All That Jesus Commanded: The Christian Life according to the Gospels

by John Piper

Longtime Pastor and Author John Piper Walks through Jesus’s Commands and Their Meaning for the Christian Life The four Gospels are filled with commands straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ. They are not the harsh demands of a taskmaster, but Jesus's way of showing his followers who he is and how to be more like him.  In  All That Jesus Commanded , John Piper walks through Jesus’s commands, in 50 short chapters, explaining their context and meaning to help readers understand Christ’s vision of the Christian life and what he still requires today. The result is a helpful guide for thoughtful inquirers and new Christians, as well as veteran believers, whether for their own study or as a resource in disciple-making. Replaces ISBN 978-1-58134-845-3. 

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Christianity

464 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2023

About the author

John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as senior pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.

John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Maja Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the eighth book of Piper's that I have read. In addition to his books, I've listened to 100+ hours' worth of his podcast, probably 50+ hours' worth of his sermons, and devoured countless items of his short-form work on Desiring God dot org. I feel I know him at his weakest and also at his strongest; I have been disappointed by his work and also enthralled by it. This is some of the best, if not *the* best, of his that I have read.

Piper's strength as a leader, pastor, and disciple comes from his clear-sighted, whole-hearted love for and joy in Christ. His proclivity for (is it worth mentioning again?) making 3, 4, 5 analogies for a thing, sometimes pages of analogies, when 1 would do just fine; his habit of (again!) saying something that seems perfectly clear, followed by "perhaps an image would make this more clear," and then following with an image that makes everything less clear; these fade into the background of the bright shining of his conviction: this is a man who really believes in, and has felt and known and experienced for himself, joy that perseveres and fortifies and buoys one in all circumstances, and that joy is a Person whose name is Jesus.

This book is, of course, intensely intellectual: it is long and dense, built off of biblical scholarship with multitudinous footnotes, meticulously thought-out and expressed. It is also intensely practical. The chapters are short (uncharacteristic of Piper!) and zero in on what lived obedience means and looks like, discontent to remain at an idealistic level but rather hungry to feel the Christian life as a lived reality. 14-year-old Maja, who felt the Bible didn't offer words of comfort or counsel to her reality, would have benefited greatly from Piper's masterful and gentle directions to what Jesus' teachings mean about how we should suffer, how we should treat our parents, how we should deal with annoyance and irritation, how we should marry, how we should be single, even how we should engage in civil disobedience. Above all, however, it is intensely worshipful. The words "command" and "obey" often, even to seasoned Christians, carry the weight of burdens and punishments and heavy loads. But as Piper brings out the treasures of Jesus' commands from the storeroom and holds them before the reader's eye, he turns them until we see how Jesus' commands are reflections of the glory, beauty, goodness, and perfection of God. Piper loves all of Jesus' words, even the hardest of them, because in following them he has found the One who gives perfect, divine freedom and happiness. I felt my own heart start to burn within me in confirmation as I read. This is not self-discipline, this is not minimalism or idealism. This is the only way, the only truth, the only life.

Grateful that there are still things for me to learn from John Stephen Piper, grateful for this treasure of a book. I would highly recommend!!

[Scotty Leandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I loved the layout of this book— how the commands flowed from heart dispositions that are necessary to obey the subsequent commandments of Jesus. Interestingly, Piper did not cite espistes but only used the Gospels and OT to support his points. The highlight of this book was ch. 20-34 where Piper spends ample time on loving our neighbor, our righteousness exceeding the Pharisees, and striving to enter through the narrow door. I will be meditating on what I learned for sometime— there was a lot to take in. Thank you Desiring God for making this a free PDF online!

[Chase Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I’m giving this three stars because in typical Piper fashion I feel like this book was somewhat repetitive and too long. The content is practical and I would probably use this as a helpful resource to provoke questions to a new believer, “What does it look like to be a Christian?”.
It kinda just felt like a slugfest to get through, but maybe it’s my own heart haha

[Stefanie Sugia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The ultimate goal of Jesus's commandments is not that we observe them by doing good works. The ultimate goal is that God be glorified. The obedience of good works is penultimate. But what is ultimate is that in our obedient lives God be displayed as the most beautiful reality in the world. That is Jesus's ultimate goal and mine."

Throughout my journey as a Christian, I've learned much from John Piper's teachings and have grown in my knowledge of God. Thus, I was eager to pick up this book and learn more about Jesus's commands through John Piper's writing. Despite my excitement to dive into this book, unfortunately, I was in a season of life when I didn't have much time to read—that's why it took me a few months to finish. Even so, I still learned a lot from this book. It helped me overcome the challenges I'm currently facing by reminding me of what Jesus commanded us to do as a Christian. In this review, I'd like to share some sections of this book that I find impactful and inspiring.

"We must be born again. But this is a gift of God.
Look away from yourself. Seek from God what he alone can do for you. Moral improvement of the old you is not what you need. New life is what the whole world needs. It is radical and supernatural. It is outside our control."

The first one that I want to discuss is Command #14: Do Not Be Anxious about the Necessities of Daily Life. This chapter was very significant for me because I have been struggling with worry and anxiety ever since becoming a parent this year. I used to be carefree and believe that worry only makes a person miserable twice. However, having a child completely changed me, and reading this book rebuked me tremendously. John Piper elaborates on several reasons why we should not be anxious; one of the reasons is that it's fruitless—anxiety doesn't get us anywhere and doesn't do us any good. Reading this part of the book was very eye-opening for me. I am reminded not to misappropriate God's allotted troubles for tomorrow by bringing them forward in the form of anxiety. Most importantly, the author also writes that anxiety shows that we are too close to the world and too far from God. After finishing this chapter, I'm assured that God will still be God tomorrow, and there will be grace for tomorrow's troubles that's not given today.

Another impactful chapter is Command #18 Do Not Be Angry—Trust God's Providence , which is still related to my issue with worry and anxiety. This part emphasized how God governs the smallest details of life on earth—nothing happens apart from him. John Piper also calls to mind that God is near and his acquaintance with our situation is total. He concludes that nothing will happen apart from his wise and loving providence over our circumstances. That reminder brings peace to my heart and helps ease my anxiety about life as I learn to trust in God's providence and his good plan for our lives.

"Let us then take heart that the mark of a true follower of Jesus is not yet perfection but rather unrelenting battle against sin. We fail, but we do not fall away. We stumble, but we do not fall headlong into apostasy."

The last one that I will be mentioning in this review is Command #13 Always Pray and Do Not Lose Heart . I think prayer is always an interesting topic because some people may believe that God will always grant what we ask for. This chapter reminded me how we should trust that God hears us and will help us in a way that seems best to him. Sometimes the answer may come in the form of something uncomfortable to us when it is really what we need. Reading this chapter encouraged me to keep praying despite the challenges and circumstances looming over me. The three chapters I mentioned in this review have been a much-needed reminder that came at the perfect time.

Although this book was hard to get through because there's so much that needs to be processed, I'm thankful I took the time to read it until the end. I believe everyone can benefit from this book and will find a few chapters that felt significant to their personal life journey. The chapters in this book are relatively short and can be read in one sitting for those who have limited time like I did. Reading and understanding Jesus's commands will guide us to know him better because to love God, we must know him—since loving God is not merely a decision. I plan to read more books by John Piper in the future and discover the insights he shared through his writings ☺️.

"Surprising to us perhaps, Jesus's demand for vigilance is directed more often at the pleasures of life than the pain. Some people are driven away from God by their pain, but more are lured away by their pleasures. Pleasures seldom awaken people to their need for God; pain often does. So Jesus is more concerned to warn us about the dangers of prosperity than the dangers of poverty."

Read my full review here:
https://www.thebookielooker.com/2024/...

[Eric Blick · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are 50 commands highlighted here that Jesus spoke. There is beauty in each one and, when read correctly, they are not burdensome. In these we learn from Christ who is gentle and lowly and says we will find rest for our souls. Piper winsomely traces Christ’s arguments through each.

I took a year and a half to slowly read through these on the treadmill and on the plane and by the fireplace as in some ways each of the 50 stands alone. Great slow read!!

Love God love others: “when you see people love like that (fulfill the Golden Rule), what you are seeing is the visible expression of the aim of the Law and the Prophets. This behavior among people manifests openly and publicly and practically what the Old Testament is about. It fulfills the Law and the Prophets by making the aim visible. Loving God, however, is invisible. It is an internal passion of the soul. But it comes to expression when you love others. So loving others is the outward manifestation, the visible expression, the practical demonstration, and therefore the fulfillment of loving God and therefore of what the Old Testament is about.” - Piper

[Randall Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking solely at the Gospels, the author covers 50 commands of Jesus to His followers and, surprisingly, to the world — all people. The first commandment is fundamental, and sets the context for all others - Jesus commands all people to be born again, by His Spirit through faith in Him. That is essential and underlies why and how anyone can obey the other commands. With that, one can then appreciate the author's description of his purpose: “The aim of this book is God-glorifying obedience to…Jesus’s last command: 'Make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you' (Matt. 28:19–20). Jesus’s final command was [for us] to teach all nations to keep his commandments."

Piper warns that “the person who sets himself to obey Jesus’s final commission…attempts the impossible. But Jesus said it was not impossible. 'All things are possible with God.'…Jesus said that this impossible goal happens through teaching. 'Make disciples . . . teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.'…in the end Jesus focused on teaching…God has chosen to do the impossible through the teaching of all that Jesus commanded.

“The ultimate goal of Jesus’s commandments is not that we observe them by doing good works. The ultimate goal is that God be glorified…what is ultimate is that in our obedient lives God be displayed as the most beautiful reality in the world. That is Jesus’s ultimate goal…what he is commanding is a life that displays the worth of his person and the effect of his work…

“The universal authority of Jesus produces a mission of teaching, not a mission of terror. His aim is God-glorifying obedience to all that he commanded. The kind of obedience that glorifies God is free and joyful, not constrained and cowering. Even when the cost is supreme, the joy is triumphant because the cause of Jesus cannot fail.”

I found these quotes from the book helpful in describing its contents and supporting my hearty recommendation for reading it. With each chapter under 10 pages, it’s easy to jump in and out as you are able or to read cover-to-cover in short intervals without losing context.

The book concludes with an appendix that includes these words, with which I also agree: "No reliable or lasting portrait of Jesus has ever been reconstructed from going behind what the four Gospels portray…the portrayal of Jesus in the Gospels of the New Testament is the only one that has any chance of shaping the church and the world over the long haul…the critical need in the church and the world is the 'real Jesus' of the Gospels."

[The Reading Pilgrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
“A refreshing return to the voice of Christ—piercing, practical, and saturated with grace.”

As a Reformed Baptist, I’m used to digging into Paul’s epistles, systematic theology, and covenantal frameworks. But All That Jesus Commanded reminded me not to overlook the radical, day-to-day demands of discipleship that came straight from the mouth of our Lord. Piper has a unique way of presenting Jesus’ commands—not as a burden to bear, but as the overflow of grace in a heart transformed by the gospel.

This isn’t moralism, and it’s not legalism. It’s Christ-centered obedience rooted in joy. Piper reminds us again and again that we obey because we’ve been loved, not in order to be loved. And that distinction, especially in Reformed circles, is critical.

What stood out to me is how many of these commands we know but don’t live. Love your enemies. Give generously. Do not be anxious. Take up your cross. These aren't suggestions—they're blood-bought expectations of those who have died with Christ and now live by faith in Him.

As a husband, dad, and disciple trying to faithfully follow Christ in an anti-Christian culture, this book cut to the core. It forced me to ask: Am I obeying Jesus with my life, or just admiring Him from a distance? It also helped me in discipling my kids—we don’t just teach them facts about Christ; we train them to follow Him with everything.

📌 What I loved:

Every command is explained in gospel context—never divorced from grace.

Piper connects Jesus’ words to New Testament theology seamlessly.

It made the Sermon on the Mount feel like it was preached directly to me.

Simple format—great for devotionals, small groups, or family worship.

📌 One small note:
If you’re looking for deep exegetical work or a theological treatise, this isn’t that. It’s pastoral, devotional, and aimed at the heart—exactly what many of us need.

Favorite quote:
"Jesus did not come to make obedience optional. He came to make it possible."

Final Thoughts:
All That Jesus Commanded isn’t a checklist—it’s a call to a cross-shaped life. For Reformed Baptists who believe salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, this book is a beautiful reminder that faith without obedience is dead, and that Christ’s commands are not burdensome when we walk in the Spirit. I’ll be returning to this one often.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read! Just like John Piper is always able to do, but not as complicated as some of his other books, very readable. I appreciate very much the effort he put in condensing for us the commands of Jesus.
Our Lord said in John 14:15 “If you love me you will keep my commandments” How can we obey what we don’t know or understand? Well Piper in this book gives us a huge help. See what he says:

“…..it may be helpful to point out here that the process of selecting which commands to discuss was complex. I gathered and recorded all the commands by reading the Gospels. This included implied commands (for example, “blessed are the merciful” implies “Be merciful”). This list was over five hundred counting the multiple restatements among the Gospels. The next step was to distinguish commands that would have abiding significance for faith and life. That is, I excluded commands like “Pick up your bed, and go home” (Mark 2:11). Finally there was a process of grouping and categorizing. …..I was able to include all the commands in about thirty categories. ……I do not claim to have commented on every command. My hope is that enough categories and enough specific commands are handled to give help even for those I may have passed over.”
Now to go and obey them, and to teach it to other disciples, just as Jesus commanded us HIS children.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a reprint of an earlier book written by Piper of a different name. It was my first exposure to this book. Each chapter breaks down every one of the commands of Jesus as is reported in the Gospels. The chapters are short and manageable. The writing is clear and concise. I found the subject matter interesting, and I think this book would be a great one to work through for a Sunday school class as a group. I found myself wanting to discuss and dig deeper into some topics and I’d have looked forward to a relevant discussion on the topics with others. While I didn’t agree with his assessments on every command, the material compiled here was on the whole is thought provoking. The footnotes were especially great. I usually skim over those, but the footnotes in this book were so interesting, I couldn’t help but get excited every time I saw one.

I’d like to thank Crossway and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

All That Jesus Commanded
By John Piper
Publisher: Crossway
Series: None
Rated: 5
Obtain: Buy
Back of the Book: “In this repackaged edition of What Jesus Demands from the World, John Piper walks through Jesus’s commands, explaining their context and meaning to help readers understand Christ’s vision of the Christian life and what he still requires today.”

Impressions: I am knee deep into this book and finding it to be phenomenal. It is easy to read and comprehend. I found the topics to be thought provoking but easy to understand. I also found the studied topics to be a great resource to new and traveled Christians. I think this would be a great study source to use with a Bible study or to help share the Gospel.

I received an ARC of this book via the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

[Moses Each · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️. Jesus told us to teach all nations to observe ALL that he commanded. This book is Piper’s attempt to do just that. Piper took a sweet approach by focusing almost entirely on Jesus’s own words as recorded in the gospels, which actually displayed to me how perfectly compatible his teachings were to the rest of the New Testament.

This is a great resource. One I will surely come back to. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to know what Jesus commanded, and what the motivations were behind the commandments. This book only confirms and contributes to the beauty and truth of Christian Hedonism.

[Logan Streondj · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent effort, I would say like four and a half stars, cause I feel the intro was rather long and winding and it took a long time to get to the core of Jesus's message, and even then I felt it was undervalued. Still 5 stars cause it is legitimately about Christ's commandments, and is a good effort and talking about them, even if it doesn't take them all as seriously as I would. And in my understanding Jesus Showed us the way and told us to pick up our cross and follow him, so his death on the cross was a model for Christians to emulate. Unfortunately John Piper disregarded that and much of the discipleship part, instead getting caught up in protestant confessionalism.

[Kasia Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

In All That Jesus Commanded, John Piper walks us through Jesus's commands in a short chapter, but don't let that fool you, because if you know anything about John Piper, he goes deeeeeep, and I learn something new every time I read something from him. Every chapter walks you through a command of Jesus, explaining the context of his command, and helps you understand in practical application what it all means. Clear, concise, and thoroughly enlightening.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

[Anete Ābola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the best Piper book. At least, it is the best I have read so far. Don't be scared by its thickness.
It might be nice to use as a devotional - a chapter per day. The chapters are approximately 10-15minute long readings. This is PRACTICAL theology. You will grow in your knowledge of Scripture and you will be challenged (as a Christian you should like that) by the many demands Jesus has. You will be gently led and encouraged every step of the way. Highly recommended.
You can get this book as a free pdf on desiringgod.org.

[Leroy Zumack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a commentary where the author puts the truth on a shelf for almost anyone to read. There are some Greek words for any pastor or student. There are many down to earth examples to understand Jesus commands. A really fine commentary on a good number of verses in the gospels that could be confusing.

[Matt Witten · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best synopsis I’ve seen/read on Jesus commands. I’d say it’s reads more/is better served as a devotional than a book of topical depth that Piper usually writes, but still is impactful and helpful.

[Kylee Leandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished! While this book was very long it was really easy to read, the chapters were short and every word was intentional. Will be referencing back to the many notes I took while reading this one.

“The reward is the enjoyment of the inexhaustibly glorious Jesus forever and ever”

[Henk Smit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough + succinct + moving + edifying. Works very well as a daily devotional. Most insightful parts were probably his expositions on commands related to prayer, pride, marriage (and divorce) and providence.

[Kayla Dooley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good, felt somewhat repetitive though.

[Kathy W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! Provided a deep dive into each of Jesus’ commandments found in the gospels.