Two peaks loom large over the landscape of Scripture. One is Mt. Sinai, where God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. The other is the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered his well-known Sermon on the Mount.
Moses received the Commandments on a mountain shrouded in darkness and smoke, but Jesus’ words bring light. Jesus’ teaching illuminates new dimensions of the Ten Commandments and highlights fundamental precepts of God’s ancient Law. The commandments, which God instituted to bless humanity, receive fresh meaning and fulfillment in the New Testament.
Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:25-34, which instructs believers not to worry, connects to four commands found in Exodus 20: You shall have no other gods before me; Remember the Sabbath; You shall not steal; and You shall not covet. Jesus’ warning against worry can best be understood in tandem with these Old Testament commandments, which continue to guide Christians’ lives today.
No Other Gods
In the first commandment, the Lord declares himself to be supreme over all false deities and calls the Israelites to glorify him alone. God says, “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image… You shall not bow down to them or worship them” (Ex. 20:3-5). In bowing down to God only, his people declare that no created being deserves similar adoration.
At the beginning of his teaching about worry, Jesus emphasizes the danger of making an idol of external needs. He says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matt. 6:25) Rather than idolizing my needs or seeing myself as an all-sufficient “god” and provider, I am to rely on God for food and clothing.
Jesus points to God’s provision in nature, saying, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matt. 6:26) By trusting in God’s care for all creation, I learn to worship him as the provider instead of myself.
Remember the Sabbath
In the fourth commandment, God directs believers to honor the Sabbath, saying, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work.” (Ex. 20:8-10). Honoring the Sabbath is a tangible way to trust that God will provide when I am not working. While resting, I can abide in God's provision rather than worry about sacrificing productivity.
In Matthew, Jesus reveals the blessing of resting instead of worrying about clothes. He says, “See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matt. 6:28-30).
In this passage, Jesus teaches that the lilies have a lifetime of rest. The flowers grow without laboring, and as they rest in God’s provision, he gives them clothing which surpasses the rich garments of Israel’s wealthiest king. Relying on Jesus’ sufficiency means I can honor God’s holy day as I exchange relentless work for faith-driven rest.
You shall not steal
The eighth commandment, “You shall not steal,” forbids taking another’s property (Ex. 20:15). The choice not to steal, like the choice to honor the Sabbath, is an act of faith that God will supply my needs — I do not have to resort to thievery to procure goods.
Jesus explains that God is faithful to provide “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘what shall we drink?’ or ‘what shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matt. 6:31-32).
One temptation of asking what to eat or wear is the inclination to steal food and clothing. The robber is no longer trusting God, the bestower of blessings, to provide for their needs. In running heedlessly after that which God is faithful to give, the fearful thief doubts God’s provision and unlawfully acquires these items for himself.
Jesus, however, calls believers to trust that we are more valuable than sparrows. Instead of letting worry drive me to steal, I trust that the God who nourishes the birds will provide for me as well.
You shall not covet
Scripture prohibits coveting in the tenth commandment, which says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife… or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Ex. 20:17). This command warns against jealousy because of the strife it causes. Coveting leads to bitterness over a neighbor’s possessions or relationships, which fosters resentment and fractures friendships.
Rather than covet, Jesus calls believers to rely on God’s provision and pursue him first. This requires seeking God’s kingdom rather than envying others’ possessions and worrying about how to obtain more for myself. As Jesus instructs, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matt. 6:33-34). Instead of coveting others’ belongings, believers are free to run after God’s righteousness and gratefully receive the gifts of food and clothing that he provides.
Do not worry
After Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, his face was radiant because God had spoken with him (Ex 34:29). The Commandments, however, were still veiled in shadow because the Incarnate Son had not yet descended to fully illuminate them.
When Jesus ascended the Mount of Beatitudes to teach his disciples, it was as though the Commandments shone with new light as he revealed their previously hidden aspects. As Jesus instructed his followers not to worry, his words illuminated God’s ancient precepts. Today, believers can choose not to worry and instead follow Jesus’ teaching, putting God’s revealed and unchanging commands into practice.
