Read for This Week’s Study: John 1:1-3; Matt. 12:1-5; Luke 4:16-21; John 5:16-17; Matt. 24:20. Memory Text: And He said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28, NKJV). Throughout His ministry, religious leaders challenged Christ’s … [Click to read more …]
Muthu is a Bible teacher in an Adventist high school in southeastern India. But his ministry extends beyond the classroom. He takes students and adults to villages to hold Branch Sabbath Schools. Most of the villagers know little about Jesus. The children come first, gathering under a tree to hear stories and sing songs. Then … [Click to read more …]
Further Study: Ellen G. White, The Spirituality of the Law, p. 45-78, in Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing; The Sermon on the Mount, p. 307-314, and Controversy, p. 606-609, in The Desire of Ages. Speaking of the law, Jesus said, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill . . .; that is, … [Click to read more …]
Read Matthew 19:16-22. From the immediate details of this specific story, what broad and important truths can we derive from this account about the law and what keeping of the law entails? The rich young man couldn’t comprehend that salvation from sin does not come from following the law, even strictly. It comes, rather, from … [Click to read more …]
You can view a discussion of the current lesson in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV Sabbath School Site. … [Click to read more …]
During another encounter Jesus had with the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 15:1-20; see also Mark 7:1-13), they questioned Him about a tradition of the elders, one not found in the Law of Moses. This tradition stipulated that one should ritualistically wash his hands before eating, something Jesus’ disciples had neglected to do. Christ immediately responded … [Click to read more …]
How did Jesus expand the meaning of the law, as seen in Matthew 5:27-28? What did He say in Matthew 5:29-30? How are we to take these words? In this passage Christ referred to two commandments: the seventh and the tenth. Until then, the Israelites considered adultery to be only the overt physical sexual act … [Click to read more …]
After establishing the perpetuity of the Ten Commandments, Jesus continued His Sermon on the Mount, now setting forth a few specific examples of Old Testament laws. People had so greatly misunderstood these specific commandments that Jesus felt the vital need of explaining their true meaning. What contrast did Jesus make with each aspect of the … [Click to read more …]
What does Matthew 5:17-19 teach about Jesus’ attitude toward the law? Although the word law is often used to refer to the first five books of the Bible (also known as Pentateuch or Torah), in this case the context seems to indicate that He was referring primarily to the Ten Commandments. When saying He had … [Click to read more …]
Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 5:17-19, Matt. 5:21-44, Mark 7:9-13, Matt. 19:16-22. Memory Text: If you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15, NKJV). Though many leaders in Israel highly exalted the law, some misunderstood its purpose, believing that they could obtain righteousness by obeying the law. As Paul was to write: For they … [Click to read more …]
