Because of Jesus’ ongoing challenges of the emphasis on the rules of the Pharisees,
some people think the commandments to love God and to love our neighbor replaced
the Ten Commandments. It is true that Jesus identified these two commands as the two
“greatest”: “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew
22:40). Nevertheless, the Law and the prophets remain, even “hanging” on love.
For Jesus, the “Law” was the Ten Commandments that God had given to Moses. Jesus
questioned some of the additions that had been added to the Commandments over the
years. For instance, to the commandment that we should keep the Sabbath Day holy
(Exodus 20:8), additional rules regulated how far a person could walk and whether a
person could cook on the Sabbath. Jesus’ disciples were criticized for picking grain to
eat on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23).
Jesus loved the commandments. He came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it
(Matthew 5:17). When a rich young man told Jesus that he had kept the
commandments from his youth, Jesus “looked on him with love” (Mark 10:21).
St. Thomas Aquinas affirms that Jesus Himself observed the Law and instructed His
disciples not only to observe them in their external actions but even in their thoughts:
“Christ fulfilled the precepts of the Old Law both in His actions and in His
teaching. In His actions, because He was willing to be circumcised and to fulfill
the other legal observances, being, according to Galatians 4:4, ‘born under the
Law.’ In His teaching… by explaining the true sense of the Law… not only to
refer to the exterior act… but extended also to the interior acts of sins… Our Lord
fulfilled the precepts of the Law by adding some counsels of perfection” (Summa
Theologiae, 1a.2ae, 107, 2).
Not only did Jesus teach His disciples not to commit adultery but not to look at others
with lust (Matthew 5:27). They were not only not to speak angry words but not even to
think angry thoughts (Matthew 5:22).
Since the commandments challenge our behavior in specific ways, we might prefer to
emphasize a good intention. Yet, the details of our behavior are also important. When
cooking, a person follows careful steps in addition to having a good intention. I once
made bread without a recipe, that is, without being sure how much salt was needed.
The bread was cooked as lovingly as I am able but the final product was salty.
Nevertheless, Jesus has made an important change in the way we keep the
commandments. This can be seen in today’s second reading, which is from the Letter to
the Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24.
The background of this passage can be seen in the Book of Exodus, which recalls the
powerful way that the Law was given: “The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai…
the glory of the Lord looked like a devouring fire on the mountain” (Ex 24:16-17).
So overwhelming was the presence of God that Moses warned the people not to touch
the mountain or they would die:

“And when all the people perceived the thunder and the lightning and the sound
of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled;
and the stood afar off, and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will hear; but
let not God speak to us, lest we die’” (Ex 20:18-19).
Today’s reading from the Letter to the Hebrews compares the giving of the Law on
Mount Sinai with our present relationship to God in Jesus, the Mediator of a new
covenant:
“You have not drawn near to an untouchable mountain and a blazing fire, and
gloomy darkness and storm and trumpet blast, and a voice speaking words such
that those who heard begged that the not be addressed to them” (Heb 12:18-19).
As opposed to the experience of the people at Mount Sinai, where the Law was given,
the disciples of Jesus “draw near” to Mount Zion, the mountain on which Jerusalem was
built, that is, the new Jerusalem:
“You have drawn near to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, to millions of angels in festal gathering, to the assembly of the first-
born enrolled in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of the just made
perfect, to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” (Heb 12:22-24).
Because God is the “judge of all,” we have an appropriate of fear of God. St. Thomas
distinguishes between “servile fear,” which fears punishment and “filial fear,” which
“becomes a child fearing to offend a father” (2a2ae. 19, 2). As children mature, they fear
to offend their parents out of love rather than fear of punishment. We “draw near” to
God with “confidence.”
The Letter to the Hebrews describes Moses himself as being frightened, as in his first
encounter with God at the burning bush: “And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to
look at God” (Ex 3:6):
Thomas reflects on Moses’ fear even though he was more perfect than the others: “This
was a sign that the Law was terrifying even to the perfect: because it [the law] did not
give grace but merely disclosed guilt” (Commentary on the Letter to the Hebrews).
What is Thomas’ point? The commandments tell us what to do and what not to do but
the responsibility is on us. The obligations of the Law brought burdens. In the Acts of
the Apostles, Peter maintains that the law was a heavy yoke, “which neither we nor our
fathers were able to bear” (Ac. 15:10).
St. Thomas states that Christ has given us a “new law,” which is the grace of the Holy
Spirit within us: “The New Law is chiefly the grace itself of the Holy Spirit, which is given
to those who believe in Christ” (Summa Theologiae, 1a2ae. 106, 1). The Grace of the
Holy Spirit within us enables us to keep the commandments.
There is a connection between the giving of the Law and the giving of the Spirit. The
Law was given on Mount Sinai fifty days after the Passover, when the Israelites left
Egypt. The Greek name for this feast was Pentecost, from the Greek word for fifty. The
Spirit was given to the disciples on Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead.

Thomas Aquinas reflects: “In the New Law, the fire of the Holy Spirit was given (Acts 2).
As the fire appeared to the Israelites fifty days after their departure from Egypt, so the
Holy Spirit’s fire, which could not be sensed, but perceived by the mind, appeared to the
disciples on the fiftieth day after the resurrection” (Commentary on the Letter to the
Hebrews)
Thomas recalls the words of John’s Gospel: “The law was given through Moses; grace
and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn 1:17). Thomas comments: “Christ’s law is a
sweet yoke, because ‘the charity of God has been poured forth into our hearts by the
Holy Spirit who has been given to us’ (Rom. 5:5).”
Augustine said that the Old Law brought us fear but the New Law brings us love.
Thomas explains: “The New Law was given in love: ‘You have not received the spirit of
slavery again in fear, but you have received the spirit of the adoption of sons, whereby
we cry Abba: Father’ (Rom. 8:15)” (Commentary on the Letter to the Hebrews, 705).
Through Christ, our relationship with God is adoption in the Spirit as sons and
daughters. The Letter to the Hebrews describes us as entering into the assembly of the
angels and saints. Thomas recalls the words of Jesus: ‘Rejoice and be glad, because
your names are written in heaven’ (Lk. 10:20).
When Thomas describes our relationship with God, he uses a Latin word, familiaritas,
which means “friendship” or “intimacy” or “familiarity.” Thomas affirms that we have
“attained familiarity with God.” We have obtained this first of all with the Father, who is
the judge. The Father has given the Son the power to judge (Jn 5:22), our confidence is
in Christ who is our Mediator.
Thomas reflects, “This approach is by faith and charity. ‘Being justified, therefore, by
faith, let us have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom also we
have access through faith into this grace, wherein we stand’ (Rom. 5:1).”
Thomas states that we have “familiarity with the Holy Spirit.” St. Paul asked: “Know you
not that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).
Thomas reflects, “All justice and perfection is from the Holy Spirit” (Commentary on the
Letter to the Hebrews, 710)
Thomas adds that we have come to “familiarity with the Son, to ‘Jesus, the mediator of
a new covenant.’” The people received the Old Law through Moses but “Christ is the
mediator of the new covenant” (Heb 12:24). After Moses presented the Law to the
people, he sprinkled the people with blood: “This is the blood of the Covenant which the
Lord has made with you…” (Ex 24:8) (Commentary on the Letter to the Hebrews, 711)
Thomas concludes that the sprinkling of the people with blood was “a figure of Christ’s
blood, by which the faithful are cleansed.” Hebrews asserts that Christ’s blood “speaks
better than that of Abel” (Heb 12:24).
Thomas reflects:

Abel’s blood cries for vengeance, but Christ’s blood cries for pardon: ‘Father
forgive them’ (Lk 23:34); ‘He prayed for transgressors’ (Is 55:12); This is the
blood of the New Covenant, which will be shed for you for the remission of sin’
(Mt 26:28) … The blood of Abel makes us say that Abel was a pure and just
man; but the blood of Christ makes us say that Christ is true God making us just
(Commentary on the Letter to the Hebrews, 712).
Denis Vincent Wiseman, O.P.
References to the Summa Theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas give the part of the
Summa, the question and the article. If the passage is found in a response to an
objection that Thomas has introduced in the first part of the article, the Latin word “ad,”
meaning “to,” is added with the number of the objection.