Matthew 19:19

Thursday, 7 May 2026

‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 19:19

“You honor the father of you and the mother, and you will love the ‘near you’ as yourself.” (CG)

In the previous verse, and in response to the question about how to enter perpetual life, Jesus began listing a series of commands that were intended to make this come about. That list continues with, “You honor the father of you and the mother.”

Jesus had listed from the Ten Commandments numbers six, seven, and eight. He now backs up to the fifth –

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12

This was probably a shoo-in for the man questioning Jesus. Even though he was a bit unruly in High Yeshiva, those days were gone, and mom and dad would give him a thumbs up when he needed it. After all, he was their precious Schlomo who was to carry on their name with his own family.

So far, so good. Jesus now diverts from the Ten Commandments to cite one of the moral laws laid out in Leviticus, saying, “and you will love the ‘near you’ as yourself.” This precept is cited in a string of moral and ceremonial precepts in Leviticus 19 –

“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:18

At this point, the ruler is probably thinking the deal is sealed. Despite no one else having made it since the giving of the law, he could do it! His neighbors loved him. He always had parties in the cul-de-sac and invited them for the fun and food. For sure, if anyone had done these things, it was him!

Life application: In Romans 13, Paul gives a general repeat of what Jesus has said here. He changes the order of things and adds in additional material, but it reflects the thought conveyed by Jesus –

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:8-10

Paul is not saying that believers are to do these things in order to merit salvation. Just the opposite is the case. He is saying this because Jesus has merited our salvation, and we should desire to act in accord with the salvation He has provided.

It would be completely contradictory for Paul to say in Romans 6:14 that we “are not under law but under grace,” and then to tell those in the church that they must obey certain laws in order to be saved.

But this is how many interpret what Paul is saying, such as, “See, Paul observed the Ten Commandments, and he has told us to do so too.” In this perverse thinking, adherence to Moses becomes the vehicle by which we are supposedly pleasing to God, something contrary to the gospel, which says we are pleasing to God through trusting Jesus’ merits before His throne.

As can be seen, there is a difference in “pleasing for salvation” and “pleasing because one has been saved.” Jesus did the first, and we are asked to consider and apply the latter to our walk before God. That conduct, then, leads to how we will be judged, not “for” but “in” our salvation –

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

Get the boxes right. Be sure to stay away from anyone who teaches that you must act in order to be saved. Jesus acted for us. We are to believe. This is the difference between the true gospel and a false one.

Lord God, thank You that we do not need to merit our salvation. If we did, we would be like every other person in every other religion on the planet. We would be pursuing salvation through our own efforts, never knowing if we had done enough. But we know that Jesus did it all and that, through Him, we are saved. Hallelujah for Jesus! Amen.