I started reading, more like listening, to the book Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. Interesting book, not sure exactly what I think yet but it does start the thought process. The book is about the Bible and historical interpretation, as well as, translation and how it is a living book open to various interpretations.

I have to admit I'm not that far into it, I've only started on the 2nd CD out of 4 CDs. There are two verses though he has talked about in depth and I thought it would make for interesting discussion.

So I pose the question how do you interpret these following verses:

Matthew 5:17

Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them.

Matthew 11:29-30

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.

I can't find the book, chapter & verse but I do remember it:

What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and what you loose on earth with be loosed in heaven.

IMO Matthew 5:17 simply means that Christ was the culmination of all the OT prophecy. As such, he was not abolishing it, but instead validating it by his very existence, life, and ultimately death and resurrection. Do you agree?

Matthew 11:29-30

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.


To me this verse means this:

Jesus wants us to love. To love God, to love each other and to love ourselves. He wants us to REMEMBER that God loves us first and foremost. And it's not supposed to be hard to love. If HIs yoke is just to love someone, it's easier than trying to get revence or to use someone to advance ourselves or to steal or covet, all these things take tremendous energy and planning, but loving is easy. And what we give out in love He gives back to us ten fold.

Slvia, I think you are right on with the meaning of this scripture. I also think it has to do with the fact that the Old Testament law was given to SHOW our sin, and Jesus came to teach us how to live. So He didn't come to ablolish it, but to give us our lives back free from rules and regulations. I remember in a Bible study one time, the question was posed to us as a group, How would it feel to live with a spouse who committed adultery? How would it feel to live with a spouse who didn't? How would it feel to live iwth a liar? How would it feel to live with someone you could trust who didn't lie? Trying to follow the rules is hard, deciding to live a certain way out of love is easy.

The first one also means that Jesus is not removing the law. We are still called to love God and hate sin. Hating sin is love. Because you hate the thing that causes our brothers and sisters to perish in hell.