Fallacy Pointed Out
Farther on in this same work Mr. Canright pointed out the utter fallacy of his later argument that nine of the commandments which had been abolished were restored in the New Testament. On this point, speaking still as an Adventist, he said:DOF 52.2
“Many, in their opposition to the Sabbath, carry the impression that all the commandments except the Sabbath are repeated word for word in the New Testament. But such is not the case. Neither the first, second, third, fourth, nor tenth commandments, are anywhere repeated in the New Testament. This is an important fact, as it shows that the New Testament does not give a new code of laws.DOF 52.3
“The other five commandments, with a part of the tenth, are quoted in the following passages in the New Testament: Matthew 5:21-27; 15:4; 19:18, 19; Mark 7:10; 10:19; Luke 18:20; Romans 7:7; 13:9; Ephesians 6:2, 3; James 2:11. If, then, the Sabbath is not now obligatory because that commandment is not directly quoted in the New Testament, then also the first three are not now binding, and it is no sin to have other gods, worship images, or profane God’s name! To what a monstrous conclusion this theory leads! So it always will be found that every argument framed against the Sabbath comes with equal force against the other commandments.DOF 52.4
“But yielding the point that there are several others of the Ten Commandments, as well as the Sabbath, not quoted at all in the New Testament. Our opponents next claim that there were nine of the Ten Commandments re-enacted in the New Testament, not, indeed, in the very words of the old law, but in substance the same. It is painfully amusing to see them try to find these commandments as thus reenacted. Here is the mode generally adopted: First commandment (1 John 5:21), ‘Keep yourselves from idols.’ How plain! But when was this written? Not until 90 A. D., or about sixty years after the resurrection. Here, then, were sixty years before the first commandment was re-enacted sixty years in which there was no law against idolatry! If, to evade this terrible conclusion, it is admitted that this passage does not bring to view the time when, and the place where, this commandment was re-enacted, but only a reference to it as already existing, then the whole point is given up. For thereby they admit that they have no record of the time when, or place where, this was re-enacted. It only shows that there was a law against idolatry; and this is simply a reference to it as previously existing. Here they are compelled to admit the whole truth, and come squarely upon our ground. That commandment, with the time and place of its enactment, is nowhere to be found in the New Testament, but it is found in the Ten Commandments. Ex. 203.DOF 53.1
“It puzzles them very much to find the second commandment reenacted in the New Testament. Matthew 22:37 is generally quoted as the nearest to the point, ‘Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.’ If a man loves God with all his heart, he will not worship any image. But try that a little further. Would he have other gods? No. Then this includes the first commandment. Would he profane God’s name? Certainly not. Would he violate God’s holy rest day? No. Then this includes the fourth commandment as well as the first three, and so proves too much for our opponents.DOF 53.2
“But this language was spoken by Christ some time before His crucifixion, at which time they claim the old law was abolished. So they have a part of the law re-enacted before it is abolished! But the simple fact is, this is only a quotation by Christ from the Old Testament. The lawyer asked Him which was the great commandment in ‘the law’—the law already existing, not a new law which Christ should give. In answer to this, Jesus quotes directly from Deuteronomy 6:5, the great commandment to love God with all the heart, and from Leviticus 19:18, the second, to love your neighbor as yourself. If, therefore, the giving of these two great commandments was to supersede the Ten Commandments, then it must have passed away in the days of Moses, 1500 BC.DOF 54.1
“Look at the places where the other commandments are claimed to be regiven. In Matthew 19:16-19, Jesus, in answer to the young man, quotes the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth commandments just as found in the Ten Commandments.DOF 54.2
“This was no re-enactment of them, but simply a quotation from the law as already existing. This, too, was before the law is claimed to have been abolished; so that Christ reenacted these before He abolished them, if indeed this be a regiving of them!DOF 54.3
“So Paul, in Romans 13:9, quotes five of the Ten Commandments. This also is seized upon as a re-enactment of those commandments. But were they re-enacted both by Jesus and by Paul, and then again by James? Chap. 2:8-12. How can any candid man for a moment maintain such a position?DOF 54.4
“How plain is the simple fact that both Christ and the apostles were only quoting from the law, before given by God the Father, than whom there could be no higher authority.DOF 54.5
“It is claimed that nine are referred to while the fourth is not; but this is false. The Sabbath is mentioned in the New Testament oftener than any other of the Ten Commandments, being not less than fifty-nine times in all. It is worthy of notice that in all these numerous references not one word is spoken derogatory to the honor and sacredness which it had always possessed.” Pages 117-120.DOF 54.6