingly He draws out right up front the importance of how your faith should be obvious to others.
The Fulfillment of the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
The beginning section starting with “do not think I have come to abolish the Law… I have come to fulfil it”. This is a play on words in part because in Rabbinic language, when you interpreted the Law badly, they would say “you have abolished the Law”. And when you interpreted it well, “you have fulfilled the Law”. So Jesus is saying right up front, “I have not come to remove the Law but to explain to you what it is really about. He then goes on to relate this to the teachers of the Law being unrighteous
Murder
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister[b][c] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[d] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[e] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’[f] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Oaths
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[g]
Eye for Eye
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[h] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
This whole incredible section has Jesus focusing almost entirely on the heart of the Law, rather than the Law itself. He moves straight from the question of how to interpret the Law, into the idea that the heart behind it is what matters.
He also deals with a debate between two schools of Jewish thought on the subject of divorce. The Sanhedrin at the time had approved a more liberal approach. Jesus is saying that this isn’t true, hence why the divorce piece is in here. It makes more sense when you know the context.
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Fasting
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Judging Others
7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Seek, Knock
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The emphasis on forgiveness, fasting for prayer, money and anxiety is fascinating. Jesus has moved from drawing out the heart of the Law into priorities. He then cautions against judging others, and the importance of asking the Father – making the contrast between “you who are evil” and the Father in heaven. Note also that Jesus then makes a very important statement that “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” actually sums up the Law and the Prophets – this is the heart of the whole thing. I will return to this in the summary at the end of this paper.
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
The final section of the sermon then talks about the existence of a wide and narrow gate, and obviously relates that to true and false prophets and disciples. Finally He makes the statement about hearing his words and putting them into action being like the man who built his house on rock. The emphasis is on doing rather than understanding. This is also important in the Foundation on the Will of God.
Hopefully you can see that the sermon has a very clear structure. Remember also that the people Jesus is talking to – Jewish people – had been taught the Law their whole life. So they know it, they understand it, they believe, and yet still Jesus has to clarify it for them. Why? Because they have misunderstood the heart – or the intent – behind the Law. They are blindly following the rules rather than considering why God might be asking them to do this. In large part that is because of how they have been taught.
Remember the incident where Jesus has to explain that “Sabbath was invented for man, not man for the Sabbath”. The Sabbath was created such that you have a day of rest, because rest is good for you. It isn’t intended to be wrapped in ridiculous rules. It is separated for God so that as you rest you can re-set and contemplate things of the Lord. It’s not difficult. And yet the Pharisees wrapped the Sabbath in many rules and practices that turned it into something it was never intended to be.
Hopefully you can see that considering what is behind the rules is important. But doesn’t that just help us understand the importance of following the rules? Should we still just automatically follow them?
Are commands there to be followed automatically or is there more to it?
Psalm 1 says the following:
1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
The word translated “meditates” is also translated in Isaiah 31 as growls, where it says “the young lion growls over its pretty”. The sentiment is a bit beyond what we mean by meditate these days – perhaps “wrestle” or “chew over” might be better.
But if commands are to be followed blindly, why is chewing over needed? Because some situations require us to think about what is most important and weight different commands properly.
It gets more complicated. This is from 1 Kings 22, where Micaiah prophecies how the Lord determined the death of king Ahab.
9Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
20And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’
And one suggested this, and another that.
21Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
22And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’
‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
It appears on the face of it that the Lord approves of deceit in order to ensure Ahab’s death. Weighing the issues, clearly the Lord decides that it is more important that Ahab is removed.
The truth is, it is often hard for us to understand how the Lord thinks it is best to weigh things. A great example is Isaiah 10, which is a famous passage for a reason I will explain.
“Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger,
in whose hand is the club of my wrath!
6 I send him against a godless nation,
I dispatch him against a people who anger me,
to seize loot and snatch plunder,
and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
7 But this is not what he intends,
this is not what he has in mind;
his purpose is to destroy,
to put an end to many nations.
8 ‘Are not my commanders all kings?’ he says.
9 ‘Has not Kalno fared like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad,
and Samaria like Damascus?
10 As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,
kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria—
11 shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images
as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?’”
12 When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes. 13 For he says:
“‘By the strength of my hand I have done this,
and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. (Isa 10:5-13)
This passage has challenged a lot of people because they don’t like how close God appears to be to sin (in their eyes). God is raising up the Assyrians to judge the Israelites, and then he intends to punish the Assyrians. Many people find this a difficult passage. It’s meant to be, I believe. I think it illustrates something pretty clear if we are prepared to admit it. After all, God says “by the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, because I have understanding”. God is saying very clearly that he understands, has wisdom and the power to act. Whether we agree is irrelevant – we do not have his wisdom. I would suggest the lesson here is rather that, if we are confused by the morality of this passage, it is because we lack the ability to understand what the Lord sees clearly. Therefore, when situations are complex, we need His input.
A great example of where God’s input was needed and not sought is in 2 Samuel 21. David attempts to address an issue with the Gibeonites, as they are reminding him of a covenant made (improperly) between the Gibeonites and the Israelites many years previously.
4 The Gibeonites said to him, “We will take no silver or gold from Saul or his family. And it is not for us to put any man to death in Israel.” David said, “I will do for you whatever you say.” 5 So they said to the king, “Saul destroyed us and planned to keep us from staying in any land of Israel. 6 Let seven men from his sons be given to us. We will hang them before the Lord at Gibeon on the Lord’s mountain.” And the king said, “I will give them.”
7 But the king kept alive Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because David had made a promise to Saul’s son Jonathan before the Lord. 8 The king took the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Armoni and Mephibosheth, whom she had born to Saul. And he took the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, whom she had born to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9 He gave them to the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before the Lord. The seven of them died together. They were put to death in the first days of gathering time, when the barley was ready to gather.
10 Aiah’s daughter Rizpah spread cloth made from hair on the rock for herself to lie upon, from the beginning of gathering time until the rain fell from the sky upon the bodies. She would not let the birds of the sky rest on them during the day, or the animals of the field during the night. 11 David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s woman, had done. 12 Then he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead. They had stolen them from the open space in the center of Bethshan. That was where the Philistines had hanged them on the day they killed Saul in Gilboa. 13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. They gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. 14 And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the grave of Kish his father. They did all that the king told them to do. After that, God heard and answered when they prayed for the land.
Only when the bones are buried properly and with honor does God respond. Why? Because in agreeing to allow the Gibeonites to kill Saul’s family members, he broke his covenant to Saul. What should he have done? Sought the Lord’s view through this conflicted situation.
It is important to realise that difficult situations will emerge where the choices in front of you seem to violate different commands. The point of chewing over the Law is to understand the various complexities of situations. In some cases this wrestling will result in a clear way forward In others it will be more difficult. And this is why an intimate relationship with the Lord is so important, that you may enquire of Him how best to address these situations.
Simply put - Scripture tells us we will need to weigh the Law and think it through carefully. But when a way forward is not clear – because we are limited in our understanding – we need the Lord’s input.
Summary
In this paper I have made the following points;
- It is important to view commands in the right way. Are they simply instructions intended for your good? Or are you being given information about the system in which you live works? This is important to consider, as it speaks to the heart or motivation behind the command. Clearly obedience to the Lord is important, but remember many commands are simply a reflection of His heart that it would go well for you. He is not trying to be a killjoy.
- When people focus on the Law, they often miss this heart – the Israelites did and this caused a fundamental corruption in the way the Law was practised, especially by the Pharisees. It is an easy trap to fall into
- Situations are often complex and require us to weigh different and sometimes competing scriptures. It requires you to wrestle with the word. A strong prayer life is important to do this effectively as a leader. You will need to consult the Lord directly where there is no obvious direction, as his understanding is a lot greater than yours.
On the last point, it is important to set aside enough time to be in prayer and reflection on the Word. If you are constantly focusing on getting “stuff” done, where will you find this time? It is very important to open up this time in your day as a priority.
But perhaps the critical thing on weighing the commands is you have to know them…! This will come in time, but it requires genuine time spent in your Bible so that the commands are within you, enough to weigh them in different circumstances alongside the heart behind the commands.
Matthew 7:12 is a useful reminder of what Jesus says about the Law. He also says “if you love me you will keep my commands”. Which in the context was to “love each other as I have loved you”. Sounds like the heart of the Law…! If you love people, don’t you want to behave in a way that “does unto them as you would have them do unto you?”