Jesus and the Ten Commandments | Their Spiritual Connection

The Ten Commandments are among the most important parts of the Bible. God gave them to Moses on Mount Sinai to guide His people in faith and daily living. Generations later, Jesus came and gave new depth to these commandments. He showed that they are not just rules carved in stone but living principles written on the heart.

Let’s explore the Ten Commandments themselves and see how Jesus fulfilled them and taught us to live them out in love.

The Ten Commandments in the Old Testament

Here are the Ten Commandments as found in the Book of Exodus (20:1–17):

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.

2. You shall not make for yourself an idol.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. You shall not covet.

These commandments gave Israel a moral and spiritual foundation. The first four deal with our relationship to God, and the last six guide how we treat one another.

How Jesus Fulfilled the Ten Commandments

Jesus made it clear that He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it. He gave these commandments deeper meaning, showing that God desires not only obedience in action but purity of heart.

• Commandments 1–4 (Relationship with God):
  Jesus taught us to worship only God, to love Him fully, to honor His holy name, and to remember that every day belongs to the Lord, not just the Sabbath.

• Commandment 5 (Honor parents):
  Jesus honored His earthly parents and reminded His followers to care for their families.

• Commandment 6 (Do not murder):
  Jesus explained that anger and hatred are also forms of murder in the heart.

• Commandment 7 (Do not commit adultery):
  Jesus taught that even lustful thoughts break this commandment.

• Commandment 8 (Do not steal):
  Jesus called His followers to live with honesty, generosity, and contentment.

• Commandment 9 (Do not bear false witness):
  Jesus emphasized truthfulness and warned against hypocrisy and lies.

• Commandment 10 (Do not covet):
  Jesus showed that envy and greed spring from the heart and can keep us away from God’s kingdom.

Through His words and actions, Jesus revealed that obedience is not just about external behavior but about the love, purity, and faith living inside us.

How Jesus fulfilled the ten commandments

Living the Commandments Through Love

Jesus summed up the Law in two great commandments:

1. Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

In this way, He showed that the Ten Commandments are rooted in love. Loving God covers the first four, and loving people covers the remaining six. When we live with true love, we naturally live out God’s commandments.

Living the ten commandments in the light of Jesus' sermon on the mount

The Sermon on the Mount and the Commandments

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus took the commandments His listeners already knew and expanded their meaning. He showed that righteousness is not just about keeping rules but about transforming the heart.

For example, it’s not enough to avoid killing; we must also let go of anger. It’s not enough to avoid adultery; we must also keep our minds pure. The commandments point to a higher way of living, and Jesus taught us how to walk in it.

The Ten Commandments were God’s foundation for His people, and Jesus fulfilled them with perfect love. He showed that they are not just rules but a way of life centered on love for God and love for others.

When we live with that love, we keep the commandments in the truest sense. Jesus connected the Law to the heart, calling us to live faithfully, truthfully, and with compassion.

As followers today, we are invited to walk in this same love and reflect the spirit of the commandments in everything we do.