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Judicial Laws
Holy Scripture is the foundation of Christian beliefs. Through Scripture, we trust we will learn His will for us and the laws we are to keep. Therefore, it is important to understand these laws since if we do not completely understand them we may not be able to efficiently do His will in guidance with Scripture.
 
Where there may be a question in the intended meaning of Scripture there is also a need to study Scripture further.
2 Timothy 3 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Jesus taught that we are to keep commandments found in Scripture and not those founded in tradition.
Matthew 15 1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Working with the people and in the temple, the scribes and Pharisees sought personal gain from "gifts." Their reason for teaching to disobey a commandment was for personal gain because they taught Scripture based on selfish motives and not on compassion or understanding for others as did Jesus (v. 9).
 
John chapter 7 reveals their selfish traditional attitudes.
John 7 23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? 24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
The scribes and Pharisees did not use righteous judgment which is why they followed their own tradition.
 
 
Tradition is not a bad thing, if it does not oppose or is contrary to Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
So, it is important to study Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17) to make sure we do not hold to traditions contrary to it. We need to learn what Scripture teaches and hold true to it.
 
 
According to Scripture, the Greater Laws of the Old Covenant are the Ten Commandments written in stone by the very hand of God (Ex. 20:8-11). They are to be kept for all time. The Lesser Laws coincide with these Commandments, showing their necessity but with greater detail. In order to understand these Lesser Laws, it is therefore important to first understand the Greater Laws and how they are to be kept.
 
But how do we keep them? Study of Scripture relative to Jesus and the Commandments will explain how.
 
 
Jesus was accused of breaking one of the the Ten Commandments, the keeping of the Sabbath.
Luke 6 1 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. 2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? 3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; 4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? 5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
All of Moses' God given laws were still in effect before Jesus' crucifixion including the Sabbath law. And since Jesus did not sin then He was in perfect obedience to these laws. But according to some of the religious leaders of His time, He was in disobedience of the Sabbath law because He picked corn and ate it on the Sabbath day (v. 1-2).
Jesus defends His actions by comparing His own actions to that of King David eating "shewbread." What King David did was considered an unlawful act because the "shewbread" was reserved for the priests (v. 3-4). Likewise, Jesus was accused of breaking a law because of His actions.
 
Yet He did not break the Sabbath law. And David did not actually break the law in what he did.
 
And this is why:
Mark 2 23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? 25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? 27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28 Thereforethe Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Verses 23-26 reiterate the story of Jesus accused of breaking the law and of what king David did.
 
In verse 27, Jesus explains why neither He nor King David broke the law: "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."
 
The Father established the law with the foundational laws of creation. As such, the Commandments were designed for our benefit as a set of guidelines in how to do right by each other and God. They were made for us, not us for them.
 
 
Jesus taught that the proper way to keep the ten Commandments was to sum them up into two commandments.
Matthew 22 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
To actually keep the law, we need to abide by this Scripture as the standard in keeping the Law.
 
The first four teach us the first and greatest Commandment. The last six teach us the second greatest Commandment.
 
These two laws give us the law of Divinity (the first four) and the law of humanity (the last six) (v. 39). "On these hang all the law and the prophets." (v. 40). 
 
 
Jesus explained how to keep these two laws in the story of the good Samaritan.
Luke 10 25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves,which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, andbrought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
The Luke Scripture (like that found in Matthew) teaches the laws of Divinity and humanity are the summed guidelines in how to keep the ten Commandments (v. 27).
 
In this story, Jesus tells about a man on his way to Jericho who was attacked by thieves and left severely injured on the roadside (v. 29-37). Two men, a priest and a Levite, passed by the injured man and ignored him. Later a Samaritan found him. He was the only one who helped the injured man. 
 
The moral of the story is "Go, and do thou likewise." 
 
We keep the law of humanity when we do as the samaritan did in this story and think of others before our own selves. We take the time to help others who need it. This is how we show love to others (v. 27).
 
We keep the law of Divinity when we show our love to God by showing our love to others (v. 27).
[See 1 John 4: 20-21.]
 
 
What Jesus did when He picked and ate corn from the field (Luke 6:1-11) on the Sabbath was to obey the law of Divinity (and therefore also the law of humanity), because the need to eat is to obey these laws. God does not want us to go hungry including when it means we need to eat food that is "shewbread" or food gathered on the Sabbath. When we look out for the needs of others such as what Jesus did in His daily ministry, God and in turn will provide for our needs however that is.
 
 
If the Law is kept in a way that does not benefit us, or prevents benefit in a way that actually causes harm instead, then it is no longer observed in its proper use.
Luke 6 9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
Making an exception in how to keep a Commandment can mean keeping a Commandment. We can see this in the inverse of the Timothy rule which teaches that a man is the provider of the family.
1 Timothy 5 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
If  a man does not provide for his family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel (unbeliever). (This Scripture is not in reference to women working outside the home for other reasons than the actual providing of the family.)
 
There are times when a man cannot work or work enough to totally provide for his family on his own, and so the wife helps. The help that a woman gives may be due to economic hardships, ill health, or maybe the wife chooses to help. We recognize these exceptions, believing in a just God who understands this. And we also understand that a woman sometimes needs help with the children, and other jobs at home. 
 
It's about people helping people. The story of the good Samaritan begins at home.
 
 
When Jesus healed, He kept the Commandments as taught in the good Samaritan story.
Mark 2 1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
To heal was to forgive sin (v. 5, 9-12) so when Jesus healed it was a physical and spiritual healing.
 
Jesus would perform this healing including on the Sabbath.
Mark 3 1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
Jesus kept the law of humanity by healing on the Sabbath.
 
 
The Sabbath day is the day of salvation. Hebrews 4 explains that the Sabbath law prophesied Christ's death for our sins because that is the day He would rest in the grave to give us rest from our own sins. Jesus' rest fulfilled the law of humanity because it gave benefit to humanity by providing this salvation. Without it, the human soul would be permanently separated from God. In Jesus' death, He did more than heal the physical body, He healed the soul for eternity.
 
Jesus healing on the Sabbath wasn't breaking the law, it was pointing to something much bigger.
 
 
Jesus taught that the "weightier matters of the law" or greater laws are kept by showing righteous judgment, mercy, and faith.
Matthew 23 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
In the story of the good Samaritan, the samaritan showed proper judgment to the injured man by having mercy on him. In so doing, he also showed his faith in God in that doing good works would produce good benefits that later would be rewarded by God (Prov. 19:17; Matt. 5:7).
 
 
Jesus was quoting the law of Moses from the Old Testament when He explained the laws of Divinity and that of humanity.
 
The first commandment of Jesus is found in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 6 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
 
The second is found in Leviticus.
Leviticus 19 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
 
 
God keeps His own Greater Commandments which for Him includes the law of salvation.
John 3 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
 
The Old Testament taught us the law of Divinity and the law of humanity. The New Testament teaches us the law of salvation.
 
The laws of Divinity and humanity and the law of salvation were made for us, not to work against us but for us, for our benefit (...not...to condemn...,but...be saved).
 
In the law of salvation is found two laws: "whosoever believeth in him..." meaning anyone who calls on Him to be their Savior "should not perish, but have everlasting life" and the world," meaning all the people in it, have the God-given right to the opportunity for salvation ("that the world through him might be saved").
 
God the Father through His Son gave the opportunity for salvation. This God-given right for the opportunity of salvation is for everyone.
 
The salvation law applies to all the laws because when God gave us His Son, He gave us His grace beyond our ability to keep the commandments...
Ephesians 2 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
and with it the opportunity to know our Lord and to serve Him through keeping His commandments...
Romans 33 1 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
...by showing the same love to others as Jesus showed to us.
John 13 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
 
The examples Jesus taught show us how to understand Scripture which in turn teaches us how to keep the greater Commandments of God.