A few of the Commands are so all-encompassing that, if they were followed perfectly, none of the other Commands would be necessary. They draw all the Commands up into them.

In how many ways we each break this command...often, even daily! When it comes to the "commands of personal conviction," this must certainly rank up near to the top of the list.

In how many ways we each break this command...often, even daily! When it comes to the "commands of personal conviction," this must certainly rank up near to the top of the list.

Most of the commands given by Jesus to his disciples when he sent them out two by two must be viewed as being too specific to be considered universally incumbent upon all his followers throughout all time.

How far into eternity will God's mercy extend? It is one of the great historic theological conundrums.

This is surely one of the Bible's most well known verses. Its succinct proverb is a part of everyday conversational idiom everywhere. The command might therefore have been rendered in its more familiar form as simply: Turn the other cheek.

Curiously, Jesus did not address the mode and manner of how we are to conduct ourselves in the normal flow of daily conversation. His comments about speech are very specific.

We have spoken several times about Jesus' use of hyperbole, exaggeration, and metaphor. We do not actually "eat his flesh" when participating in a communion or Eucharist service. He does not really want his followers to "cut off" their hands or "pluck out" their eyes to rid their lives of sin. These are symbols and images which Jesus used skillfully to get his points across.

Again we encounter Jesus making a point with overstatement. No one seriously expects us to go through life saying nothing but yes and no. Jesus himself did not do so either. Once more we gain further insight into his words from the Lord's brother James, who gave this command in its more familiar form: Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. (James 5:12)

It is easy to hear words such as, "He who is ashamed of me and my words...of him will the Son of Man be ashamed." (Mark8:38, Luke 9:26), and read ourselves right out of the text.