Tuesday, November 10, 2020

The Four Gospels

Contents:

  • Background
  • Introduction
  • Matthew
  • Mark
  • Luke
  • John
  • Critical verses in the Gospels
  • Some stories in the Gospels
  • Some stories closely related to the Gospels

Background:

For background, see the videos (and articles): 

Introduction:

The gospel is always about Jesus and what Jesus did on the cross for us.
It's not about us, we are recipients of God's grace.
The word "gospel" means "good news" but we must embrace it.

The four Gospels in the Bible are:

The first three Gospels are called the Synoptic Gospels because they are written according to a similar pattern. All four Gospels describe the life of Jesus, especially his ministry, and especially The Crucifixion of Jesus and The Resurrection of Jesus.

Note that there is no contradiction between the Gospel of Jesus and
the Gospel of Paul, see time 0:36–3:41 in Bible Q&A With Pastor Paul │April 2024.

Apostle John wrote: 
  • "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him (Jesus) should not perish but have eternal life. 
    For God did not send his     Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
    Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever
    does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed
    in the name of the only     Son of God." (John 3:16–18).
  • "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life,
    and this life is in his     Son. Whoever has the Son has life;
    whoever does not have the     Son of God does not have life.    "
    (1 John 5:11–12). To receive the Son means
    to believe in the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
Jesus said: "Come to me (to Jesus), all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mat 11:28–30 (NIV)).
 
See Salvation.

We come to Jesus, not because we are good enough, but because he has invited us. See also the meaning of "another gospel" at time 9:21–10:23
in Bible Q&A With Pastor Paul │April 2024 | (Individual links in description).

Matthew:

The Gospel of Matthew may have originally been written in Hebrew 
(or more likely Aramaic which is considered a Hebrew dialect) to the nation of Israel.
It was written primarily for a Jewish audience. Matthew was very keen to show 
that Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecies in the Old Testament,
see Prophecies that Jesus Fulfilled. Matthew, who was a tax collector, was called
by Jesus to be a disciple (Mat 9:9, 10:3), see Jesus Calling of His Twelve Apostles. 

Characteristics of the Gospel of Matthew:

  • It presents the teacher Jesus. It contains five longer blocks of his teaching:
    1. Chapters 5–7: The Sermon on the Mount.
    2. Chapter 10, 28:16–20: The Great Commission. 
    3. Chapter 13: Some of Jesus' Parables.
    4. Chapter 18: The speech to the congregation.
    5. Chapters 24–25: The speech about Jesus' return.
  • It's arranged by subject and theme, not always chronologically.
  • It contains more quotations from the Old Testament than any other Gospel.
  • It reveals Jesus as the promised Messiah, prophesied in the Old Testament.
The Gospel of Matthew was probably written after the Gospel of Mark, 
probably sometime between the late 50s and 60s AD.

Mark:

The Gospel of Mark was written for Gentiles in Rome, for the Roman mind. 
It was probably the first Gospel written. The fundamental reason for this is that parts of the Gospel of Mark are found in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke,
but not certain parts of these Gospels in the Gospel of Mark. 

Mark was involved in the early church as a youth. He is known as John Mark
in The Book of Acts. He was the son of a Mary who had a house in Jerusalem
where the Christians used to gather (Acts 12:12).
He was the cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10).

He accompanied apostle Paul and Barnabas on their first part
of Paul's First Missionary Journey (Acts 12:25), but returned home, to Paul's dismay
(Acts 15:36–40). But it appears that he and Paul were reconciled and worked together on later occasions (Col 4:10, 2 Tim 4:11, Philemon 1:24), see time
38:08–39:42 in Acts 15 (Part 2) 36-41 • The Collision of Opposing Ideas. 

Later he became assistant to apostle Peter. He had a close relationship with him 
and became a spiritual son to him (1 Pet 5:13). This Gospel is more memories
and eyewitness testimony of Peter, according to church tradition. It's said that Mark in his Gospel got his facts from Peter and the explanations from Paul.

Characteristics of the Gospel of Mark:

  • Mark addresses a lot of Gentile Christians.
  • It's a Gospel of actions.
  • He focuses on Jesus as a worker, and more on Jesus' deeds.
  • There isn't so much about Jesus as a teacher or the words of Jesus.
  • It reveals Jesus as a servant of mankind.
The Gospel of Mark was probably written sometime between 55 and 59 AD.

Luke:

The Gospel of Luke was written to the Greek, to the Greek mind,
to the thinking man. The Greeks were the representatives of reason and humanity
in the ancient world. It was written by Luke according to a consistent ancient
church tradition, who was a medical doctor (Col 4:14). He is the only New Testament writer of non-Jewish descent (he is mentioned in a list of Gentiles (Col 4:12–14)). 

He travelled a lot with apostle Paul (2 Tim 4:11, Philemon 1:24). Luke was with him at his second and third missionary journey, see Paul's Second Missionary Journey and Paul's Third Missionary Journey. Luke is also the writer of The Book of Acts. Both books are addressed to Theophilus (Luk 1:3, Acts 1:1). Luke wrote the best Greek, together with apostle Paul and the author of The Book of Hebrews.

He wrote it for a two fold purpose:

  1. Historical purpose. It contains a complete historical narrative.
  2. Spiritual purpose. He presents the person of Jesus Christ,
    as the perfect man (Luke 2:40, 52) and the Son of God.

    Characteristics of the Gospel of Luke:

    • Luke is very careful with dating the events (see Luke 3:1–2). 
    • His intention is to write the events in consecutive order (Luke 1:3).
    • He points on the mercy of Jesus.
    • He shows Jesus as the perfect glorified man.
    • He describes several of Jesus' Parables.
    • He describes Jesus' encounters with women and marginalized persons.
    Note: No writer gives a perfect chronological order of the writings.
    For example Luke 3:19–20 occurs after Luke 3:21–22.

    The Gospel of Luke was probably written after the Gospel of Mark,
    but before the Book of Acts,     perhaps in the early 60s AD. 
    The Book of Acts was written in Rome sometime between 62 and 64 AD.

    John:


    The Gospel of John is mainly written to believers to build them up,
    even though it can be read by anyone.     John who was a fisherman
    was called by Jesus to be a disciple (Mat 4:21–22,     Mark 1:19–20),
    see     Jesus Calling of His Twelve Apostles. It was the last Gospel that was written. 
    It's the most profound Gospel of all the Gospels. The focus is to declare Jesus' deity. He is also the writer of The Book of John and The Book of Revelation. 

    Characteristics of the Gospel of John:

    • It reveals that Jesus is God (John 16:28).
    • It reveals Jesus' humanity (John 11:32–36).
    • It gives us the Word of Christ.
    • It's written both in a chronological order and in a logical order.
    • It adds information that's missing in the Synoptic Gospels. 
    • It calls attention to different geographical places and cities.
    The Gospel of John was probably written sometime between the 70s and 90s AD,
    probably from Ephesus.

    Critical verses in the Gospels:


    Some stories in the Gospels:



    Some stories closely related to the Gospels:

      Posted by at

      Saturday, November 7, 2020

      The Book of Corinthians

      Paul the apostle actually wrote four letters to Corinth, two of which are lost.
      1 Cor was the second (1 Cor 5:9) and 2 Cor was the fourth.

      Biblical Corinth was located in Greek, see the map in The Book of Thessalonians.
      It was a trading city with a lot of sexual immorality. The Christians in Corint
      were divided, loveless, and uncaring, something Paul addressed (1 Cor 11:17–18).
      At the same time, they were superspiritual. They lacked no spiritual gift (1 Cor 1:7). The use of these gifts were in some cases unbiblical and was corrected by Paul.

      Paul began with encouragement before correcting them (1 Cor 1:4–9).

      "For the Word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor 1:18). "We preach Christ crucified, 
      a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.      "       (1 Cor 1:23, Proverbs 26:12). 

      "Moved by the perfection of his holy love, God in Christ substituted himself for us sinners. That's the heart of the cross." (John R.W. Stott, The Cross of Christ).
      "The wisdom of this world is folly with God." (1 Cor 1:19–23, 3:18–20, Jes 29:14b).

      There were divisions and quarrels among the believers in Corinth, who had
      different favorites, some following Paul, some Apollos, some Cephas (apostle Peter), and some Christ       (1 Cor 1:10–12, 3:5–7, Mat 20:25–28), see Unity.

      There were several carnal Christians in Corinth, that is, persons still moved
      by the lusts of the flesh (1 Cor 3:1–3a). They hadn't changed their way of life
      after they were saved. They began performing in popularity groups
      (1 Cor 3:3b–4).       These groups weren't open to all people in the congregation.

      There were also soulish Christians, people driven primarily by emotion
      and human intellect. They made many decisions based on how they felt
      about things. They were also ruled by fear, see Fear of Man. 

      We can all be soulish Christians and even carnal Christians from time to time.
      But not all the time without questioning whether one is really saved,
      see The Parables of the Talents and the Ten Minas.

      A spiritual Christian, however, is led by the Holy Spirit in accordance 
      with God's Word, and is something we must strive towards,       see Sanctification.
      We must continue to learn to put our spirit first, because that's the part
      connected to God, see Body, Soul, and Spirit in       The Danger with Gnosticism.

      We as Christians are God’s temple, and God’s Spirit dwells in us 
      (1 Cor 3:16, 1 Pet 2:4–5). If someone (a false teacher) destroys God’s temple,
      then God will destroy that person, because God’s temple is holy,
      and the Christians are that temple       (1 Cor 3:17, 2 Pet 2:1).

      There was a born again Christian in the Corinthian congregation who was involved in a physical relationship with his stepmother (1 Cor 5:1). This behavior shouldn't be accepted in the congregation (Jude 1:4, Lev (3 Mos) 18:8). Grace and holiness complement each other and shouldn't conflict with each other, see God's Attributes.
      Paul told them to exclude this man out of the congregation (      1 Cor 5:2–5).
      It was meant to convey the seriousness of the offence to the individual
      and to the rest of the Body of Christ. It was also meant to protect the body from further contamination (1 Cor 5:6, 15:33, Rom 12:2). If sin or bad behavior
      is ignored in the Body of Christ, people will think such behavior is OK. Paul's intention with his message was to get this person saved on The Day of the Lord        
      (1 Cor 5:5b).       The meaning of "you are to deliver this man to Satan for
      the destruction of the flesh      " is probably to make this person feel miserable by
      even using Satan       (1 Cor 5:4b–5, 1 Tim 1:19–20, Luk 22:31–34). It's used for the rehabilitation of this individual and to teach him a lesson. The purpose was to bring this person to a state of repentance. Note that Satan can only do what
      he has been permitted by God to do, see God is sovereign in God's Attributes.

      See also the comment to the 7th commandment in the The Ten Commandments.

      Paul even wrote that we shouldn't associate with anyone who considers himself
      as a Christian, if he is guilty of sexual immorality, greed, is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler. We shouldn't even eat with such a person. (1 Cor 5:11). 
      This means a person who refuses to repent from such a way of life      , 
      see Sanctification and the last part of The Book of Hebrews.
      See also Dealing With Sin in the Church.

      In a later letter, Paul writes that if someone has caused pain to the congregation, probably by living in sin, and has been punished for this, then the punishment given is enough. It's better that they turn now to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive grief. After a period of discipline, it must be restoration.
      Paul begs them to reaffirm their love for him. (2 Cor 2:5–8).
      It was a       godly sorrow that led to repentance (2 Cor 7:8–9). 

      There are differences between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow (2 Cor 7:10):

      Godly sorrow produces repentance (change of mind) and leads to salvation. Worldly sorrow doesn't, and is just a sadness of being caught. 
      See time 13:06–22:39 in 2 Corinthians 7 (Part 2) :2-16 - Repentance.

      An example of true repentance is the men of Nineveh who repented at Jonah's preaching (Mat 12:41). They turned away from their wicked ways and from
      the violence that was in their hands (Jonah 3:6      –10). If it had been a worldly sorrow it would have involved much weeping but no change in their lives. Our God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love (Joel 2:12–13).

      Paul questions why Christian believers go to court and conduct trials against another Christian believer, and that before unbelievers (1 Cor 6:1, 4, 6–8). He speaks of grievances and issues between Christian individuals, see Small Claims Court.
      The ancient court system in Greek occurred in the marketplaces where everyone
      could see it, hear it, and know about it. They considered litigation a form of entertainment.       The Jews had it in the city gates. It's a bad testimony of two people who claim to be followers of Jesus, suing each other in open court (John 13:35), see unity and Love and not revenge in The Sermon on the Mount. Instead, we should use Christian mediators to solve such problems without complaining (1 Cor 6:5). These mediators should then apply, not only the law of the land, but also the wisdom of God; the principles of the Word of God, which triumph over the wisdom of man. See also Laying up treasures in Heaven in The Sermon on the Mount. That said, we need the court system to resolve legal issues, see This World is Not Our Home in The Book of Romans. It's a matter of balance, to know when to use it.

      The unrighteous won't inherit the kingdom of God. Neither the sexually immoral,
      nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality      . Neither thieves, nor greedy, drunkards, revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 
      (1 Cor 6:9–10). We aren't to desire evil (1 John 1:5–6), not to be idolaters,
      not indulge in sexual immorality, and not grumble       (1 Cor 10:5–10). Our body isn't meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord (1 Cor 6:13b, 18a). Sexual immorality is an act or thought of a sexual nature that is outside of God's ordained purpose 
      for a man or a woman. God's       ordained purpose is one man, one woman,
      and one marriage for life (1 Cor 7:2).       It's better for the unmarried and the widows
      to marry than to burn with passion       (1 Cor 7:9), but a believer should then marry another believer (2 Cor 6:14, 1 Cor 7:39). See this explained in the comment
      to the 7th       commandment in the The Ten Commandments. 

      Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within us, whom we received from God
      when we became born again Christians       (1 Cor 6:19), see The Book of Peter.

      As Christians we are allowed to eat food offered to idols (1 Cor 8:4–6, 8, 10:25).
      But for Christians with a "weak" conscious, we should avoid doing this publicly,
      to prevent these "weak" Christians from being destroyed in their faith       (1 Cor 8:7,
      9      –11, 10:27–28), see chapter Disputable Matters in The Book of Romans.

      No temptation has overtaken us that isn't common to men. God is faithful,
      and he doesn't allow us to be tempted beyond our ability. With the temptation,
      he will also provide a way out, so that we can endure it       (1 Cor 10:13). 
      God provides a way to escape from a temptation but doesn't force us
      to choose that escape. We can choose not to take the path to escape temptation
      and go for it, but then it is our bad choice.       Temptation in itself isn't sin 
      if we don't yield to it. Jesus was tempted in every way but was without sin 
      (Heb 4:15), see The Temptations of Jesus. Temptations aren't the same as trials,
      afflictions,       and troubles, that we can receive more than we can bare (2 Cor 1:8).
      The reason for trials is that we shouldn't trust in ourselves but in God       (2 Cor 1:9).
      See this explained in the video:
      "God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle"??? | Myths about Christianity.

      See also Can a woman be a leader or teach in a congregation? and
      The order of leadership in a marriage in       The Woman's Place in the Congregation.

      The night when Jesus was betrayed, he took bread, broke it, and said:
      "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."       Likewise
      he also took the cup and said: "This cup is the New Covenant in my blood.
      Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.      " See time 8:34–9:46
      in December 2024 Bible Q&A.       For as often as we eat this bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes (1 Cor 11:23b–26), see 
      Jesus the Bread of Life. During the Last Supper the night when Jesus was betrayed, Jesus announced the New Covenant, which replaced the Mosaic Covenant,
      and is for all people on Earth who receive Jesus in their hearts, see       The Atonement. This New Covenant was activated by Jesus death on the cross.

      The main purpose of Jesus' birth on Earth was to give his physical life
      as payment for our sins      , see       Salvation. It was also to show the powerful depth
      of his sacrificial       love from God to man (John 3:16), see God's Attributes.
      We must regularly remember this.

      The church should be godly, spiritual, and orderly. Paul addresses 
      Spiritual Gifts in the three chapters 12–14 of 1 Cor      , see Spiritual Gifts.

      The gospel is something that we receive (1 Cor 15:1), see time 11:34–13:26
      in Bible Q&A • Episode 39      . Through the gospel we are saved, if we hold fast to it
      (1 Cor 15:2).       The most important part of the gospel is the following 
      according to Scripture (1 Cor 15:3–4):

      • Christ died for our sins (1 Cor 15:3, Isaiah 53:8).
      • He was buried (1 Cor 15:4a, Isaiah 53:9).
      • He rose on the third day (1 Cor 15:4b, Psalm 16:10).

      The following saw Jesus after The Resurrection of Jesus:
      • Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9, John 20:11–18) as the first one.
      • Mary, mother of James (probably the wife of Clopas), and Salome 
        (mother of James and John) (Mark 16:1–4, Mat 28:9–10).
      • The Apostle Peter (known as Peter (Greek), Simeon, Simon Peter,
        Cephas (Aramaic) (1 Cor 15:5a, Luke 24:34). Peter went from
        being a denier to be an apostle to the Jews        , see it described
        in The Apostle Peter. Peter needed this meeting with the Lord        .
      • The Twelve (1 Cor 15:5b, Luke 24:36–49, John 20:19–23). 
        It refers to the original group of apostles and not to all twelve individuals.
      • More than five hundred brothers at once (1 Cor 15:6, Mat 28:10).
      • James (Jesus' half-brother) (1 Cor 15:7a, Acts 21:18). James went from being an unbeliever (John 7:5, Mark 3:20–21) to being the leader
        of the congregation in Jerusalem        , after seeing Jesus resurrected.
      • The apostles (the apostles beyond The Twelve) (1 Cor 15:7b).
        There were other people who were/became apostles (or missionaries)
        such as Epaphroditus, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, see
        time 4:34–10:18 in Are There Still Apostles In The Church Today?
      • Paul the Apostle (1 Cor 15:8–10, Acts 9:3–5). Paul went from being
        a persecutors of Christians to becoming an apostle to the Gentiles
        after seeing Jesus resurrected. See it described in Paul the Apostle.
      Paul's teaching on giving includes the following principles:
      • If the will is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has,
        not according to what one doesn't have (2 Cor 8:11–12), see time
        28:33–32:30 in Bible Q & A With Pastor Paul │December 2023.
        That means we don't have to give more than we can afford.
        It's not a matter of the size of the giving (Mark 12:41–44). 
        It may be according to a person's income, in proportion to
        how much one is blessed, but it's not mandatory (1 Cor 16:2).
      • He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Cor 9:6, Gal 6:7b,
        Proverbs 11:24, 19:17, Luke 18:29–30). God encourages us to give. But this shouldn't be used as a formula, as is done in some
        unbiblical teachings and preachings, see Prosperity Gospel
        and Seed Faith Giving in Word of Faith Movement in the U.S.
      • Each of us should give what we have decided in our hearts to give,
        not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver
        (2 Cor 9:7). Paul's remark in 2 Cor 9:7 is God's present instruction
        to the church on the subject of Spirit-led giving. We should also 
        be led by the Holy Spirit in giving (Gal 5:18, 1 Cor 6:19–20).
        We aren't under the Mosaic Laws where we must tithe (Mal 3:8–10),
        see this explained in The Book of Malachi. We aren't commanded to give
        tithe in the New Covenant. In Mat 23:23 Jesus acknowledges the principle of tithing, but it has been given to the Jews before the New Covenant was established, see Jesus and the Law. See it explained from time 15:33 in 100% Proof Tithing Is Not Biblical. Nor is there any evidence that Abraham
        paid tithes from his own income. He gave ten percent once for the spoils of war to Melchizedek and the rest (with some exceptions) went to the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen (1 Mos) 14:14–24). See also the videos:
      • When we give to the needy, we should give in secret (Mat 6:1–4), see time 12:45–16:14 in Bible Q&A • Episode 64.
        We shouldn't do things for our own glory, but for the glory of God, 
        see The Parables of the Talents and the Ten Minas.
      • He who is generous to the poor will be rewarded for his deed (Proverbs 19:17). This is an observation of king Solomon. 
        God has special concerns for poor people (2 Cor 9:9, Psalm 112:9).
        God cares about them. When we help poor people it's like giving
        to the Lord, see Peter Sent to the Gentiles.
      • We should give with the right motive, see Ananias and Sapphira.

      See also examples of twisted interpretations of Bible verses related to giving: 

      Posted by at

      Tuesday, November 3, 2020

      The Ten Commandments

      The ten commandments are part of the Mosaic Laws. See also Jesus and the Law.
      These       commandments are all moral laws, with the exception of
      the 4th commandment about       the Sabbath day which is a ceremonial law.

      God first spoke the ten commandments to the people of Israel 
      (Exodus       20:1, 18–19, 22, Deuteronomy 5:22a, 23–27),
      s      ee time 11:02–16:16 in Exodus 20 - I AM The Lord Who Speaks. 

      Later, God himself wrote down the Ten Commandments twice without using man 
      on two stone tablets (Exodus 24:12, 31:18, 32:15–16, 19, 34:1, 4, 28–29,
      Deuteronomy 5:22b, 9:9–11, 15–17, 10:1–5). This shows the importance 
      of       these commandments. Moses couldn't engrave the tablets of stone without proper instruments which he doesn't seem to have brought with him on the mountain.
      It was God who wrote on these stone tablets according to the bible texts.

      The ten commandments are mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 20:1–17, 34:6–7
      and Deuteronomy 5:6–21, see Moses; Part 10: The Mosaic Laws.

      The following translations of the ten commandments
      are taken from       Exodus 20:1–17 (ESV):

      1. "And God spoke all these words, saying: 'I am the LORD your God,
        who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 
        You shall have no other gods before me        .'        " (Exodus 20:1–3).

        Comment        : God first reminded the people of Israel what he already had done
        for them, see         Typology. Then he continued with the commandments.
        Not the other way around. First deliverance, then guidance and obedience.

        Idolatry can be the worship of idols, or extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone other than the Christian God:

        1. We shouldn't participate in pagan feasts or festivals (1 Cor 10:14–22),
          even though we may eat food that has been sacrificed to idols
          unless it causes our brothers in Christ to stumble, 
          see Disputable Matters in           The Book of Romans.
        2. A god can also be whatever we focus on as the driving force in our lives, something that dominates our thoughts and desires. Extreme forms
          of exaltation of idols or sports associations can lead to idolatry. Even 
          covetousness is a form of idolatry (Col 3:5b), see The Love of Money.

      2. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them,
        for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
        on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me
        and keep my commandment        s.        " (Exodus 20:4–6).

        Comment        : It doesn't prohibit creating images for artistic purposes, but worshiping these images, see time 4:12–5:16 in Bible Q&A • Episode 40.

        Our worship is a spiritual act only toward God, see 
        How should we worship God? in The Woman's Place in the Congregation.

        If we are a born again Christian, we aren't cursed even
        if we belong to the third or fourth generation (2 Cor 5:17, Rom 8:1, Gal 3:13),
        see the article What does the Bible say about generational curses?
        See also the videos:
      3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,
        for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain        .        "
        (Exodus 20:7).

        Comment        : God's name is much more than just a title. It's a declaration
        of his nature and character. To use his name is to speak of who he is.
        When we use God's name it should be for either prayer, praise,
        or personal sharing and it should always be spoken with respect and honor.
        We must not abuse God's name, or use it as some kind of formula.
        God's name is holy. See the article: 
        What does it mean to take God's name in vain?
        See also time 0:05–5:05 in the video Bible Q&A • Episode 24.

      4. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor,
        and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter,
        your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.         For in six days the Lord made heaven and Earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
        (Exodus 20:8–11).

        Comment        : It's about rest (Heb 4:9–11). It's we who believe in Jesus
        in the New Covenant who have entered into it (Heb 4:3, Mat 11:28–30).
        Jesus has done all the work for our salvation so we can rest in it,
        see time 2:52–5:09 in Bible Q&A • Episode 64. See also Salvation.

        Jesus, the Son of Man, said: "The Sabbath was made for man,
        not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.        "
        (Mark 2:27–28, Mat 12:8, Luk 6:5). God knows that man needs a day of rest the seventh day. But Jesus also performed miracles on the Sabbath, see Miracles of Jesus. This is because mercy triumphs over the Law,
        see God's Attributes and the end part of The Book of Ruth. 
        Jesus is also the fulfillment of the Sabbath rest. We rest on the finished work
        of Jesus Christ on the cross, see The Crucifixion of Jesus. 
        God's rest for us who live in the New Covenant isn't limited to a literal day. 
        In Jesus, God has an eternal Sabbath rest for his people. See also the article:
        At what point in history did the Sabbath change from Saturday to Sunday?
        The Lord's Day refers to Sunday, the traditional day of communal worship.
        It's observed as the weekly memorial of The Resurrection of Jesus.

        We shouldn't follow this commandment as the Jews do with their
        man-made rules added to the Mosaic Laws of the Old Covenant (Col 2:16–17, 
        Rom 14:5–6a, Gal 4:10–11), see Legalism in         The Book of Colossians, 
        Disputable Matters in The Book of Romans, and To Heal on the Sabbath.

        This commandment also states that God created heaven and Earth in six days (Exodus 20:11a), see The Biblical Creation and the Fall of Man. It means that there were no long periods of time before, during, or after the creation week, see Evidence for a Young Earth.

        See the Sabbath day, Saturday, explained at these times in these videos:
      5. "Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long
        in the land that the Lord your God is giving you        .        " (Exodus 20:12).

        Comment        : This commandment has a promise (Eph 6:1–3, Col 3:20). 
        It presupposes that parents don't provoke their children to anger 
        (Eph 6:4, Col 3:21). The reason for that may be
        due to physical or verbal abuse of a child or to unrealistic expectations.
        On the last day people will disobey their parents (2 Tim 3:1–2). 
        See this explained at time:
        ० 13:45–16:23 in Bible Q & A With Pastor Paul │ August 2023.
        ०   8:14–23:39 in Ephesians 6 (Part 1) :1-9 Christian Relationships.

        See how to do it as an adult in the article: As an adult, how should I properly understand and apply the command to honor my father and mother?

      6. "You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13).

        Comment        : It's wrong to murder a human being, because the human being
        is made in God's image (Genesis 1:27). Abortion is also a form of murder,
        see Psalm 139: The Lord knows me and the video: 
        Thou Shalt NOT Kill a Child Conceived Conceived in the Mind of God. 

        Murder isn't the same as killing        . All killing isn't murder.
        Murder is taking a life unlawful, for vengeance, or for some other indiscriminate reason. It's not a prohibition on capital punishment
        (although I am personally against it), self-defense, or war, see time:
        ० 30:05–31:23 in Bible Q&A with Pastor Paul.
        ० 30:54–32:57 in Bible Q&A With Pastor Paul │March 2024.
        ० 6:48–8:47 in Bible Q&A • Episode 30.
        Then see also This World is Not Our Home in The Book of Roman.

        But it's more about this commandment according to Jesus,
        who gives a correct interpretation of the meaning of it:
        We shouldn't even be angry with a brother or sister in Christ
        (Mat 5:21–22, 1 John 3:11–15). By questioning the character
        of such a person, we are even in danger of ending up in the Lake of Fire 
        (Mat 5:22), see What Does the Bible Say about Hell? Apostle John wrote: "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,
        and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.        " (1 John 3:15). It's more important to reconcile with a person who has something against you than to give a gift (Mat 5:23–26). See also Forgive and You will Be Forgiven.
        God's divine power has given us Christians everything we need to embrace this
        (2 Pet 1:3–4). However, it's not done automatically, I must choose to embrace it (Eph 4:30). See Jesus' teachings on anger in The Sermon on the Mount.

      7. "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14).

        Comment        : Adultery is a sexual relationship with someone other 
        than my spouse (Heb 13:4). It also includes looking at a woman
        with lustful intent (Mat 5:27–28, James 1:14–15, Job 31:1 (NIV), 7, 9).
        As background, see these times in these videos:
        ० 14:37–30:25 in Jesus Our Lord - Hebrews 13:1-7.
        ० 17:27–21:01 in Bible Q&A • Episode 64.

        A wife may not divorce her husband and a husband may not divorce his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality (Mat 5:32a, 19:9, Mark 10:11–12, Luk 16:18a), see time 29:30–35:34 in 1 Corinthians 6 (Part 2) :12-20.
        However, it's OK to let an unbelieving partner divorce a believing partner,
        but only if the unbelieving partner wants to (1 Cor 7:12        –13, 15a). 

        See this further explained in practice at these times in these videos:
        ० 46:42–59:02 in Matthew 19:1-15 – Divorce, Marriage, and Children.
        ० 11:05–34:51 in Jesus on Divorce — Mark 10:10-12.
        ० 9:06–15:06 and 39:37–41:41 in Bible Q&A ∙ Episode 8.

        It's permissible to divorce and remarry someone else if the spouse
        has been guilty of sexual immorality. A person may marry a divorced person only if the reason for their divorce was because of sexual immorality 
        by that person's spouse (Mat 5:32b, Luk 16:18b), 
        or because that person has been abandoned by an unbelieving spouse.

        If a divorce occurs because it's not possible for a couple to live together,
        they should remain unmarried or be reconciled to each other in re-marriage 
        (1 Cor 7:10b–11). An example of such a divorce is when a woman's life
        or her children have been threatened by her husband in some way,
        and she has to leave him because of her or her children's safety.
        However, it shouldn't be for the possibility of remarriage.
        It shouldn't be "a divorce of convenience", to find someone more suitable.
        See: What is the marital position of a couple divorced but still living together?

        It's permissible for a widow to remarry (Rom 7:2–3). It's better for the unmarried and the widows to marry than to burn with passion (1 Cor 7:9),
        see time 6:20–9:13 in Bible Q&A • Episode 42. But a believer
        should marry another believer (2 Cor 6:14, 1 Cor 7:39).

        God created marriage between one man and one woman 
        (Mat 19:4–6, Eph 5:31, 1 Cor 7:2, Genesis 2:24),
        see what the Bible says about Homosexuality.
        It also prohibits polygamy, see Did God Allow Polygamy In The Bible? 
        and the article: Why were concubines allowed in Old Testament times?

        See also what the Bible says about how to get married in Gods eyes at time: 
        ० 0:07–2:45 in Bible Q&A • Episode 25.
        ० 29:27–34:34 in September 2024 Bible Q&A.
        ० 15:54–19:40 in Bible Q & A With Pastor Paul │ July 2023.
        ० 8:34–11:32 in Bible Q&A • Episode 39.
        ० 0:29–2:26 in Bible Q&A • Episode 45.

        See also these articles: 
        ० Living Together Outside of Marriage
        ० Is it wrong for a Christian couple to live together without being married?
        ० What should you do when you realize you're married to an unbeliever?
        ० How do I respond to my husband who is sinning and won't admit it?

      8. "You shall not steal." (Exodus 20:15).

        Comment        : It establishes and confirms the right to personal property.
        We as individuals but also nations must respect the property of others.

      9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16).

        Comment        : It talks about some kind of legal investigation where false testimony can cause problems for innocent people. It can also be slander.

      10. "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house;
        you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant,
        or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, 
        or anything that is your neighbor’s        .        " (Exodus 20:17).

        Comment        : This talks about wanting something that belongs to someone else. 
        Desire can be expressed towards all sorts of things, based on dissatisfaction
        of what we have and an envy that people have something better.

        Jesus said: "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness,
        for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.        " 
        (Luk 12:15). See The Parable of the Rich Fool.
      The Mosaic Laws also say that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves
      (      Mark 12:29–31, Leviticus 19:18). Jesus adds to this that we should also love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Mat 5:43–44, Luk 6:27–28, 32–36), see Love and not revenge in The Sermon on the Mount.

      Jesus gave this new commandment:
      "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 
      My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." 
      (John 13:34, 15:12 (NIV)). It's a new commandment in that sense
      that it will distinguish the Christians from other people in the world,
      in the love we have for one another as Christ loves us,
      see The Book of Ephesians. S      ee also time 22:38–28:14
      in       John 13 (Part 2) :21-38 • "A New Commandment I give to You".  
      This is how the world will know that we are Christians (John 13:35),
      see Unity and Forgive and You will Be Forgiven.

      Jesus also said: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15).
      See what it means at time 8:18–10:13 in September 2024 Bible Q&A.
      The whole idea of obedience to Jesus is based on love.       Jesus also said:
      "      If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love,
      just as I have kept my       Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
      These things I have spoken to you,       that my joy may be in you,
      and that your joy may be full.       This is my commandment,
      that you love one another as I have loved you      .
      Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends       (Rom 5:6–8). You are my friends if you do what I command you.
      No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know
      what his master is doing; but I have called you friends,
      for all that I have heard from my       Father I have made known to you. 
      You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you
      that you should go and bear fruit       and that your fruit should abide,
      so that whatever you ask the       Father in my name, he may give it to you.
      These things I command you,       so that you will love one another."
      (John 15:10–17). See       Jesus is the True Vine.

      Love for Jesus is crucial to obedience to Jesus (John 14:15, 21, 23–24, 31).
      The basis of obedience is love. This means that love for Jesus is a motivating factor behind spiritual       obedience (with the guidance of the Holy Spirit).
      Obedience is the visible evidence of our love for Jesus. Real love is shown
      in willing obedience to him. It's not about perfect obedience or trying harder,
      but that we are willing to obey Jesus’ commandments, see       Jesus and the Law 
      and Sanctification. Obedience is hearing/reading God’s Word and acting on it.
      It leads to practical       righteousness (Rom 6:16). (Positional righteousness
      is the righteous standing we have before God through Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21),
      which is how God looks at us when we became a follower of Jesus Christ). 
      Obedience brings freedom into our lives. It causes us to remain in his love 
      so that his joy may be in us (John 15:9–11). Walking in obedience brings joy.
      Obedience to Jesus is our spiritual worship (Rom 12:1). Presenting our bodies
      as a living sacrifice to the Lord means surrendering ourselves to him
      in obedience.       We are created to worship God, see Jesus is God.

      The laws are like our bathroom scales. It can't help us lose weight. All it can do
      is to tell us how much weight we need to lose or gain. As Christians we need
      the Holy Spirit within us to help us grow in this to become mature Christians
      (Ezekiel 36:26–27, Jer 31:31–33, John 16:12–13), see Sanctification.

      The world is a kingdom that is ruled for the time being by none other than Satan
      (2 Cor 4:4, 1 John 5:19). We as Christians belong to the kingdom of God, see time 33:01–38:52 in John 15 (Part 2) :10–17 • The Dynamics of Friendship with God.

      See also Some stories closely related to the Gospels 
      at the end of       The Four Gospels.

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