TBR Bible study -- Matthew 5

That's EXACTLY what He wants!

 

You're half right...

 

Yeah, I was thinking Jn13:34 "a new commandment I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another" - I may be wrong, but I was thinking that the verse you quoted was refering to the law which was about to be fulfilled; while the commandment that He gave His disciples, not long before going to the cross, was instructions on how to live once they came into the kingdom

 

Could you explain that? I heard that before, but I never really understood it. Did anyone (other than Jesus) achieve righteousness? I know Abraham was credited with righteousness because he believed God, but that was before the law or even circumcision. i'm confused.

 

Ah. John 13:34 quotes Jesus as saying, "A new command I give you...". I don't think that's the only commandment as much as a reinforcement of the "Golden Rule" He offered in the passage I referenced. It's pretty much the same principle, no?

 

I think they are VERY simular, and I may be splitting hairs, but is "love your neighbor as youself" the same as "love one another, as I have loved you"? Isn't it possible that Jesus loves us more than we love ourselves?

 

Excellent point. I agree -- He definitely raised the bar there, as He often did. Good catch.

 

The only other person I'm aware of mentioned in the Bible as being completely righteous and without fault was the prophet Elijah, who (according to the Bible) never actually died. (2 Kings 2)

 

I've read 2 kings twice, looked in a concordance, and still don't see where it says that.

 

I'm sorry, I thought you were referring to Elijah's ascension.

I thought I had seen the righteousness of Elijah referenced somewhere in the Bible, but I haven't been able to find it again. Honestly that may have been something someone else inferred in another resource, but I still think it's sound. Genesis 3 introduced the penalty for sin as death. As Elijah was swept up to heaven without dying, it follows that he was without sin. Otherwise, God broke his own law.