[Campion]

Where do you get this "degrees" interpretation? How does one commit a "lesser violation" of a commandment? Do you not understand "plain reading" of the scripture?

You ought to direct that question to Jesus, since he seems to get "love your enemies ... pray for those who persecute you" out of "Thou shalt not commit murder".

It's a common Jewish way of understanding Torah.

[armydoc]

You ought to direct that question to Jesus, since he seems to get "love your enemies ... pray for those who persecute you" out of "Thou shalt not commit murder".

Yes it is interesting that Jesus would expound on some commandments and not others, isn't it? He probably just didn't have time to talk about the first few commandments, being that they are the most important and all. Or could it be that they didn't need any further explanation, that they mean what they mean? That they refer to God alone?