The Messiah's Two Commandments - Pillars Of The Earth Ministries

It is a common error throughout Christendom to teach that Yahushua (the one they wrongfully call Jesus Christ) came to teach an entirely different doctrine than that which is taught in the Tanakh (wrongfully called the Old Testament Scriptures). If one were to study the Bible from cover to cover, they would come to learn that the writers of the Brit Chadashah (wrongfully called the New Testament) quote, reference, and elaborate on many Scriptures from the Tanakh (Old Testament). We must remember that Yahushua and his disciples taught from the Tanakh (Old Testament Scriptures), and that the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) books were not compiled for another two-hundred years after Yahushua’s death.

The Mashiach did not come to change, replace, or add anything to the Tanakh – Law (Torah), Prophets, and Writings.

Yahushua tells us,

“Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets [Tanakh]; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, until heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.” – Matthew 5:17-18

Yahushua did nothing of his own mind, but was sent to us by the Father, Abba YAHUAH, to:

Fulfill prophesy
Confirm the everlasting covenant
Teach how to keep the Law (Torah); ten commandments, appointed times, and ordinances
Teach how to properly observe the Sabbath

Yahushua said,

John 6:38: For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me.

YAHUAH did not send His son to change anything that was already set in place. Says the Father, “I am YAHUAH, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). What Aluahim says in the Tanakh (Old Testament), is repeated by Yahushua the Mashiach, in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament). Yahushua being the word of Aluahim, is the messenger of the covenant. Yahushua was ordained to be the king of Yasharal and the kings duty is to uphold the Law of the land. And the Law of YAHUAH’S Kingdom has not changed. The very same covenant made with the Hebrews in the land of Canaan is the very same covenant made with all of the children of Yasharal whom choose to live for the heavenly Canaan (New Yarushalam). Yahushua did not change one thing that his Father set in place before the world was. Paul reminds us, “Yahushua HaMashiach the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

The only aspect of the Torah (Law) that Yahushua’s death changed was the earthly sacrificial system (refer to Daniel 7:27). This was made clear when “… the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent” (Matthew 27:51). This change from the earthly to the heavenly tabernacle was not easy for some of the Yahudim to grasp, because the Levitical priesthood was such an old custom. This is why Paul wrote the letter to the Hebrews, to outline the change from the earthly priesthood to the heavenly priesthood. From the earthly sanctuary (tabernacle), to the Heavenly Sanctuary. From the earthly sacrificial system, to the one-time sacrifice of Yahushua HaMashiach, the lamb of Aluahim.

The Law (Torah) of Aluahim has not changed, and everything written in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) must align with the “Law (Torah) and the Testimony (Prophets)” (refer to Isaiah 8:20). With that in mind, let’s flip to the book of Matthew to take a look at the two commandments that the son of Aluahim told us to keep. We read,

Matthew 22:35-40: Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Yahushua a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the Law? Yahushua said unto him, You shall love YAHUAH your Aluahim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourseslf. On these two commandments hang all the Law (Torah in Hebrew, Nomos in Greek) and the Prophets (referring to the rest of the Tanakh).

The very first thing to point out, is that the man who asked Yahushua this question was a lawyer, who was tempting Yahushua. Basically, this man who was learned in the Law (Torah) of Aluahim, was investigating whether Yahushua was the true Mashiach or not. By Yahushua’s answer, this lawyer would either be convinced that Yahushua is surely the Mashiach or if he is just an imposter. Yahushua could have easily listed the ten commandments in order, but knowing who He was speaking to (a lawyer in Aluahim’s Law), he gave a deeper and more sophisticated answer. The book of Mark shares the response of the lawyer.

Mark 12:32-33: And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, You have said the Truth: for there is One Aluahim; and there is none other but He: And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

The lawyer was more than satisfied with Yahushua’s answer. This man whom studied Aluahim’s Law (Torah), and knew very well the ten commandments, would have not said, “You have said the Truth”, if Yahushua’s answer was incorrect. His response showed Yahushua that he acknowledged Yahushua as the Mashiach. And when he said, “is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices”, the lawyer was stating that love for Aluahim means obeying Him by keeping His commandments, and not just continually offering up sacrifices for sin, or praying for repentance.

There is a good example of this in the Tanakh. When speaking to king Saul, Samuel said something similar,

1 Samuel 15:22: Has YAHUAH as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of YAHUAH? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Yahushua read this man’s heart, and knew that the lawyer understood Aluahim’s Law and the Prophets more deeply than most of the Yahudim. Yahushua used the lawyers response to teach the crowd that this is the way to Aluahim’s Kingdom. To keep the Commandments and the Testimony (refer to Revelation 22:14). “And when Yahushua saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, you are not far from the Kingdom of Aluahim.” (Mark 12:34).

In his original answer to the lawyer, Yahushua so cleverly summarized the Law in order to better teach the Yahudim how to truly worship the Father.

These are not two new commandments, but rather a condensed version of the ten commandments that were written in stone.

When Yahushua told his disciples, “A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34), he was simply teaching a new perspective to the Yahudim of how to keep the last six commandments. John says it nicely,

2 John 1:5-6: And now I beseech you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto you, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in.

The First Commandment

In order to keep the two commandments, we must first come to know and understand the ten commandments, which are found in the book of Exodus chapter 20. The first four commandments strictly pertain to our love, respect, worship, and obedience to YAHUAH. To remind you, I will write them down below. Also, in parenthesis I will give you just a couple examples of Scripture in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) where that commandment was mentioned.

1. I am YAHUAH your Aluahim, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other deities before Me. (Matthew 4:10, Revelation 19:10)

2. You shall not make unto you any graven images, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: You shall not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I YAHUAH your Aluahim am a jealous Aluahim, visiting the iniquity of the father upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments. (1 John 5:21, Acts 17:29)

3. You shall not take the name of YAHUAH your Aluahim in vain; for YAHUAH will not hold Him guiltless that taketh YAHUAH’S name in vain. (1 Timothy 6:1)

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor, and do all your works: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of YAHUAH your Aluahim: in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates: For in six days YAHUAH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore YAHUAH blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Mark 2:27-28, Hebrews 4:4)

When speaking to Moses, Aluahim spoke the exact same words as Yahushua the Mashiach,

Deuteronomy 10:12-13: And now, Yasharal, what does YAHUAH your Aluahim require of you, but to fear YAHUAH your Aluahim, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve YAHUAH your Aluahim with all your heart and with all your soul, to keep the commandments of YAHUAH, and His statutes, which I command you this day for your good?

Yahushua’s first commandment to, “love YAHUAH your Aluahim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” sums up the first four commandments out of the ten commandments which are all part of YAHUAH’S Torah (Law).

In a parallel verse, Moses states,

Deuteronomy 6:4-5: Hear, O Yasharal: YAHUAH our Aluahim is One Aluahim: And you shall love YAHUAH with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

This very same commandment given to us by Yahushua, the son of Aluahim, is the same exact commandment given to Moses by Aluahim in Mount Sinai. It is a summary of the first four commandments written on stone by the finger of Aluahim. These first four commandments give us a way to show our devotional love to the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the seas, and everything in them.

The Second Commandment

The last six commandments in the Law directly pertain to how we are to treat our neighbors. These are the commandments Yahushua is referring to when he says, “And the second is like unto it”. I will write them down below to remind you. Once again, I wrote down in parenthesis where that commandment is mentioned in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament).

5. Honor your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which YAHUAH your Aluahim has given you. (Matthew 19:19, Ephesians 6:1-3)

6. You shall not kill. (Romans 13:9, James 2:11)

7. You shall not commit adultery. (Matthew 19:18)

8. You shall not steal. (Romans 13:9, Ephesians 4:20)

9. You shalt not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Romans 13:9)

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. (Romans 7:7)

Yahushua’s second commandment, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”, sums up the last six commandments in YAHUAH’S Law. Once again, in a parallel verse, YAHUAH Aluahim says the exact same thing as His son,

Leviticus 19:18-19: You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am YAHUAH. You shall keep My statutes.

The Yahudim in Yahushua’s day studied the Tanakh (Old Testament) thoroughly, and went to the synagogues every Sabbath to worship, pray, and read the Torah and the Prophets (what we call the Old Testament Scriptures). They knew the Scriptures very well, and even memorized many verses and passages. They revered Moses, Elijah, and all the other prophets, and were adamant in the keeping of the Law. This is why Yahushua so boldly told them,

“On these two commandments hang all the Law (Torah in Hebrew and Nomos in Greek) and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:40

The Law of Love

Yahushua had to teach Yasharal how to live out YAHUAH’S Law (Torah); ten commandments, appointed times, and ordinances, because they were entangled in the many ridiculous traditions and strict civil laws that the chief Priests and Pharisees expected them to also keep. Referring to the Pharisees, Yahushua said, “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matthew 23:4).

Aluahim is love, and His entire Law essentially boils down to love. Choosing to walk in the Law of love (the ten commandments), means walking with Aluahim, and abiding in His love. “And we have known and believed the love that Aluahim has to us. Aluahim is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in Aluahim, and Aluahim in him” (1 John 4:19). And how do we dwell or abide in Aluahim’s love? Yahushua plainly tells us,

John 15:10: If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in His love.

And,

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

Out of love and obedience towards Aluahim, we keep His Law; ten commandments, appointed times, and ordinances, in which was given to us by the Word of Aluahim. YAHUAH has only ever wanted His creation to love Him, and love each other. Notice how our brother Paul also sums up the last six commandments in his letter to the Romans.

Romans 13:8-10: Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the Law. For this, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.

Unfortunately, most professed followers of Mashiach are claiming to know the Aluahim of the Bible, but are not walking as His Son did, and keeping His Law – ten commandments, appointed times, and ordinances. They claim that they must have Mashiach on their side, because they have witnessed the power of His name. But we must remember, demons can easily transform themselves into a messenger of light.

If we are not keeping Aluahim’s Law (Torah), then there is no way we can get to know Him. To these professed followers of Mashiach, Yahushua will say to them when He returns, “I never knew you: depart from Me, you that practice iniquity (anomos)” (Matthew 7:23).

The Greek word used for iniquity is Strong’s Concordance number 458, anomia: lawlessness, iniquity, disobedience, sin. And as a reminder of what sin or iniquity is, John makes it very clear, “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the Law (Nomos): for sin is the transgression of the Law” (1 John 3:4).

In order to both know Aluahim and to gain eternal life, we must keep His Law – the ten commandments, appointed times, and ordinances. Our brother and disciple John writes,

1 John 2:3-6: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that says, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. But whosoever keeps his word, in him verily is the love of Aluahim perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

And how did Yahushua walk? He walked in his Fathers Law (Torah). He kept all ten commandments, appointed times, and ordinances. Paul plainly writes,

Galatians 4:4-5: But when the fullness of time had come, Aluahim sent forth His son, born of woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.