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WRITING (LAW)

The LORD… gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:18)

The Jews were jealous of the Law of Moses, and when Jesus began to teach, many questioned his credentials.  This was one of the reasons that by the final year of his ministry (that would conclude at Passover 33AD) many were seeking to be rid of him. This came to a head the previous year at the feast of Tabernacles:

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” 

So, Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me…” 

(John 7:14-16)

While some openly question whether Jesus could be the Messiah, Jesus goes on to make a different assertion, albeit indirectly; importantly, one concerning his Godly authority.

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COMMAND

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:18-20)

This known as the Great Commission, is Jesus’ final instructions before he ascends heavenwards.  Here ‘command’ translates the Greek verb, ἐντέλλομαι entellomai, to charge or enjoin, to issue injunctions or instructions.  The aorist tense, conveying a single and discreet action, is in the first-person singular, ἐνετειλάμην eneteilamen.

In the companion post to ‘Obedience’, it is seen that Jesus expects discipleship to be based on obedience to his commands.  On other words, obeying to his commandments is the foundation of the relationship.  It is non-negotiable.

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(Commit) SIN

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.  

(1 John 3:4)

Modern English receives the word ‘sin’ from the Anglo Saxon synne, which has much in common with the Greek word John uses, ἁμαρτία hamartia, as both convey the sense of a misstep and came to mean a ‘violation of law’ – in the somewhat archaic usage, ‘trespass’ or ‘transgression’.  Sin is an act both of omission and commission, yet in both instances, for sin to be sin, it has to be ‘committed’; even failing do what should be done is a deliberate act; and a sin is no less committed even it is thoughtless, reckless or impetuous as opposed to that which is premeditated or calculated.  Jesus of course, extends this act to include intent, not simply the execution:

‘But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart…’ (Matthew 5:28)

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Subject (to governing authorities)

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement.  (Romans 13:1-2)

The word translated ‘subject’ is ὑποτάσσω hypotassó from hypo, ‘under’ and tasso ‘arrange; thus, under (God’s) arrangements.  Paul is unequivocally saying that God institutes earthly governance and all governments must be respected by God’s people.  Within ten years after this letter to the Roman church was written, the Emperor Nero unjustly blamed Christians for having starting a fire that devastated some two thirds of Rome.  One of the emperor’s capricious punishments was to position Christians on poles and set them alight, as so called ‘Nero’s torches’.  

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