Play-Dough or Plato

When I was in school I learned about Plato's "Allegory of the Cave." In the allegory, Plato likens people untutored in the Theory of Forms to prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. All they can see is the wall of the cave.



Behind them burns a fire. Between the fire and the prisoners there is a puppet curtain, along which puppeteers can walk. The puppeteers, who are behind the prisoners, hold up puppets that cast shadows on the wall of the cave. The prisoners are unable to see these puppets, the real objects, that pass behind them. What the prisoners see and hear are shadows and echoes cast by object. Such prisoners would mistake appearance for reality. They would think the things they see on the wall (the shadows) were real; they would know nothing of the real causes of the shadows that they do not see. Plato’s point is that the prisoners would be mistaken. For they would be taking the terms in their language to refer to the shadows that pass before their eyes, rather than (as is correct, in Plato’s view) to the real things that cast the shadows.

In the same way, many Christians take the shadows of the Old Testament and make them reality, when in fact, they are just shadows of reality; the reality of Jesus Christ. Watchman Nee, Christian author, said, "Christ is the sum of all spiritual things." Sabbath rest, mentioned in Hebrews 4, reminds us that our real and true rest will only come from Christ, not trying to attain each of the commands in our own strength. Are you living in the shadow or reality of Jesus Christ?

Topic for discussion: I believe that Jesus never validated the fourth commandment with His teachings? What do you think?

he seemed to not only never validate it, but almost invalidate it... or at least in the traditionalist sense that the pharisees seemed to regard it with...

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Words of Jesus, I think they speak for themselves. We are to obey the whole word of God, not part of it.

Also, are you requiring Jesus to point by point validate each item before you accept it for yourself? I think he just did.

Good point, Gracie. "Love God and love people" seems to be what Jesus said about the fourth commandment.

The commandment is really a gift to His kids. Obedience always yields blessing...always. AND (not but) Jesus was all about us resting in Him and our comfort in Him alone, and pointing out to us that He is Lord of the Sabbath. The only time his "breaking it" was ever called into question (bitter accusation really) was with respect to his healing one of his kids--don't ya love that?!

This is the same Lord who was not required to pay the temple tax as the Son of God, but sent Peter to catch a fish that had the coinage in its mouth in order to pay the tax.

He was the only Good One that walked this earth, broke no command and pointed out that the Sabbath was for the believer...not the other way around.