Jesus embodies hesed—the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

Jesus told the crowds gathered for his Sermon on the Mount: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law [of Moses] or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17).

The Law of Moses teaches us that the LORD God “show[s] hesed to a thousand generations of those who love [him] and keep [his] commandments.” (Exodus 20:6).

The Law of Moses teaches us about: “[T]he LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining hesed to thousands [of generations], and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” (Exodus 34:6-7).

The Law of Moses teaches us to “[l]ove the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

The Prophets teach us what it means to love the LORD our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

   And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

   and to walk humbly with your God.”

     (Micah 6:8)

“[L]et justice roll on like a river.

   righteousness like a never-failing stream.”

     (Amos 5:24).

The word hesed in Hebrew is translated a number of ways in English:

     —Faithfulness. (Psalm 117:2 NIV).

     —Love. (Psalm 136 NIV).

     —Mercy. (Psalm 136 KJV).

     —Steadfast love. (Psalm 136 ESV; Exodus 34:6-7).

     —Lovingkindness. (Psalm 136 NASB).

     —Kindness. (Micah 6:8).

Since no one English word captures the richness of the Hebrew word hesed, I will use the word hesed in this blog.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches the crowds the wisdom to embody hesed in their lives, their communities of wisdom, their families, their businesses, their nations, and their civilizations.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands the crowds to act, love and walk humbly with hesed.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands the crowds to let hesed roll on like a river and righteousness like a never ending stream.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands the crowds to embody the faithfulness of hesed.

How?

By faithfully putting the words of Jesus into practice so that when “rain” comes, “streams” rise, and “winds” blow and beat, their lives, communities of wisdom, families, businesses, nations, and civilizations will not fall.

Why?

Because their lives, their communities of faith, their families, their businesses, their nations, and their civilizations are built on hesed—they embody hesed!

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands the crowds to embody the love and steadfast love of hesed.

How?

By loving their enemies and praying for those who persecute them. (Matthew 5:43-48).

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands the crowds to embody the mercy of hesed.

How?

By forgiving their debtors, forgiving those who trespass against them, and forgiving anyone else who sins against them. (Matthew 6:12-14).

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands the crowds to embody the lovingkindness and kindness of hesed.

How?

   —by blessing those who are poor in spirit,

         for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

   —by blessing those who mourn,

        for they will be comforted.

   —by blessing the meek,

        for they will inherit the earth.

   —by blessing those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

        for they will be filled.

   —by blessing the merciful,

        for they will be shown mercy.

   —by blessing the pure in heart,

        for they will see God.

   —by blessing the peacemakers,

        for they will be called children of God.

   —by blessing those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

        for theirs is the kingdom of righteousness.

                                  (Matthew 5:3-10).

Then, when he finished his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus himself embodied the hesed of the LORD God that endures and blesses forever—the hesed of the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

How?

By putting his words in the Sermon on the Mount into practice by touching a leper and healing him. (Matthew 8:1-3).

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For more of my thoughts about the hesed of the LORD God, please read my blogs “The Hesed of the LORD Endures Forever”, “Hesed Saves and Nurtures Baby Moses”, “Hesed Saves Israel—Passover”, “Hesed Nurtures Israel—From the Red Sea to Mount Sinai”, “Hesed Nurtures Israel—Mount Sinai”, “Hesed Establishes the Work of Moses’s Hands—Mount Nebo”, “Hesed Blesses Forever—David”, “Walking Humbly With Hesed—Micah”, “Hoping in Hesed—Jeremiah”, “Hesed Returns Israel to Jerusalem”, and “Jesus Embodies Hesed—The Vision of Isaiah”.

For more of my thoughts about the Sermon on the Mount, please read my blogs “Building Houses on Rock: Mission Impossible?”, “Building Houses on Rock: Mercy and Forgiveness”, “Building Houses on Sand: Specks and Planks”, and “Building Houses on Rock: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”; and the chapter “After the Sermon on the Mount” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 119-122.