Mosaic Law or Christian Principles.

Where do the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John belong, as a part of the Old Testament or part of the New Testament?

Of course Jesus lived under the Law of Moses and kept it perfectly.  But were His teachings for those living under the Law of Moses only?

Or were His teachings principles for both those under the Law of Moses as well as Christians beginning with those converted on the Day of Pentecost?

What did Jesus say about His teachings?

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 

Here Jesus is telling the Apostles that God will send the Holy Spirit for the purpose of reminding them of what Jesus had taught while He was here.  Notice that even here Jesus is using the past tense of the verb ‘say’. So it must have been things that Jesus had already taught.

Some say that if what Jesus taught was meant for Christians then why didn’t the apostles quote Jesus.

Luke 22:17-20 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

1Corinthians 11:23-26  For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take, eat; this is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

Acts 20:35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

That answers the question about whether the Apostles quoted Jesus. But probably more important than quoting Jesus is: Did the apostles teach the principles that Jesus taught?  Of course when one studies the principles that Jesus taught then one will find that the apostles taught those same principles.

Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

Jesus is telling us that the Law of Moses and the prophets were taught until John the Baptist.  Starting with John the things regarding the kingdom [church] of God were being taught.

Matthew 28:20 ... teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Again Jesus speaks in the past tense ‘commanded’ which shows that Jesus had already taught the apostles what He wanted taught.

Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!

Why did God say to hear what Jesus taught if He didn’t mean it?

1Timothy 6:3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,

Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Luke 9:26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.

John 12:48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

One can see from this study that to deny Jesus’ teachings is also to deny Jesus Himself.

If what Jesus taught was not required by the Law of Moses, it must have been for Christians! What He was teaching in that manner was predictive.  One can notice this by Jesus saying: But I say ... ; I say ... ; I tell you ...

One thing further: All the books of the New Testament were written after the Day of Pentecost and they were written to whom--Christians.  So what purpose did Matthew, Mark, Luke and John serve if what Jesus taught applied only to the Jews under the Law of Moses?

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