The Commandments in Matthew (concise version)

This is my 143rd post, and I hope this concludes my personal study of the gospel of Matthew.  I started this blog for myself, and if you have been blessed by it as well–praise be to God!

Just in case we all got overwhelmed with my previous post (I did), I made a more concise version of the commandments (i.e., Jesus’ statements in the imperative) from the gospel of Matthew.  Should you need the reference to the Bible passage, please check the previous post.

At the end I also listed godly virtues that Jesus spoke of although not in the imperative.  If you think I’ve missed anything–please feel free to contribute at the comments below!

1. Repent
2. Follow Jesus (spoken to Simon Peter)
3. Rejoice and be glad when we’re persecuted
4. Let our light shine before others
5. Be reconciled to our brother
6. Come to terms quickly with our accuser
7. Tear out and throw away our right eye if it causes us to sin (figuratively)
8. Cut off and throw away our right hand if it causes us to sin (figuratively)
9. Do not take an oath (by heaven, by the earth, by Jerusalem, by our head)—let what we say be simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’
10. Do not resist the one who is evil (if we’re slapped on the right cheek, turn the left also)
11. Give to the one who begs
12. Do not refuse the one who borrows
13. Love our enemies
14. Pray for those who persecute us
15. Be perfect (as our heavenly Father is perfect)
16. Beware of hypocritical righteousness; do not trumpet our good deeds; pray in secret
17. Do not heap up empty phrases when we pray
18. Do not make it obvious to people that we’re fasting
19. Do not lay up for ourselves treasures on earth, but in heaven
20. Do not be anxious about our life, or about tomorrow—what we’ll eat, drink, wear, but….
21. … Seek first the kingdom of God
22. Judge not
23. Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw pearls before pigs
24. Ask, seek, knock
25. Do to others what we wish them to do to us
26. Enter by the narrow gate
27. Beware of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing
28. Learn what this means: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.”
29. Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest
30. To the twelve disciples – to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to proclaim the kingdom, to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. To give without pay.  To acquire no gold, silver, copper.  No bag for the journey, no extra tunic or pair of sandals, no staff.  Find out who is worthy in the village—let peace come upon it; if it’s unworthy, let the peace return, and leave the house/town shaking the dust off from their feet.
31. Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men
32. When delivered to religious leaders—do not be anxious how to speak or what to say
33. Flee to the next town when persecuted
34. Have no fear [of men]
35. Say in the light, proclaim on the housetops what Jesus says
36. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul
37. Fear not
38. He who has ears to hear, let him hear (that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, that he is the Messiah)
39. For all of us who labour and are heavy laden to go to Jesus; to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him
40. Watch and beware of the leaven (i.e., impurity) of the Pharisees and Sadducees
41. For us to deny our self and take up our cross and follow Jesus
42. Cut off and throw away our hand or foot if it causes us to sin (repeat of a previous passage!)
43. Tear out and throw away our eye if it causes us to sin (repeat of a previous passage!)
44. Do not despise the little ones (in previous verses Jesus has called a child and put him in the midst of the disciples)
45. Inform a brother of his fault – one-on-one. If he does not listen, take two others, if he still refuses, tell it to the church.  If he still refuses, treat him as a Gentile and a tax collector.
46. Forgive a brother seventy times seven
47. What God has joined together (male and female, v.19:4) let not man separate
48. Let the children go to Jesus and do not hinder them
49. Keep the commandments [to enter life]
50. To the rich young man: Go and sell possessions and give to the poor; follow Jesus
51. We are not to lord over and exercise authority among fellow believers (“It shall not be so among you” v.26). We must be a servant, a slave to each other
52. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God things that are God’s
53. From the OT: Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind
54. Love our neighbour as our self
55. None of us are to be called rabbi, we’re not to call no man our father on earth, neither to be called instructors. The greatest among us should serve.
56. See that no one leads us astray
57. See that we are not alarmed (when we hear about wars)
58. Before the tribulation (or before the siege of Jerusalem—if that’s your view): Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let the one on the housetop not collect what is in his house; let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. Pray that the flight not be in winter  or on a Sabbath
59. Do not believe anyone proclaiming a Christ somewhere (His second advent will be visible to everyone)
60. For the rapture: Be ready.
61. Take, eat of Christ’s body. Drink of his blood of the covenant.
62. To Peter: Watch and pray to not enter into temptation
63. Do not be afraid
64. Go and make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe everything that Jesus has commanded.

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Also, though not in the imperative, Jesus also spoke of godly virtues and characteristics such as:

1. Meekness (Matthew 5.5)
2. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness (5.6)
3. Mercy (5.7)
4. Purity of heart (5.8)
5. Being peacemakers (5.9)
6. Not opting for divorce (5.32)
7. Hearing Jesus’ words (7.24)
8. Hospitality to Jesus’ disciples (10.42)
9. Not being offended by Jesus (11.6)
10. Humility (18.4)

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¹¹ “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹³ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹⁴ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. ¹⁵ “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. – Deuteronomy 30.11-14 (ESVUK)

¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me. – Philippians 4.13