Jesus and the ten commandments: you shall not murder.
“You shall not murder” -- it's not just a good idea, it's the law! In fact, "murder is bad" is one of the few points with which nearly everyone on Earth agrees. On paper, most of us would say that, of the ten, this is the easiest commandment to follow. But, from a biblical perspective, what does it really mean to commit murder?
In the New Testament, Jesus equates murder and anger towards a brother or sister. This indicates that, in God's perfect plan for the world, it is not enough anymore to just not kill each other. We are encouraged to not even be angry with one another -- a task much easier said than done. We are encouraged to release our anger and let Jesus give us the eyes to see everyone we encounter the way he does: as beloved children of God.
By Rebekah Covington
Jesus, the Humble King.
In Mark 11:1-11, Jesus finally arrives into Jerusalem, the place that he has laid out as where he will spend his final days. By riding into town on a donkey, he is not only fulfilling the prophecy laid out to us in Zechariah 9:9, but also is subverting expectations of what it means to be a king. This approach, while completely countercultural then and now, invites Jesus' followers to walk in similarly humble footsteps.
Jesus is building with us a KIN-dom relationship -- where we become partners alongside him and continue the work that Jesus started. Through this passage, he demonstrates to us what can happen when we allow God to move, when we involve others in our lives, and when we admit that maybe we don't know best. Jesus' humility is an invitation to us to embrace the gifts we have not for our own glory or satisfaction, but for the good of others.
By Rebekah Covington