09 May 2015

EJ&T: Commandments about the commandments

The commandment that is repeated most often in the Bible is the commandment to obey all of the commandments.

This commandment is repeated 50 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, and although it is never unambiguously stated in the New Testament, it is never explicitly denied there either.

Jesus (sometimes) encouraged his followers to obey all of the commandments.

Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:18-19

It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Luke 16:17

One came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him ... if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Luke 19:16-17

And even Paul seemed to agree with Jesus on this (sometimes).
The doers of the law shall be justified. Romans 2:13

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Romans 3:31

(For more on this, see Are the laws of the Old Testament still binding?)

But whatever Jesus and Paul may have thought about it, the God of the Bible is clear enough. All of the commandments are to be followed exactly as they are written, by everyone, always, and forever. They are "an everlasting covenant," binding for "a thousand generations."

God felt so strongly about this, in fact, that he promised to curse anyone who broke the commandments by, among many other things, having their wives raped and forcing them to eat their own children. (See Leviticus 26:14-41 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68 for God's complete list of curses.)

So don't say I didn't warn you.

From the Hebrew Scriptures:

  1. Obey all of the commandments.
  2. Ye shall keep my statutes. Leviticus 19:19

    Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them. Leviticus 19:37

    Ye shall keep my statutes, and do them. Leviticus 20:8

    Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them. Leviticus 20:22

    Therefore shall ye keep my commandments and do them. Leviticus 22:31

    Ye shall keep my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. Leviticus 25:18

    Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you. Deuteronomy 5:32

    Keep all his statutes and his commandments. Deuteronomy 6:2

    Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. Deuteronomy 6:17

    The LORD commanded us to do all these statutes. Deuteronomy 6:24

    It shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us. Deuteronomy 6:25

    Keep his commandments to a thousand generations ... Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. Deuteronomy 7:9-11

    All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do. Deuteronomy 8:1

    Thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 8:6

    Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day. Deuteronomy 8:11

    Keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good. Deuteronomy 10:13

    Keep his [God's] charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. Deuteronomy 11:1

    Ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I [God] set before you this day. Deuteronomy 11:32

    These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. Deuteronomy 12:1

    Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 12:28

    What thing soever I command you, observe to do it. Deuteronomy 12:32

    Keep his [God's] commandments. Deuteronomy 13:4

    Carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day. Deuteronomy 15:5

    Thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them. Deuteronomy 19:9

    This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Deuteronomy 26:16

    Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice. Deuteronomy 26:17

    And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments. Deuteronomy 26:18

    Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. Deuteronomy 27:1

    Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day. Deuteronomy 27:10

    Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen. Deuteronomy 27:27

    Thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left. Deuteronomy 28:14

    If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes ... all these curses shall come upon thee .... Deuteronomy 28:15-68

    Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them. Deuteronomy 29:9

    Obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. Deuteronomy 30:8

    I command thee this day ... to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments. Deuteronomy 30:16

    Observe to do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 31:12

    Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 32:46

    Do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left. Joshua 1:7

    This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. Joshua 1:8

    Do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you ... to keep his commandments. Joshua 22:5

    Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done. Ezra 7:23

    Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations ... an everlasting covenant. 1 Chronicles 16:15-17

    Do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel. 1 Chronicles 16:40

    Keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God. 1 Chronicles 28:8

    Take heed to their way to walk in my law. 2 Chronicles 6:16

    Walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes. Nehemiah 10:29

    Forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments. Proverbs 3:1

    Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

    Walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you. Jeremiah 7:23

    Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant ... do them, according to all which I command you. Jeremiah 11:3-4

    Walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. Ezekiel 20:19

  3. Don't add any commandments.
  4. Maimonides #580: Not to add to the Torah commandments or their oral explanations
    Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you. Deuteronomy 4:2

    Thou shalt not add thereto. Deuteronomy 12:32

  5. Don't delete any commandments.
  6. Maimonides #581: Not to diminish from the Torah any commandments, in whole or in part .
    Ye shall not ... diminish ought from it [the commandments]. Deuteronomy 4:2

    Thou shalt ... diminish from it. Deuteronomy 12:32

  7. Know all the commandments by heart.
  8. These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. Deuteronomy 6:6

    Lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul. Deuteronomy 11:13

  9. Teach the commandments to your children.
  10. Thou shalt teach them [the commandments] diligently unto thy children. Deuteronomy 6:7

    Ye shall teach them [the commandments] [to] your children. Deuteronomy 1:18

  11. Talk about the commandments.
  12. Talk of them [the commandments] when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 6:7

    Speaking of them [the commandments] when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 11:19

    This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth. Joshua 1:8

  13. Write the commandments on your hand.
  14. Maimonides #80: Bind tefillin on the arm
    It shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand. Exodus 13:9

    It shall be for a token upon thine hand. Exodus 13:16

    Thou shalt bind them [the commandments] for a sign upon thine hand. Deuteronomy 6:8

    Bind them for a sign upon your hand. Deuteronomy 11:18

  15. Write the commandments on your forehead.
  16. Maimonides #79: Bind tefillin on the head
    It shall be ... a memorial between thine eyes. Exodus 13:9

    It shall be ... for frontlets between thine eyes. Exodus 13:16

    Thou shalt bind them ... as frontlets between thine eyes. Deuteronomy 6:8

    Bind them ... as frontlets between your eyes. Deuteronomy 11:18

  17. Write the commandments on your door posts and gates.
  18. Maimonides #81: Write the commandments on each door post
    Thou shalt write them [the commandments] upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Deuteronomy 6:9

    Thou shalt write them [the commandments] upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates. Deuteronomy 11:20

  19. Meditate on the commandments day and night.
  20. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night. Joshua 1:8

  21. Put the book of the law in the side of the ark of the covenant.
  22. Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. Deuteromony 31:26

  23. Read the law to all the people in a place that God will choose.
  24. When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law. Deuteromony 31:12

  25. The king must write down all of the commandments.
  26. When he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book. Deuteromony 17:18

  27. The king must read the commandments every day of his life.
  28. He [the king] shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them. Deuteromony 17:19

  29. Install magistrates and judges to judge and teach the people according to the commandments.
  30. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. ... Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart. Ezra 7:25-27

  31. Kill, banish, imprison, and/or confiscate the goods of anyone who refuses to obey the commandments.
  32. Whosoever will not do the law of thy God ... let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart. Ezra 7:26-27

From the New Testament:

  1. Don't think Jesus came to destroy the commandments in the Hebrew scriptures.
  2. Think not that I am come to destroy the law. Matthew 5:17

  3. Teach everyone all of Jesus's commandments.
  4. Teach all nations ... Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Matthew 28:18-20

  5. Obey all of the commandments in Second Timothy.
  6. These things command and teach. 1 Timothy 4:11

    I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. 1 Timothy 5:21

    These things teach and exhort. 1 Timothy 6:2

    Keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 6:14