The “Vibe”

“The Castle” is probably Australia’s favourite movie. Who can forget Dennis Denuto’s “the vibe”? We all know what he meant, the underlying good intention of the law; but try that against a bunch of sophisticated, hair-splitting lawyers! 

The Ten Commandments, which God famously hands to Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 20:1-17) are the ideals as God intended his people to live. The first four are about relationship with God and the rest relationship with each other. Simple laws; tough, fair and straightforward. Until religious elite get tinkering with them!

God centers his laws in his scheme of Creation, his love for his children and his desire for them to live well with him and each other. Of course, as God anticipates, the Israelites don’t get it. (Deut 5:28–29) Caught up on their own interpretation of legal technicalities rather than “the vibe” of God’s intentions, they abuse his commandments for division, exclusion and privilege. It seems God’s law cannot prevail without God’s divine intervention. Thus, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Good News of the gospel.

But Jesus has not come to do away with the Ten Commandments. He tells us that (Mt 5:18), “…until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter will pass from the law ..” Unlike the scribes and Pharisees though, he champions the “vibe” of the commandments rather than the letter. 

He views with compassion the woman caught in adultery, the marginalized, the poor and those in need on the Sabbath and he makes short shrift of the defilers of the temple in today’s gospel (Jn 2:13-25). 

People sometimes quote the Ten Commandments as though they are the last word but for Christians they are not the last word. Jesus is the last word and he kept “the vibe” of the Ten Commandments perfectly throughout His life. We should see the law through His eyes.

Deacon Mark Kelly