God’s Law in the New Testament – JSS1 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

God’s law in the New Testament is the teaching and example of Jesus Christ on obeying the laws of God and of the community.

• Obedience: Jesus and his parents kept the laws of their community.
• Taxes: Jesus paid taxes and taught respect for government.
• Improved laws: Jesus gave the Old Testament laws a deeper meaning.
• Human needs: Jesus placed human needs above the demands of the Sabbath law.
• Purity: Jesus taught that a pure heart matters more than human traditions.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. explain how Jesus and his parents obeyed the existing laws;
2. state what Jesus taught about the payment of taxes;
3. list the six Old Testament laws that Jesus improved in Matthew 5:21-48;
4. explain why Jesus put human needs above the demands of the Sabbath law;
5. explain what Jesus taught about purity of heart and human laws.

What is obedience to the law?

Obedience to the law is doing what the law of God or of the community requires.

How did Jesus and his parents obey the law? (Luke 2:21-24, 41-51)

• Upbringing: Jesus was brought up according to Jewish laws and customs by obedient Jewish parents.
• Circumcision: He was circumcised on the eighth day, as the law required (Luke 2:21).
• Presentation: His parents took him to the temple in Jerusalem and offered a sacrifice of two young pigeons or a pair of turtledoves (Luke 2:22-24).
• Yearly visit: His parents went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover feast (Luke 2:41).
• Obedient child: At twelve, Jesus stayed behind in the temple. He then went home to Nazareth and was obedient to his parents (Luke 2:51).
• Foundation: These acts laid the foundation for religious obedience in the young Jesus.

How did Jesus show obedience to existing laws? (Mark 1:40-45, Matthew 22:15-22)

The healing of the leper

1. A leper came to Jesus and begged to be healed of his leprosy.
2. Jesus had pity on him, touched him and said, “I will, be clean.”
3. The man was made clean at once.
4. Jesus told him not to tell anyone.
5. Jesus told him to show himself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as proof to the people.

• Lesson: Jesus respected the law of the community, which required a priest to confirm a cure.

The question about taxes

1. The Pharisees and the Herodians wanted a charge against Jesus.
2. They asked him whether it was right to pay taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:17).
3. Jesus knew they were testing him.
4. He asked for a coin and pointed to the picture of Caesar on it.
5. He said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).

• Lesson: A person should obey the government and also obey the laws of God.

Why should Christians pay taxes?

Christians should pay taxes because Jesus paid taxes and taught obedience to the laws of the community.

• Example of Jesus: Jesus and his disciples paid their taxes (Matthew 17:24-27). Peter found the coin for the temple tax in a fish’s mouth.
• Good citizenship: A good Christian is also a good citizen.
• Development: Taxes help the government provide roads, schools and hospitals.
• Peace: Obeying laws, rules and road signs brings peace and harmony to society.

How did Jesus improve the Old Testament laws? (Matthew 5:21-48)

Jesus improved the Old Testament laws by teaching that they apply to the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, not only to actions. There are six laws in the passage.

What can we learn from these teachings?

• Understanding: We should understand a law before we obey it.
• Pure heart: We should worship God with a pure heart, free from anger and hatred.
• Love: We should love our enemies and forgive those who wrong us.

Why are human needs above the demands of the law? (Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-6)

Human needs come before the demands of the law because the law was made to serve people.

Plucking corn on the Sabbath

• Complaint: The Pharisees challenged Jesus because his disciples plucked corn on the Sabbath.
• Defence: Jesus reminded them that David entered the house of God and ate the sacred bread when he was hungry.
• Teaching: The Sabbath was made for man, and man was not made for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27).

The man with a withered hand

• Setting: A man with a withered hand was in the synagogue on a Sabbath. The Pharisees watched to see what Jesus would do.
• Question: Jesus asked, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?”
• Response: The Pharisees stayed silent.
• Action: Jesus healed the man.
• Lesson: Doing good and meeting human need is right on any day.

What did Jesus teach about purity and human law? (Mark 7:1-23)

Jesus taught that purity of heart is more important than keeping human traditions.

The complaint of the Pharisees

• Charge: The Pharisees and scribes condemned the disciples for eating with unwashed hands.
• Tradition of the elders: The Jews washed their hands before eating. After coming from the market they also washed cups, pots, brass vessels and tables.

The reply of Jesus

• Hypocrisy: The people honour God with their lips, but their hearts are far from him.
• Vain worship: They teach the commandments of men as if they were doctrines, and set aside the commandments of God.
• Purity first: Human laws can be changed and broken. A pure heart matters most, because the pure in heart shall see God (Matthew 5:8).
• What defiles: Nothing that enters a man from outside can defile him. The evil things that come out of him defile him.

Evaluation

1. Why should Christians pay taxes?
2. How did Jesus defend his disciples for plucking corn on the Sabbath?
3. Name two Old Testament laws in Matthew 5:21-48 and state what Jesus taught about each.
4. What did Jesus teach about purity of heart and human traditions?
5. State two rules of your school and say why you should keep them.

Assignment

State five Old Testament laws that Jesus improved in Matthew 5:21-48 and explain what Jesus taught about each. Use your Revised Standard Version Bible and read Fundamentals of Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS, Book 1, by Adeyinka, pages 42-44.