Jesus Instructed From the Law





The following are some of the scriptures that show Jesus instructing out of the Law of God.

Matthew 5:17-19
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise 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: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.


Matthew 5:21
Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:


Matthew 5:27
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery


Matthew 22:35-40
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 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. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Also see Mark 12:28-31)


Jesus is not making up new commandments here. They asked him “which is the great commandment in the law”. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. (See: All of the Law Hangs on the Two Great Commandments )


Matthew 13:41
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.

Here is Strong’s definition of the word translated “iniquity” in the above verse:
1) the condition of without law
1a) because ignorant of it
1b) because of violating it
2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness


Matthew 23:2-3 (NKJV)
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.


Jesus and his disciples did not listen to the Pharisees many times. But when they sit in “Moses’ seat” they were teaching out of the Torah. At this time Jesus commands his disciples “whatever they tell you to observe,that observe and do”.


Mark 1:14-15
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.


I won’t go through and list every time Jesus told people to “repent”…Here is something to think about though. When Jesus told them to “repent”, from what were they to repent and to what did they think Jesus was referring? They knew that Jesus was telling them to repent from their sins (which at that time, no one will argue, was the transgression of the Mosaic Law). Also, for this reason, I will not list every time Jesus used the word “sinner” or “sins”. Like when Jesus said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee”. Jesus was also referring to the only law given to the Jews at the time (the Mosaic law). “Sinners” are those who transgress the law.


Also, since there is very little debate about if Jesus kept the law, I am not going to point out all the times Jesus kept the law (feasts, etc.). But I will point out here that Jesus did live his life as an example to us (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6). I also will point out that usually the best form of teaching is by demonstration.


There are many other quotes of Jesus that I believe are talking about keeping the Law of God, for instance:

Luke 11:28
…Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

but, I will not list these because their vagueness.


Mark 1:41-44
And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. (Also see: Matthew 8:4; Matthew 12:11-12; Luke 5:14; Luke 17:14;)


Mark 2:23-26
And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? (Also see Matthew 12:3-5; Luke 6:3-4)

When they accused Jesus of breaking the law, Jesus used the law as a defense. Showing them they were in error.


Mark 7:7-9
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Jesus is rebuking people for “rejecting the commandment of God”.


Mark 7:10-13
For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Also see: Matthew 15:4)


Jesus is reinforcing the commandment given in Exodus 21:17 which states: “And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.” (See: The Law of God is Forever to see why most people are not allowed to stone children today.) At the same time, Jesus is also reinforcing the commandemts given in Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16 referring to "Honour thy father and thy mother".


Mark 10:17-19
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. (Also see Matthew 19:17-19; Luke 18:18-20)


Some use this as proof we no longer keep the other commandments…Do you think that is what this man thought when Jesus listed 6 of the commandments? Do you think this man thought now that he could break all the rest? Or do you think this man got the point?


Luke 4:4
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Also see Matthew 4:4)


This was quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3. In context, this verse was talking about the law of God.

Luke 4:8
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Also see Matthew 4:10)


Jesus is referring to Deuteronomy 6:13. Does this law apply? What says that Jesus has to quote every law for it to still apply to us? If the President of the United States comes to your town, does he have to quote every single law for them to still be enforced?

Luke 4:12
And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. (Also see Matthew 4:7)


Quoted from Deuteronomy 6:16


Luke 10:25-26
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

When asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life”, Jesus says, “What is written in the law”…why do you think he said that?

Luke 10:27-28
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Again, quoting right from the law of God. (See: All of the Law Hangs on the Two Great Commandments )


Luke 11:42
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. (NKJV) (Also see Matthew 23:23)


When Jesus says, “these you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone", he is reinforcing tithing.


Luke 16:28-31
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

When a law breaker wanted to return from the dead to warn his brothers of breaking the law, Abraham says, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” What did Moses write to us? Moses wrote the law. It looks like from the above verse that we should “hear” him.


John 7:19-22
Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

Jesus again uses the law in defense and rebukes the people for not keeping the law.


John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Where is Jesus’ commandments? Some say that these are the two greatest commandments. Well, that is 2 of them, and as Jesus said, “All the law hangs on these two commandments”. The Commandments that Jesus was referring to was the Commandments given at Mt. Sinai.




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