Navigation: Index >> Previous >> Next

  Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:17-20 (KJV)

THINK NOT THAT I AM COME TO DESTROY THE LAW, OR THE PROPHETS: I AM NOT COME TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFIL. FOR VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, TILL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS, ONE JOT OR ONE TITTLE SHALL IN NO WISE PASS FROM THE LAW, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED. WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL BREAK ONE OF THESE LEAST COMMANDMENTS, AND SHALL TEACH MEN SO, HE SHALL BE CALLED THE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: BUT WHOSOEVER SHALL DO AND TEACH THEM, THE SAME SHALL BE CALLED GREAT IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. FOR I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT EXCEPT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL EXCEED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, YE SHALL IN NO CASE ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Varying ranks

In every sort of kingdom there are varying ranks—some are exalted positions and some lower. So it is in the kingdom of heaven—among His subjects are the "great" and the "least." It is interesting to recall one of the Master's references to John the Baptist in Matthew 11:11, "Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." This perhaps means that this “least” is greater, not in honor, but in privilege—being a member of a more privileged Order, however humble a member. After all, among them that are born of animals there has not risen a greater than the lion: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of man is greater than he. Even the feeblest man is member of a higher Order. Perhaps to the imaginative soul, few things could more effectively demonstrate the privilege of being in the kingdom than this comparison concerning John: to be in any sense "greater than he" is bliss indeed. But now, who are the important people in this new order of the kingdom? That is determined by our attitude and relationship, to the Laws of the kingdom. But first let us consider:

The importance of the Law itself

By our study of this Sermon we are able to estimate that quite accurately. For one thing, it is to be judged by His attitude. "I am come," He says; and the words are a tacit and implicit claim to the Messiahship. Listening to His words, no doubt many listeners would prick up their ears. They would recall how frequently the phrase was used, both in the Hebrew Bible (Old Scriptures) and in rabbinical literature, for the promised Christ. He was spoken of as the coming One so much that it was almost a technical description. In Matthew 11:3 John asked, "Art Thou He that should come?" Well, here He is—He has come.

“Not to destroy the law”

"Not to destroy the law or the prophets." That, too, is an almost technical expression, meaning the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), and the Pentateuch.¹ Of course, with such an audience as stretched out there before Him, it was important that the Master declare His attitude toward those Scriptures, what His relationship to the Old Economy really was. Some innovators commence by scrapping everything that went before—look at how old historic buildings are today destroyed to make room for new and modern buildings. But Jesus was not that way. His declaration of policy would set at rest at least two lines of thought that probably were agitating some of His hearers—those who were afraid of innovation were reassured; those who hoped for revolution were disabused. When dealing with the Law, He adjusted false conceptions and faulty interpretations. He cut through the accretions of tradition; but He did not destroy the Law itself. Careless students have sometimes thought that He repudiated the Law; when in reality, what He repudiated were the traditions of the Rabbis. As an illustration, consider Luke 6:1-2. The protest of the Pharisees was based on the absurd teaching that plucking the ears of corn was equivalent to reaping and rubbing the same as threshing. The Master did not act against the Sabbath Law forbidding reaping and threshing, but only against the childish interpretation of His enemies. The real Sabbath-breakers of that day found no ally in Him. In the Sermon of the Mount we hear the voice of the original Divine Lawgiver expounding His Law, clearing up His own intentions and disallowing the perversions of men.  Weigh that sentence well.

“But to fulfil”

He came not to destroy, "But to fulfil." He may be said to have "fulfilled the law" in four senses. First, in His history—so often, especially in this Gospel of Matthew, events are said to have happened to Him "that the Scripture might be fulfilled"; every stage of His life was a fulfillment of the Law. Second, in His life—by His perfect obedience, all the dictates of the Law were completely fulfilled; none but Him ever did, nor ever could. Third, in His death—He, the perfectly righteous One, took on Himself all the liabilities of the Law for us; the penalty of a broken Law was our just desert, but out of pity Jesus said He would bear the punishment instead; thus, in dying, He fulfilled the Law's demands on our behalf. Fourth, in His teaching—He took the Law and showed its true fulfillment in development. As the noontide is the natural development of the dawn, or as the spring finds its true fulfillment in the summer, or as manhood is not the destruction, but the fulfillment of childhood, or as the bud quietly, naturally, and sweetly develops in the rose. Thus the Law is infolded in the Old Testament, and unfolded in the New. After all this, will anyone airily assert that Jesus had little regard for the Law?² Surely it is true to say that His whole attitude toward it disclosed His reverence for it, and showed how intimate a place He assigned to it in the development of His own teaching.

It is to be judged by His practice

He did not pay mere lip-service to the Scriptures; the habit of His life emphasizes His esteem for them. After entering His public ministry He is constantly found going to and relying on the Holy Scriptures.

In His wilderness temptation

Each of the devil's onslaughts was met each time with, "It is written"—from the Book of Deuteronomy. Doubtless that was His customary way of dealing with Satan. It would do us well to do the same. Of course, we must first get to know our Bible before we can become skilled in using it in this way—which perhaps means a more serious study of it than we have given up to now.

In His argument with His foes

Here again He builds on a Scriptural foundation; sometimes stressing the importance of a single word. Moreover, He tells His antagonists, "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures" (Matt. 22:29). If only we knew our Bible, we would have a rare safeguard, and be saved from being caught in so many subtle snares. The cure for sin is Scriptural grounding.

His teaching of the way

Jesus quoted from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) approximately sixty-six times, forty from Isaiah, thirty-six from the Psalms, twenty-two from Daniel. From the thirty-nine books of His Bible, He used extracts from as many as twenty-four—that is, as far as we know, and going by His recorded utterances. It is likely that He laid the remaining fifteen under contribution, and made far more frequent references to the Book than we know. Happy the teacher, still, whose instruction of his people is broad-based on the Bible.

In His death and passion

It is deeply moving to see how He turns instinctively to the Book for comfort and reassurance, even in the shame, pain, and desolation of the Cross. Since then, many a dying Christian has found a soft and soothing pillow for the soul in its blest pages.

In His resurrection, life

Those who teach, in accordance with Philippians 2:7-8, that He so "emptied" Himself that He became subject to human ignorance about the true meaning of the Bible, or anyhow consented to use what are termed the mistaken views of the time concerning the Scriptures, should give more serious attention to the fact that when "the days of His flesh" were finished, He had exactly the same opinion of, and attitude toward, His Old Scriptures. To comfort sad hearts "He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself"—beginning at Moses and traversing the prophets to do so (Luke 24:44-45). Here is the same old estimate and use of the same Old Scriptures. If we want to discover what importance He attached to the Law and the prophets, we will see it from His own personal practice, as well as by His unfailing attitude.

It is to be judged by His testimony

Even in its lesser aspects and in its smaller things, the Law is of exceeding importance. "One jot or one tittle"—jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet; the tittle, a little stroke that distinguishes one letter from another, like our crossing of a "t." The seemingly insignificant things of the Law are, in reality, of great weight. "Shall not pass." One is reminded of what He said about His own Words in Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away"—they pass into proverbs, they pass into laws, they pass into teachings, they pass into consolations, but they never pass away. "Till all be fulfilled." It is helpful to bear in mind the distinction between ceremonial and moral law—the old animal sacrifices and the Old Aaronic priesthood have passed, because they have been completely and beautifully fulfilled in the "One sacrifice for sins forever" (Heb. 10:12), and in the "Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Heb. 7:21)—"such an High Priest" (v. 26) as He is. With Him, with His coming, with His sacrificial death, with His resurrection and ascension to "the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:12), the status and authority of the Ceremonial Law has passed forever. All of that belongs to the childhood of religious practice; and it seems that the ritualistic ceremonial, the specialized priesthood, and the elaborate garments of some organized religious institutions today are simply a reversion to that childhood: a going back to the old Aaronic priesthood. It is said that these things are a help to some people: but so are nursery toys helpful to the undeveloped mind of a child. Yet, in all of this the Master has not repudiated that Law; He was always careful to recognize its Divine origin and high purpose—it was not destroyed, but fulfilled in Him, and it has now "passed," in development, into the New Economy. On the other hand, the moral law has not passed, nor will "till heaven and earth pass." But, according to 2 Peter 3:13, "we . . . look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." Then, there will be no need for a law of righteousness, since righteousness will "dwell" there as in its native abode—righteousness will be the very atmosphere of the place.  At long last the Law will be fulfilled in the “new heavens” and “new earth” of innate righteousness and will then "pass;" but not "till" then.

It is to be judged by His emphasis

That sense of the importance of the Law is enhanced here by one more reflection: it is judged by His emphasis. He seems to underline the matter, first by a verbal stress, and then by a grammatical device. "Verily I say unto you"

(Matt. 5:18)—that "Verily" is a frequent word with Him: in Matthew it comes thirty times, in Mark, thirteen, in Luke, six, and over and over again in John, it is doubled into "Verily, verily." He uses it to stress the importance of some truth or utterance. "In no wise" is our rendering of a Greek double-negative. With us two negatives make an affirmative; in Greek they emphasize the negation. It is used again in verse 20 of this same passage; it comes in Revelation 21:27, John 6:37, John 10:28, and in Hebrews 13:8. It means, "No, not on any account": look it up in the texts mentioned, and note how certain is the Holiness of Heaven and how constant is the presence of the Master, and, in the passage we are considering, how important is the Law.  And now we turn to the next point:

The importance of the law keeper

The status of the different subjects of the kingdom will be determined by the measure in which they honor its laws—the High Abiding are the Law Abiding. Here, then, are the different ranks—the "great" and the "least." It is in the King's own estimation that is here presumed. In the "new heaven and new earth" these rankings will be proclaimed; but even now, wherever His rule is real, He has these differing estimations of people. How infinitely more important to know what He thinks of us than what others do. What amazing reversals of human judgments will that Day reveal. Some who have held high rank among men will be given a very humble station; and perhaps some whom we have thought little will be greatly esteemed—many a lowly soul will then be highly placed. Remember James and John; two disciples who tried to get our Lord to promise them an important position? Their mother was in it, too. The story is in Matthew 20:20f—"Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand and the other on the left, in Thy kingdom." This, explained the Master, is "not mine to give, but . . . for whom it is prepared of My Father."  It is as if two athletes went to the judge of the games and asked him to see that they got the prize; to which the judge replies, “That is not mine to give; it is not a gift, but a thing to be worked for.” Notice Revelation 22:12. The one test—"these . . . commandments." Are they the biddings of the Old Testament, which, under designation of the Law, He is so frequently referring to; or those of the Sermon on the Mount, which, in the next paragraph, He is about to begin enunciating? Surely, the answer is both: the Sermon on the Mount being the true, unfolding development, and fulfillment of the Law. So, we find the two relationships—deciding our status. "break . . . and teach . . . so" (Matt. 5:19). Here is a man who not only does the evil thing, but tells others that there is no harm in doing so.  It may be only a small matter—"one of these least commandments" (Matt. 5:19); but small flaws are dangerous because they are least noticeable. More Christians lose their chance of promotion in the kingdom by a multitude of little sins than by single great ones. Well, this man first affronts his conscience by "breaking" the Law, and then drugs his conscience by "teaching" that it is all right. Observe the penalty if the member of the kingdom behaves so, "shall be called the least" (Matt. 5:19). "Do and teach." How completely different is this man. He is careful to observe all God's demands on him, and he is concerned to get others to do the same. This is the "great" one. Such are important people in the kingdom. It is not difficult to see why such weight is attached to this life of obedience. One consideration will suffice, though there are others. You may recall the Master's words in John 14:15 (R.V.), "If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments." It is no use saying we love Him if we "break" His commands; but if we really do love Him we will "do" them.  The one who obeys has the status of the "great”—or, to put it another way, the one who loves has the status of the "great". Are we important people in the King's estimation?  Let us look at one more thing in this passage.

The importance of the Law’s interpretation

What is the nature of our Law keeping? The Master says something staggering—"Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). In what sense are we to interpret that word "exceed"?  We suggest:

1. Not more in quantity. Carefully consider the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. Passionately believing in the Divine origin of the Law and also in the binding authority of the added traditions, they were scrupulously strict in their detailed observance. It is a forlorn hope to think that we will be able to outdo them in this department.

2. But better in quality. They mistook punctiliousness for righteousness. We are to "exceed" them in seeing that our righteousness is real, rather than formal; practical, rather than ritual. Matthew Henry writes,

The Scribes were the most noted teachers of the Law, and the Pharisees the most celebrated professors of it . . . and had such a reputation among the people that they were looked upon as super-conformable to the Law, and people did not think themselves obliged to be as good as they; it was therefore a great surprise to them to hear that they must be better than they . . .  

     If we are to "enter" the kingdom at all, if we are to enjoy its membership and blessings, our righteousness must be something more, and deeper than the merely outward performance of religious duties, however faithfully discharged. Inward holiness is the essence of true kingdom character—

     (a) An imputed righteousness, accounted to us when we are born again: that amazing moment when our sin is reckoned to Him and His righteousness is reckoned to us; "for he hath made Him to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). And this, followed by

     (b) An imparted righteousness worked in our heart, and worked out in our life, by the indwelling Spirit of God. This righteousness that "exceeds", though deeply inward has its outward manifestation, not in ceremonial, but in conduct and character. How practical a thing is true holiness. "Let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous" (1 John 3:7); and if a man does not do it, we have no warrant for supposing that he is a righteous man at all—we have cause to fear he is not in the kingdom.  Keeping the Law will not get him into the kingdom; but if he is in, he will keep the Law of God, and be obedient to God. Accepting God's grace, being born again, gets him in the kingdom; good works show he is in (Eph. 2:8-10; James 2:22).

Under grace, not the Law

"But," someone may say, "Are we right in putting all this stress on law-keeping? Surely in Romans 6:14 we are told that we are not under the law, but under grace.” In the first place, it is Jesus, not us, Who put stress on the Law. And, secondly, "the" in the King James Bible should not be there: it is not in the Greek. The fact if we are under the Law as spiritually developed. But, as Romans 6:14 actually says, we are not "under law." Law without the article means the Mosaic Law in its quality as law. In other words, Law no longer has claims against the Christian; all his liabilities on account of sin have been discharged for him by Jesus Christ; he is not now under the Law's stranglehold. He leaves the court free, yet not for a life of license, but still under obligation to "the Law of God," only now in a different spirit than the Old Law—not as by duty-bound, but by grace-constrained—the “newness of spirit” spoken of in Romans 7:6. He is now “under” grace. Our dealings as debtors are now not with the enemy who cried for our death, but with the Friend who has brought us out of His power and through our obedience to Him, saved us by His grace and the shedding of His blood on the cross.

Summary

We now conclude this lesson with the prayer that constrained by His grace, we may so show love by our obedience that He may count us among His important people.

Footnotes:

¹ For more on the Pentateuch, see The Pentateuch in Additional Resources section of StudyJesus.com.

² For more information on the Law, see The Ten Commandments in Additional Resources section of StudyJesus.com.