New Testament Commandments

God -> Jesus

• John 12.49-50; "For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. "

Jesus -> Apostles

• Jesus relayed His Father's words to the apostles
• John 17.7-8; " Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, for the words which you have given me..."
• Acts 1.1-3; "...after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To these he also showed himself..."
• Note that Jesus continued giving the apostles commandments after His resurrection (v.2)
• Acts 1.3; "..., appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom. "
• Even after His resurrection, Jesus gave them instructions about His church, and these directions would be contained in the rest of the New Testament (from Acts on).
• Jesus provided a means so they would not forget:
• John 14.25-26; " I have said these things to you while still living with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you. "
• The Holy Spirit brought into remembrance the things taught by Christ, and the latter part of the New Testament, especially the books written by Peter, Paul and John, contain things taught by Jesus that may not be directly mentioned in the gospel (see also John 20.30-31 and 21.25).
• This includes but is not limited to the structure and details of the church (like elders, orderly worship, and etc.).
• Things many denominations would consider trivial details

The Apostles and the Word: Peter

• What did the apostles say about their writings and teachings?
• 2 Peter 1.13-21; have reminder after Peter's death
• Go through 21 to address divine inspiration
• "...holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit."
• 2 Peter 3.2; "that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior: "

Paul's Letters

• Paul as apostle
• 1 Corinthians 15.8-10
• Apostle abnormally born
• 1 Timothy 1.1
• Apostle by commandment of Jesus
• Paul consistently acknowledges the source of his inspiration
• Galatians 1.11-12; "But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ."
• Church in Thessalonica
• 1 Thessalonians 2.13; "For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe. "
• 1 Thessalonians 4.1-2; "For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus."
• Again acknowledging that these things were not the traditions of men
• Church in Corinth
• 1 Corinthians 2.13; "We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things."
• 1 Corinthians 14.37; "If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord."
• Peter confirms that Paul's letters are inspired
• 2 Peter 3.16; "as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
• Here Peter's writing indicates that he considers Paul's writings to be a part of Scripture.
• 2 Timothy 3.16-17; "Every Scripture is God-breathed..."
• Paul's letters contain some things that are not commandments but still divinely inspired wisdom and warnings
• Paul is diligent to point out these places
• 1 Corinthians 7.1-12, 26 (on marriage)
• Paul is aware of present distress as well as the persecution that will occur around 70AD (written around 50AD)
• Contrast verse 6, 10, and 12
• Warning of those spreading false commandments on marriage
• 1 Timothy 4.1-6
• Paul's spiritual wisdom is still divinely inspired

Doers of the Word

• 1 Corinthians 7.19; "...but the keeping of the commandments of God."
• 1 John 3.24; abiding in commandments = abiding in Jesus
• Link with 2 John v.9 and John 8.31-32
• See also 1 John 2.3-6
• 1 John 5.1-3
• Commandments not burdensome (v.3)
• Love is keeping His commandments; also John 14.15, v.23
• James 1.21-25; continuing in perfect law of liberty
• See also James 2.12