1. What does James call the law of the Scriptures?
“If ye fulfil the ROYAL LAW according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For He that said [margin, that law which said], Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2: 8-12.
NOTE.— It is made clear, in the foregoing text, that the royal law of the Scriptures is the law which obligates us to love our neighbor as ourselves; and, furthermore, it is the same law that forbids adultery and murder. Distinct mention being thus made of two of the Ten Commandments of the Decalogue, it should follow without controversy that the Ten Commandments are the law of God.
2. Did God test ancient Israel concerning obedience to His law?
“Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may PROVE THEM, whether they will walk in MY LAW, or no.”Ex. 16: 4.
3. Did He “prove” them, or make that specific test over one of the Ten Commandments?
“And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
“And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake, and seethe that which ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to-day; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord: to-day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none.”
“And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, HOW LONG REFUSE YE TO KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS AND MY LAWS? See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.”Ex. 16: 5, 22-30.
NOTE.— God placed a specific test upon Israel while in the wilderness, to “prove” them as to whether or not they would walk in His law. That specific test was made over the observance of the Sabbath, thus showing that the law of Jehovah contains the Sabbath commandment. Then we find that not only does God’s law contain the commandment against adultery and killing, but it also contains the command enjoining the observance of the Sabbath—Jehovah’s great memorial of His creative power.
4. After repeating the Ten Commandments to Israel shortly before his death, what did Moses say concerning them?
“These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and He added no more. And He wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.”Deut. 5: 22.
NOTE.— When God spoke His Ten Commandments, this text says, “He added no more.” Then, with His own finger, “He wrote them in two tables of stone.” No other part of the Bible enjoys the distinction of having been first spoken direct to the people by the Lord, and then having been given to them on one of the most enduring substances known to this world. Certainly the Ten Commandments are entitled to the distinction of being called the “royal law.” A. C. T.
