Some teach that the Gospels are still part of the Law, and are Old Testament teachings.
First of all, note that the authors of the Gospels viewed Christ’s teaching as gospel teaching, not an extension of the law.
Looking at the scriptures below, we notice that these Gospel authors claim that Jesus preached the Gospel.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. (Matthew 4:23)
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (Matthew 9:35)
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Matthew 11:5)
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. (Mark 1:1-2)
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. (Mark 8:35)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)
Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. (Luke 7:22)
Some might say that this is a different use of the term gospel. But Jesus Himself referred to this gospel being preached in situations where it seems almost completely certain that the crucifixion and resurrection would have been completed: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:14) “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” (Matthew 26:13) “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
It seems fairly clear that Jesus viewed the gospel He taught being taught by others after His resurrection. If you are still not convinced, keep reading.
Second, notice where Paul claimed the authority for his gospel, which is supposedly different from Jesus’:
“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.” (Romans 1:9-10)
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
If Paul viewed his gospel as being Jesus’ gospel, do we have liberty to redefine that gospel?
If you are still in doubt about how Paul viewed "his" Gospel and Christ's Gospel, look at the end of Romans:
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27)
In fact, we have a specific instance of Paul quoting Jesus: “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
One of the problems with the idea that teachings from the Gospels are part of the Old Testament is that it puts Paul, rather than Jesus, as the authority for the changing of the Testaments. Listen as Peter establishes Jesus’ authority for “these days”: “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:22-23) Stephen, too, appealed to Moses’ words: “This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.” (Acts 7:37) When Moses’ told the children of Israel this, he quoted God as saying, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:19)
The author of Hebrews, too, expressed how Christ’s words are connected with salvation in the present day: “For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?” (Hebrews 2:2-4) Earlier he had already expressed how God “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:2a). And he contrasts the Son’s speaking to us with the prophets’ earlier speaking to the fathers.
Those who would discount Christ’s teaching as New Covenant teaching, especially the Sermon on the Mount, also have to deal with the fact that some of these teachings are reinforced by the same teachings after the resurrection. Take, for example, one of these commands that has given trouble to Protestants who want to support political involvement—Jesus’ prohibition of oaths: “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Matthew 5:33-37) This command is also expressed by James after the resurrection: “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” (James 5:12)
It's not hard to understand why some desire to escape some of the most difficult teachings of the Scripture, (those found in the Gospels). But just because our human weakness makes us recoil at the words of Jesus, this does not give us the authority to dismiss the teachings of the One who told His apostles to teach all nations “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).
And, remember the words of Paul - “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son”.
Axehead
First of all, note that the authors of the Gospels viewed Christ’s teaching as gospel teaching, not an extension of the law.
Looking at the scriptures below, we notice that these Gospel authors claim that Jesus preached the Gospel.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. (Matthew 4:23)
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (Matthew 9:35)
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Matthew 11:5)
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. (Mark 1:1-2)
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. (Mark 8:35)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)
Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. (Luke 7:22)
Some might say that this is a different use of the term gospel. But Jesus Himself referred to this gospel being preached in situations where it seems almost completely certain that the crucifixion and resurrection would have been completed: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:14) “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” (Matthew 26:13) “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
It seems fairly clear that Jesus viewed the gospel He taught being taught by others after His resurrection. If you are still not convinced, keep reading.
Second, notice where Paul claimed the authority for his gospel, which is supposedly different from Jesus’:
“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.” (Romans 1:9-10)
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
If Paul viewed his gospel as being Jesus’ gospel, do we have liberty to redefine that gospel?
If you are still in doubt about how Paul viewed "his" Gospel and Christ's Gospel, look at the end of Romans:
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27)
In fact, we have a specific instance of Paul quoting Jesus: “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
One of the problems with the idea that teachings from the Gospels are part of the Old Testament is that it puts Paul, rather than Jesus, as the authority for the changing of the Testaments. Listen as Peter establishes Jesus’ authority for “these days”: “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:22-23) Stephen, too, appealed to Moses’ words: “This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.” (Acts 7:37) When Moses’ told the children of Israel this, he quoted God as saying, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:19)
The author of Hebrews, too, expressed how Christ’s words are connected with salvation in the present day: “For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?” (Hebrews 2:2-4) Earlier he had already expressed how God “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:2a). And he contrasts the Son’s speaking to us with the prophets’ earlier speaking to the fathers.
Those who would discount Christ’s teaching as New Covenant teaching, especially the Sermon on the Mount, also have to deal with the fact that some of these teachings are reinforced by the same teachings after the resurrection. Take, for example, one of these commands that has given trouble to Protestants who want to support political involvement—Jesus’ prohibition of oaths: “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Matthew 5:33-37) This command is also expressed by James after the resurrection: “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” (James 5:12)
It's not hard to understand why some desire to escape some of the most difficult teachings of the Scripture, (those found in the Gospels). But just because our human weakness makes us recoil at the words of Jesus, this does not give us the authority to dismiss the teachings of the One who told His apostles to teach all nations “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).
And, remember the words of Paul - “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son”.
Axehead
