Do we need to read Old Testament law? Learn more about the rich significance of these ancient commands and see how they were fulfilled in Jesus.
(This fully animated series, presented by The Bible Project, traces key biblical themes from their first appearance through the entire narrative of the Bible. With videos ranging from 1-6 minutes long – you can work through the whole series with your group or choose from the playlist. Either way, we encourage you to open in prayer, facilitate conversation and make it practical. Read the Word together, ask questions of the text and see what God wants to say and do.
Click here for the full playlist of 25 videos walking you through key themes in the bible from Genesis to Revelation, or continue with the specific theme below.)
There are 613 different commands given to the Israelite people in the Torah:
The first five books of the Bible are known by Jewish people as the Torah, which in English means “the law.” The Torah is where you’ll find these 613 commands, the most famous of which are the ten commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
But the Torah isn’t just a list of laws. It’s an epic story about how God is partnering with humans to bring his blessing to the world. When Jesus spoke about the Torah, he talked about how he was bringing the storyline of the Torah to its fulfillment.
Love God and Love Others:
This command is not as easy as it seems. For example, Jesus explains that treating others poorly or holding resentment for them is equivalent to murdering them in our hearts. And loving others doesn’t just mean loving those who love you. Jesus explains that we are to extend love even to our own enemies.
Human hearts are flawed, and apart from the transforming work of God, we can’t love others in the way we are called to. But where humanity has failed, Jesus has succeeded, demonstrating love even unto death. For followers of Jesus today, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us to fully love others and love God, fulfilling the law that God put in place at the very beginning of the biblical story.
- Scriptures: Exodus 20:1-17; Matthew 5:17-19; Exodus 19:1-6; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Mark 7:14-23; Matthew 22:34-40; Matthew 5:21-48; John 14:7-14; John 16:5-15
- Questions: Take a look at these helpful discussion questions if you’re needing further guidance.
- Revelation: What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through the text?
- Response: How does this revelation affect the rest of your life – i.e. what is your appropriate response/act of obedience?
- Prayer.
THE LINC COLLECTIVE 