Some Christians believe the Old Testament no longer applies to today’s Christians, including the Ten Commandments. This article will address the 10 Commandments in the New Testament.
What are the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments are the ten laws God gave Moses on Mount Sinai after he had led them from Egypt. These and other laws were for guidance for daily righteous living. However, the Ten Commandments form the core of the unique covenant between God and His people, the Israelites, so much so that God wrote them in stone with His finger (Exodus 31:18).
These Commandments are found in Exodus 20:1-17
1. And God spake all these words, saying,
2. I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13. Thou shalt not kill.
14. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15. Thou shalt not steal.
16. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
It is essential to understand that these Commandments were never meant to be a means by which the Israelites could earn salvation. God had already shown His favor when He delivered them from Egyptian bondage. This grace is something that He prefaced by reminding them at the commencement of providing the Commandments (vs. 2).
The Ten Commandments in the New Testament
In spite of what some believe regarding the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments are still applicable today. What needs to be recognized is that the Old Testament is the foundation. Without the Old Testament, there would be no New Testament. The New Testament Confirms the Old Testament. There are 343 Old Testament quotes in the New Testament and 2,309 allusions and parallels. The books most utilized are the Psalms (333 references, 79 quotes) and Isaiah (348 references, 66 quotes). The Book of Revelation contains no quotations but at least 620 allusions.
Jesus issued this confirmation in Matt. 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Jesus ushered in the New Covenant, the New Testament (Hebrews 8:1,6), therefore fulfilling the Law. He didn’t come to abolish the Law or the prophets but to fulfill the promises in those Scripture passages.
Jesus lived the Law and gave life to the Law. He was able to live the life described by the words and rules and set the standard for us to follow. The New Testament Law that Jesus ushered in was the Law of love. Love fulfills the Law.
This truth is confirmed in other New Testament Scripture. For example, Romans 13:8-10
8. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the Law.
9. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law. NKJV
Notice the Commandments mentioned in this passage; all contained under the description of love, “love is the fulfillment of the Law. “Several Laws are quoted here, straight from the Commandments, to illustrate how they can be kept if an individual simply acts in love.
Remember the response of Jesus when asked what the greatest Commandment is. His response was in Matthew 22:37-40:
37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38. This is the first and great Commandment.
39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets.
Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5 but also stated a second Command addressing dealing with fellow human beings. The same love and care we have for ourselves should also extend to others. Jesus also clarified that these two Commands to love God and others as ourselves keep all other Laws in the Old and New Testaments.
Lastly, our eternal destiny is based on the Commandments. This truth is evident in Luke 10:25-28, which reads:
- On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
- “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
- He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
- “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.“ NIV
This lawyer obviously knew the Law quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, Old Testament Scripture, which demands total devotion to God and love for one’s neighbor. These two Commands go hand in hand. An individual cannot maintain a good relationship with God without having good relationships with their neighbors (their fellow human beings).
But look at Jesus’ final response in verse 28, “Do this and you will live.“ Jesus was referring to eternal life. By following these two Commandments, we fulfill the others and will inherit eternal life. While it is impossible to obey these on our own, it is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit.
It appears clear that the Old and New Testaments are equally crucial in knowing the will of the Lord. Without the Old Testament, there would be no New Testament. They are intertwined to give us the complete picture of what was, what is, and what shall be.
Amen
Questions, comments, and concerns may be left below.
Blessings!
You have explained the 10 Commandments in the New Testament in a way that gives a greater understanding by quoting the relevant corresponding verses. That there is a mirroring of the Old Testament commandments in the New can only be grasped by one who has had the revelation and the ability to grasp and interpret the scriptures. Your explanation of the relevance of the 10 Commandments in modern is quite revealing. The analogy between the two books goes a long way in making the reader appreciate the interrelation of the Old and New Testaments and the message of love. Thank you for sharing this message with such profound insights.
For sure, Tandi – You can’t have the new without the old.
Thanks for commenting!
Hello Nathaniel,
Thank you for this insightful exploration of the Ten Commandments in both the Old and New Testaments. It is reassuring to see how Jesus affirmed the continuity of God’s moral law while emphasising the centrality of love. The idea that love fulfills the law, encapsulating our relationship with God and others, is profound and brings clarity to how we should live as Christians.
This article beautifully connects the foundational principles of the Old Testament with the transformative teachings of Jesus in the New Testament, reminding us of the timeless relevance of God’s Word.
Blessings to you!
Thanks for commenting, Starlight.
Thanks for the reminder to look at the ethical principles of the Ten Commandments as guidance for moral values and behaviors. They are very much relevant today of course but they seem to have been forgotten by many. Thanks for bring this up! I liked the detailed explanation of each and the help to interpret them.
You’re welcome, MD.
Thanks for commenting!
This was very insightful into comparison of the new and Old Testament. It’s unfortunate to watch as the Old Testament isn’t distilled in our youth how it used to be. Life’s instructions to eternal life is right here and I thank you for sharing.Keep getting the Good Word out, It’s so important for as many people to hear and understand as possible!
Greetings, John – I agree; it is unfortunate that the Word of God isn’t instilled in the youth as it used to be. Instead, what is instilled is how to make the abnormal normal, the wrong right, and the darkness light. We are warned about this in the Scriptures. Isa 5:20 reads, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
We are warned.
Thanks for commenting!
I really enjoyed your post; I am a Christian and believe totally in the 10 commandments. They are so powerful, old and New Testament. God lived by these commandments, and I only wish in today’s society more human beings would really live by the commandments. More people need to pick up the holy book and read it and memorize the 10 commandments.
Amen, Samanthia! – If more people lived by the Ten Commandments, the world would be a much better place. I truly appreciate this comment.
Thanks for commenting!
Hi Nathaniel,
Thank you for this insightful post on the Ten Commandments in the New Testament! I appreciate the thorough explanation of how the Old Testament commandments are confirmed and fulfilled in the New Testament through the law of love.
I have a question regarding the practical application of these commandments today. How can Christians best navigate situations where cultural or societal norms seem to conflict with the principles laid out in the Ten Commandments? Are there specific guidelines or approaches that you recommend for applying these ancient laws in our modern context while maintaining their core essence?
Looking forward to your thoughts and wishing you a blessed day!
Jason
Greetings, Jason – I thank you for your insightful question. The approach I recommend for applying the Laws of God in our modern society is to stand firm on their principles. We must be on guard against compromise for the sake of modern ideals and stand for what is right and true—the truth. We are warned against doing otherwise. Isa 5:20 reads, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Standing on truth will undoubtedly lead to conflict, but we must stand firm. Remember what Jesus said in Matt. 10:34, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
In this passage (vss. 32-42), Jesus made clear that His truth would cause conflict, but if we don’t stand firm, we are not worthy of Him.
Thanks for commenting!
Hi,
Thank you for the comprehensive exploration of the Ten Commandments in the New Testament. Your analysis offers valuable insight into how these ancient laws continue to hold relevance today. I particularly appreciated the connection you made between Jesus’ teachings and the fulfillment of the Law through love, as highlighted in Romans 13:8-10 and Matthew 22:37-40. The idea that love is the essence of fulfilling the Commandments provides a meaningful and practical approach to applying biblical principles in our lives. It’s fascinating to see how the Old and New Testaments are intertwined, reinforcing the importance of understanding both to fully grasp God’s will. Your emphasis on the continuity of these commandments and their impact on eternal life is thought-provoking and aligns well with the ongoing relevance of these teachings.
Yes, Annastasia – The individuals who wish to disregard the Old Testament are missing the full impact of the Scriptures.
Thanks for commenting!