
There are (of course) many passages in The Bible and one could have a conclusion and find supporting texts in its pages. We also know that T
he Bible has changed hands many times. And personally I believe much of what Jesus set out to do was altered by Paul to change from a movement to a religion. This passage speaks to me very personally. I was surprised to find it – really surprised. As many of my Pagan friends, I was raised a Christian and brought up on the 10 commandments. But in this passage, Jesus does not ask onto follow the 10 commandments but five of the commandments from Moses and one of his original ones:
Matthew 19:
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your fat
her and mother,’[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
The commandments which are not mentioned (Exodus 20) are: You shall have no other Gods before me; You shall not make for yourself a carved image—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 take the name of the Lord your God in vain; remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy; You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. The 10 Commandments are in the Old Testament. Jesus spoke many times for his love of God or his Father or “The One who is good”- but it is very interesting, to me, that specifically when asked which commandments to keep – all the commandments which mentioned honoring God were omitted. Why is that? This change/edit of the 10 commandments happens a second time in Mark 10:17-19
This same exchange is also found in Mark Chapter 10:17-19
17 And as he is going forth into the way, one having run and having kneeled to him, was questioning him, `Good teacher, what may I do, that life age-during I may inherit?’
18 And Jesus said to him, `Why me dost thou call good? no one [is] good except One — God;
19 the commands thou hast known: Thou mayest not commit adultery, Thou mayest do no murder, Thou mayest not steal, Thou mayest not bear false witness, Thou mayest not defraud, Honour thy father and mother.’
The placement of this exchange of words is found just after Jesus admonishes the Pharisees for keeping a Law of Moses and here he is in the same chapters:
Matthew 19
And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these words, he removed from Galilee, and did come to the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordan,
2 and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.
3 And the Pharisees came near to him, tempting him, and saying to him, `Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?’
4 And he answering said to them, `Did ye not read, that He who made [them], from the beginning a male and a female made them,
5 and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall be — the two — for one flesh?
6 so that they are no more two, but one flesh; what therefore God did join together, let no man put asunder.’
7 They say to him, `Why then did Moses command to give a roll of divorce, and to put her away?’
8 He saith to them — `Moses for your stiffness of heart did suffer you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it hath not been so.
So, Jesus sets a precedent for going against the Laws of Moses in both Mark 10 and Matthew 19 prior to his editing the 10 commandments. Absolutely fascinating to me. Why did I not hear this, this way before? I understand there are many, many, and many more inconsistencies through out The Bible – but to me, as a Pagan that does love and respect Jesus this is Huge! Most pagans, most good Samaritans and honest people are keepers and watchers over the commandments as stated in Mark 10:17-19 and Matt 19:16-19. In allowing or disallowing the Moses Commandments of Honoring Moses’ God, a very different religious perspective comes to mind. And one which does speak to the inclusion of all peoples. I wanted to share this passage with other pagan hearted people.