I’ve
collected all the direct commands of Jesus. In the last post, Jesus called
people to repent. He insisted that people should believe in him and follow and
obey his commandments. But repent from what and toward what? If believing in Jesus means to follow him, where does
following him lead us? And what did he command that we should obey? For Jesus
it all begins and ends with love and mercy (as foreshadowed in the OT and reinforced in the rest of the NT).
Love
“As
the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” John 15:9
“I
am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” John 15:17
“I
give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved
you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are
my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
“This
is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has
greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John
15:12-13
“Which
commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O
Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with
all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark12:28-31 (cf.
Matthew 22:36-40)
Just
then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to
inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you
read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your
mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the
right answer; do this, and you will live.” Luke 10:25-28
“In
everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law
and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12
“You
have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so
that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on
the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the
unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not
even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and
sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the
same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew
543-48
“But
I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless
those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Luke 6:27-28
”But
love your enemies, do good.” Luke 6:35
“And
because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But
anyone who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom
will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and
then the end will come.” Matthew 24:12-14
Mercy
“Blessed
are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7
“Go
and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” Matthew 9:13
(repeated in Matthew 12:7)
“Take
care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in
heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:10
“Whoever
welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me
welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:37
“Do
to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31
“Which
of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands
of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him,
“Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36
”But
when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the
blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be
repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:13-14
“and
if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and
if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone
who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.”
Matthew 5:40-42
“’Should
you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in
anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire
debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not
forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew 18:33-35
“Woe
to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and
cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy
and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the
others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!” Matthew
23:23-24
“But
love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward
will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the
ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke
6:35-36
“Then
the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for
I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me
clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited
me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you
hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when
was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you
clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And
the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the
least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say
to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the
eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you
gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a
stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing,
sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord,
when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or
in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I
tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not
do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life.” Matthew 25:34-46
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