{"id":45541,"date":"2021-02-23T14:52:31","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T11:52:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=45541"},"modified":"2025-05-12T02:50:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-11T23:50:36","slug":"what-are-the-least-commandments-that-jesus-referred-to-in-matthew-519","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2021\/02\/23\/what-are-the-least-commandments-that-jesus-referred-to-in-matthew-519\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the “least commandments” that Jesus referred to in Matthew 5:19?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>19 (<\/span>ESV):<\/span><\/strong>
\u201c<\/span>Therefore <\/span>whoever <\/span>relaxes <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>least <\/span>of <\/span>these <\/span>commandments <\/span>and <\/span>teaches <\/span>others <\/span>to <\/span>do <\/span>the <\/span>same <\/span>will <\/span>be <\/span>called <\/span>least <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>kingdom <\/span>of <\/span>heaven, <\/span>but <\/span>whoever <\/span>does <\/span>them <\/span>and <\/span>teaches <\/span>them <\/span>will <\/span>be <\/span>called <\/span>great <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>kingdom <\/span>of <\/span>heaven.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

If <\/span>Jesus <\/span>mentioned \u201c<\/span>least <\/span>commandments,\u201d <\/span>then <\/span>surely <\/span>there <\/span>must <\/span>also <\/span>be \u201c<\/span>greater <\/span>commandments.\u201d <\/span>So <\/span>what <\/span>did <\/span>He <\/span>mean <\/span>by <\/span>these \u201c<\/span>least\u201d <\/span>ones?<\/span><\/p>\n

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ANSWER: <\/span>Understanding <\/span>the <\/span>Context <\/span>of <\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>19<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

To <\/span>understand <\/span>what <\/span>Jesus <\/span>meant <\/span>by \u201c<\/span>the <\/span>least <\/span>of <\/span>these <\/span>commandments,\u201d <\/span>we <\/span>must <\/span>consider <\/span>the <\/span>context, <\/span>particularly <\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>17<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>where <\/span>He <\/span>says:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Do <\/span>not <\/span>think <\/span>that <\/span>I <\/span>have <\/span>come <\/span>to <\/span>abolish <\/span>the <\/span>Law <\/span>or <\/span>the <\/span>Prophets; <\/span>I <\/span>have <\/span>not <\/span>come <\/span>to <\/span>abolish <\/span>them <\/span>but <\/span>to <\/span>fulfill <\/span>them.\u201d<\/span><\/em> (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>17, <\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Here, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>affirms <\/span>that <\/span>the <\/span>Law (<\/span>Torah) <\/span>still <\/span>holds <\/span>authority. <\/span>He <\/span>wasn\u2019t <\/span>introducing <\/span>a <\/span>new <\/span>set <\/span>of <\/span>rules, <\/span>as <\/span>some <\/span>Pharisees <\/span>might <\/span>have <\/span>claimed, <\/span>but <\/span>was <\/span>bringing <\/span>the <\/span>Law <\/span>to <\/span>its <\/span>full <\/span>and <\/span>intended <\/span>meaning\u2014<\/span>showing <\/span>its <\/span>true <\/span>spiritual <\/span>depth.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>scribes <\/span>and <\/span>Pharisees (<\/span>Jewish <\/span>religious <\/span>leaders <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>day) <\/span>often <\/span>classified <\/span>commandments <\/span>into <\/span>categories: <\/span>major<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>minor<\/span><\/em>, <\/span>or <\/span>weighty<\/span><\/em> and <\/span>light<\/span><\/em> (<\/span>cf. <\/span>Matthew <\/span>23:<\/span>23). <\/span>They <\/span>tended <\/span>to <\/span>focus <\/span>on <\/span>outward <\/span>observance <\/span>while <\/span>neglecting <\/span>inward <\/span>righteousness. <\/span>But <\/span>Jesus <\/span>emphasized <\/span>that <\/span>even <\/span>the <\/span>commandments <\/span>they <\/span>considered <\/span>small <\/span>or <\/span>insignificant <\/span>had <\/span>eternal <\/span>value.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Examples <\/span>of \u201c<\/span>Least\u201d <\/span>Commandments (<\/span>as <\/span>perceived <\/span>by <\/span>men, <\/span>but <\/span>affirmed <\/span>by <\/span>Jesus):<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus <\/span>proceeds <\/span>in <\/span>Matthew <\/span>5 <\/span>to <\/span>reinterpret (<\/span>or <\/span>rather, <\/span>clarify) <\/span>the <\/span>Law. <\/span>He <\/span>deepens <\/span>its <\/span>meaning <\/span>by <\/span>showing <\/span>that <\/span>sin <\/span>begins <\/span>not <\/span>just <\/span>with <\/span>action, <\/span>but <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>heart:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    Murder <\/span>begins <\/span>with <\/span>anger (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>21\u2013<\/span>22):<\/span><\/strong>
    “<\/span>You <\/span>have <\/span>heard <\/span>that <\/span>it <\/span>was <\/span>said\u2026 \u2018<\/span>You <\/span>shall <\/span>not <\/span>murder\u2019\u2026 <\/span>But <\/span>I <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>you <\/span>that <\/span>everyone <\/span>who <\/span>is <\/span>angry <\/span>with <\/span>his <\/span>brother <\/span>will <\/span>be <\/span>liable <\/span>to <\/span>judgment\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/em>
    To <\/span>the <\/span>Pharisees, <\/span>refraining <\/span>from <\/span>actual <\/span>murder <\/span>was <\/span>enough. <\/span>But <\/span>Jesus <\/span>says <\/span>even <\/span>harboring <\/span>hatred <\/span>makes <\/span>one <\/span>guilty.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Adultery <\/span>begins <\/span>with <\/span>lust (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>27\u2013<\/span>28):<\/span><\/strong>
    “<\/span>You <\/span>have <\/span>heard\u2026 \u2018<\/span>You <\/span>shall <\/span>not <\/span>commit <\/span>adultery.\u2019 <\/span>But <\/span>I <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>you <\/span>that <\/span>everyone <\/span>who <\/span>looks <\/span>at <\/span>a <\/span>woman <\/span>with <\/span>lustful <\/span>intent <\/span>has <\/span>already <\/span>committed <\/span>adultery\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/em>
    Thus, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>includes <\/span>hidden <\/span>sins <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>heart, <\/span>which <\/span>many <\/span>considered <\/span>minor <\/span>or <\/span>irrelevant.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Keeping <\/span>your <\/span>word <\/span>is <\/span>more <\/span>than <\/span>just <\/span>avoiding <\/span>false <\/span>oaths (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>33\u2013<\/span>37):<\/span><\/strong>
    “<\/span>Let <\/span>what <\/span>you <\/span>say <\/span>be <\/span>simply \u2018<\/span>Yes\u2019 <\/span>or \u2018<\/span>No\u2019; <\/span>anything <\/span>more <\/span>than <\/span>this <\/span>comes <\/span>from <\/span>evil.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Turning <\/span>the <\/span>other <\/span>cheek (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>38\u2013<\/span>39):<\/span><\/strong>
    \u201c<\/span>You <\/span>have <\/span>heard\u2026 \u2018<\/span>An <\/span>eye <\/span>for <\/span>an <\/span>eye\u2026\u2019 <\/span>But <\/span>I <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>you, <\/span>Do <\/span>not <\/span>resist <\/span>the <\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>is <\/span>evil.\u201d<\/span><\/em>
    Jesus <\/span>calls <\/span>for <\/span>radical <\/span>humility <\/span>and <\/span>non-<\/span>retaliation, <\/span>which <\/span>can <\/span>feel \u201c<\/span>less <\/span>important\u201d <\/span>than <\/span>justice, <\/span>but <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Kingdom <\/span>they <\/span>are <\/span>weighty.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Love <\/span>your <\/span>enemies (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>43\u2013<\/span>44):<\/span><\/strong>
    \u201c<\/span>You <\/span>have <\/span>heard\u2026 \u2018<\/span>You <\/span>shall <\/span>love <\/span>your <\/span>neighbor <\/span>and <\/span>hate <\/span>your <\/span>enemy.\u2019 <\/span>But <\/span>I <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>you, <\/span>Love <\/span>your <\/span>enemies <\/span>and <\/span>pray <\/span>for <\/span>those <\/span>who <\/span>persecute <\/span>you.\u201d<\/span><\/em>
    This <\/span>teaching <\/span>goes <\/span>beyond <\/span>human <\/span>instinct\u2014<\/span>and <\/span>many <\/span>neglect <\/span>or <\/span>minimize <\/span>it.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Why <\/span>Does <\/span>This <\/span>Matter?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    These \u201c<\/span>least <\/span>commandments\u201d <\/span>are <\/span>not <\/span>small <\/span>in <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>eyes. <\/span>Jesus <\/span>is <\/span>teaching <\/span>that <\/span>obedience <\/span>in <\/span>even <\/span>the <\/span>smallest <\/span>area <\/span>of <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>will <\/span>matters <\/span>greatly<\/span><\/em> in <\/span>the <\/span>Kingdom. <\/span>Many <\/span>believers <\/span>today, <\/span>like <\/span>the <\/span>Pharisees <\/span>of <\/span>old, <\/span>may <\/span>ignore <\/span>these <\/span>inner, <\/span>relational, <\/span>or <\/span>moral <\/span>commands <\/span>because <\/span>they <\/span>seem <\/span>less <\/span>urgent <\/span>than <\/span>the \u201c<\/span>big <\/span>sins.\u201d <\/span>But <\/span>Jesus <\/span>says <\/span>obedience <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>selective.<\/span><\/p>\n

    He <\/span>continues <\/span>in <\/span>Matthew <\/span>5:<\/span>20:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    \u201c<\/span>For <\/span>I <\/span>tell <\/span>you, <\/span>unless <\/span>your <\/span>righteousness <\/span>exceeds <\/span>that <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>scribes <\/span>and <\/span>Pharisees, <\/span>you <\/span>will <\/span>never <\/span>enter <\/span>the <\/span>kingdom <\/span>of <\/span>heaven.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    This <\/span>means: <\/span>if <\/span>your <\/span>faith <\/span>is <\/span>only <\/span>outward\u2014<\/span>rule-<\/span>following <\/span>without <\/span>heart <\/span>transformation\u2014<\/span>you <\/span>are <\/span>missing <\/span>the <\/span>Kingdom <\/span>altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    What <\/span>About <\/span>the “<\/span>Greatest” <\/span>Commandments?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Jesus <\/span>also <\/span>acknowledged <\/span>that <\/span>some <\/span>commandments <\/span>carry <\/span>foundational <\/span>importance. <\/span>When <\/span>asked <\/span>about <\/span>the <\/span>greatest <\/span>commandment, <\/span>He <\/span>replied:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    \u201c<\/span>You <\/span>shall <\/span>love <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>your <\/span>God <\/span>with <\/span>all <\/span>your <\/span>heart\u2026 <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>great <\/span>and <\/span>first <\/span>commandment. <\/span>And <\/span>a <\/span>second <\/span>is <\/span>like <\/span>it: <\/span>You <\/span>shall <\/span>love <\/span>your <\/span>neighbor <\/span>as <\/span>yourself. <\/span>On <\/span>these <\/span>two <\/span>commandments <\/span>depend <\/span>all <\/span>the <\/span>Law <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>Prophets.\u201d<\/span><\/em>
    (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>22:<\/span>37\u2013<\/span>40, <\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    These <\/span>are <\/span>the <\/span>summary <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>entire <\/span>Law. <\/span>But <\/span>loving <\/span>God <\/span>and <\/span>neighbor <\/span>isn\u2019t <\/span>only <\/span>about <\/span>big <\/span>gestures\u2014<\/span>it <\/span>includes <\/span>the \u201c<\/span>small\u201d <\/span>acts <\/span>of <\/span>purity, <\/span>integrity, <\/span>forgiveness, <\/span>mercy, <\/span>and <\/span>humility <\/span>that <\/span>Jesus <\/span>emphasized.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    Conclusion:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    The \u201c<\/span>least <\/span>commandments\u201d <\/span>are <\/span>not <\/span>lesser <\/span>in <\/span>importance, <\/span>but <\/span>often <\/span>overlooked <\/span>because <\/span>they <\/span>demand <\/span>inward <\/span>transformation. <\/span>These <\/span>include <\/span>teachings <\/span>such <\/span>as:<\/span><\/p>\n