The Spirit of the Commandment Matters Most

 

  More than the Letter of the Commandments

 

Jesus during his lifetime clearly stated that the law is made for man and man is not for the law. The Lord of Sabbath said in Mark 2:27 "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Jesus emphasised and underscored that Man is more important than anything else in the creation, for Man carries the image of God and His Spirit dwells in every man.

 

Once Pharisees complained to Jesus about the apostles who picked some heads of grain along the grain fields. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

 

On another occasion, some Pharisees yet again criticised and questioned Jesus, ‘Why do your followers not obey the rules given to us by the great people who lived before us? Your followers don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

Jesus shot back with a volley of questions,

“And why do you refuse to obey God’s command so that you can follow those rules you have? 4 God said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ And God also said, ‘Anyone who says cruel things to his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that a person can tell his father or mother, ‘I have something I could use to help you. But I will not use it for you. I will give it to God.’ You teach that person not to honour his father. You teach that it is not important to do what God said. You think that it is more important to follow the rules you have. You are hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he spoke about you:

‘These people show honour to me with words.

    But their hearts are far from me.

    Their worship of me is worthless.

    The things they teach are nothing

    but human rules they have memorized.’” Isaiah 29:13

Note that the Pharisees asked the question from the human teaching but Jesus responded with a question from God’s commandments. Jesus differentiates between Man-made teaching and laws and God-given commandment.

 

From the above discourse, we could easily infer that Man is above the law. 

Second, the Spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law. 

Third, it is not important that man should memorise the law but comprehend the essence of the law and put it into practice. 

Fourth, God’s commandment is more important than human teachings. 

Fifth, do not read into unnecessary details of the law or commandments rather just obey as it is a commandment. 

Hence dear friends, keep your mind free to imbibe the spirit of the Love commandments.

A Zen Story may help us understand the difference between the Law and the Spirit of the Law.

Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening after a year-long retreat and meditation.  

It had rained heavily. They had to cross the river to reach the monastery. And puddles of water had collected in the river and the river raged. At one place a pregnant young woman was unable to cross the river because the river level rose owing to the rain. The elder monk lifted her, carried her across, and left her on the other side of the riverbank before continuing on his way to the monastery. The Chief Monk greeted them in the monastery and enquired about the progress for the last year.

The restless younger monk reported to the Chief Monk as soon as He met him. “Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman.”

The Chief monk answered, “Yes, brother.”

“But, Sir, on our way back to Monastery, the elder monk lifted a pregnant woman on the riverside” The Chief Monk without reading much into unnecessary details smiled and said, 

“He left her on the other side of the bank but you are still carrying her.” So go back and continue with your meditation and understand the spirit of the Law of the Monastery.

Like this young restless Monk, we Christians carry a lot of unnecessary details in our mind and corrupt our souls while we miss out the important elements of the Spirit of the Commandments.

Let us ask the Father to help us understand the Spirit behind every word He utters.