Jesus lists the "ten commandments," but his list has only six, and the sixth is not one of the ten. The
commandments given by Jesus are secular, not religious, in nature. 19:18
Pay your taxes. Keep state and church separate. 22:17-21
Jesus quotes Lev 19:18: "Love thy neighbor as
thyself." This is by far the best verse in Leviticus, and one of the best in the entire Bible.
22:39
"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me
drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in." 25:35
"All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." 26:52
"If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." 9:35
When Jesus lists the Ten Commandments, he only mentions five -- the humanistic ones that make no mention
of God. He also gives one that is not included in the so-called Ten Commandments: "defraud not."
10:19
Pay your taxes. Keep state and church separate. 12:14-17
The people asked John the Baptist what they need to do to avoid hell. He told them to give their excess
food and clothes to the poor. 3:10-11
Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely. 3:14
Love you enemies; do good to those who hate you. 6:27
The Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. 6:31-34
"Love your enemies." Well, it's a nice thought. But it seems strange coming from someone who damns his
enemies to hell. (Mark 16:16) 6:35
"Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Well I'm glad Jesus thinks we should be merciful.
But the Old Testament God is a strange role model for mercy! (See 1 Sam 15:2-3 for an
example of the OT God's mercy.) 6:36
The story of the good Samaritan gets my vote for the best bible story. We should all "go and do likewise."
10:30-37
"Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's."
Pay your taxes. Keep state and church separate. 20:25
From his comments on the widow's mites, it appears that Jesus favored progressive taxation. 21:1-3
"Search the scriptures."
Good advice. Because those that search the scriptures are sure to reject them. 5:39
Jesus tells those who'd like to stone to death an adulteress that whoever among them that is without sin should
"cast the first stone." Good advice -- but it directly contradicts the teachings of the Old Testament
(Lev 20:20). If that
wasn't a good law then why did God make it? Has he since changed his mind? Shouldn't it then be removed (along
with most of the OT) from the bible? 8:7
"This is my commandment, That ye love one another." If this is what it takes to be a Christian, then count
me in. Unfortunately, Christians often take Jesus' commandment to mean that Christians should love other, like-minded Christians,
and to hell with everybody else. 15:12, 17
Pilate asked Jesus a very good question: "What is truth?" 18:38
Don't fight, be humble, and look after the needs of others. 2:3-4
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever
things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
4:8
"Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies." If we follow this advice we would ignore
most of the Bible -- especially the genealogies found in Gen 10,
1 Chr 1-9, Mt 1, and Lk 3. 1:4
"Refuse ... old wives' fables." What about old husbands' fables? Old Bible fables? 4:7
"We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." 6:7
"Having food and raiment let us be therewith content." 6:8
"They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and perdition." 6:9
"Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." 1:19
"Pure religion ... is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from
the world." Cited by Associated Baptist Press in defense of the
Affordable Care Act. 1:27
The rich should not be treated better than the poor. 2:2-4
Help others that are in need; don't just wish them well. This is good advice, though it's unfortunate that James
restricted this help to "brothers". Did he mean by this that you only need to help fellow believers?
2:15-16
James ridicules those who say salvation is by faith alone. He says the devils believe in God. Will their faith
save them? 2:19
"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of
a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom." 3:13
"If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth." 3:14
"The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." 3:18
"Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It
is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (All we are is dust
in the wind.) 4:14
Paul's epistles are hard to understand. And that those who try to understand them, as with the other
scriptures, do so "unto their own destruction." 3:16
Don't fight, be humble, and look after the needs of others. 2:3-4
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever
things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
4:8
"Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies." If we follow this advice we would ignore
most of the Bible -- especially the genealogies found in Gen.10,
1 Chr.1-9, Mt.1, and Lk.3. 1:4
"Refuse ... old wives' fables." What about old husbands' fables? Old Bible fables? 4:7
"We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." 6:7
"Having food and raiment let us be therewith content." 6:8
"They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and perdition." 6:9
Help others that are in need; don't just wish them well. This is good advice, though it's unfortunate that James
restricted this help to "brothers". Did he mean by this that you only need to help fellow believers?
2:15-16
James ridicules those who say salvation is by faith alone. He says the devils believe in God. Will their faith
save them? 2:19
"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of
a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom." 3:13
"If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth." 3:14
"The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." 3:18
"Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It
is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (All we are is dust
in the wind.) 4:14
Paul's epistles are hard to understand. And that those who try to understand them, as with the
other scriptures, do so "unto their own destruction. 3:16
New Testament: Good Stuff
Get the SAB