Class 12 – Jesus Christ and Fence Laws
Suggested Pre-Class Readings
Read Mark 12:28-33. What questions does the scribe ask? How does Jesus respond? What does the Savior think of how the scribe reacts?
Read John 5:1-13. Pay careful attention to when the miracle was performed, and the specific reaction of the Pharisees.
Read Mark 7:1-13. What were the “traditions of the elders”? Note: “tradition of the elders” = the oral law adhered to by the Pharisees. What did Jesus think about the traditions of the elders?
Read John 9:1-16. What is it that troubled some of the Pharisees in this miracle?
Read Matthew 9:10-13. What is it that bothers some of the Pharisees? What scripture does Christ quote them in response (hint, see footnote 13a–do you remember what we learned this great book?)
Read Matthew 11:28-30. What do you think is meant by the word “yoke”? We will discuss this further in class. There may be a new possibility that surprises you.
Read Matthew 12:1-8. Note that this passage directly follows 11:28-30 (remember, chapter breaks are not original in the text). What seems to be the controversy? How does the Savior respond? Note that the Savior’s reference to “shewbread” refers to holy bread only used in the tabernacle/temple and was not for common people to eat. The story Christ refers to is found in 1 Samuel 21:1-6.
Read Matthew 23. This is a scathing indictment of the Pharisees. What do you see in this chapter that relates to the previous verses read as part of this pre-class reading?
We need to balance out everything we’ve read so far, with two final verses: John 14:15 and John 14:26. We will talk about these verses in class, and their connection to the above passages.
Questions to focus on
For each of the following principles connected with fence laws, be able to explain one statement from Jesus Christ that connects to the principle, as well as a real-life example.
1. Have Spirit-driven fence laws
2. Lighten your heavy yoke.
3. Focus on the mark, not the fence
4. Focus on the core, not the fence when teaching others
5. Don’t judge others on fence laws
6. Follow the prophet
Optional Post-Class Readings
For more on fence laws, visit https://johnhiltoniii.com/fence-laws/ or see the relevant chapter in The Founder of our Peace.
Acknowledgements
Insights from, discussions with, and resources authored by Dr. Matthew Grey, Dr. Frank Judd, and Dr. Anthony Sweat were used in the creation of this video.