Honor God’s Law ~ Matthew 5:17–18

¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

An extremely nervous patient came to his dentist for root canal surgery. He was brought into the examining room and made comfortable in the reclining dental chair. The dentist then injected a numbing agent around the patient's tooth, and left the room for a few minutes while the medication took hold. When the dentist returned, the patient was standing next to a tray of dental equipment.

"What are you doing by the surgical instruments?" asked the surprised dentist.

Focused on his task, the patient replied, "I'm taking out the ones I don't like."

When it comes to the Bible there are those who do the same thing. They pull out the parts they don't like, like the Laws of the Prophets. Here in Matthew 5:17-18, Christ Jesus warns against doing this. Welcome to the Panhandle and this week study. Come on in and hangout a bit while we open God's Word and look closer at what it means to honor God's Law.

Christ Jesus introduces a basic element of biblical revelation. While affirming the continuing relevance and authority of the Old Testament Scriptures, He introduces a new level of interpretation. Christ Jesus Himself is the fulfillment of the revelation or self-disclosure of God. He said that He did not come to destroy the Law of the Prophets but to fulfill them. The Greek word used here, plēroō (play-ro'-o) refers in this instance to carrying something out that is, to make the Law of the Prophets meaning full, or complete. Matthew is saying that Christ Jesus performed or upheld that which was required by the law and met the expectations of the predictions about Him in the writings of the prophets. In Him, the Law and the Prophets reached their fullest expression

Significantly, Christ Jesus identifies His teaching with the Old Testament Scriptures and affirms their timeless authority. He calls us to faithfulness to even the least of God’s commandments. However He avoids a legalism that focuses on the letter of the Law in the fashion of the scribes and Pharisees. Rather, He calls the disciple to the spirit of the Law. Paul speaks of our new life in Christ Jesus, “So now we can obey God's laws if we follow after the Holy Spirit and no longer obey the old evil nature within us.” (Romans 8:4).

In the Jewish community the standard of God was laid down for all time in the Torah, the Law of God. In Christ Jesus’ day there was a debate between two schools on the interpretation of God's Word: those of Hillel and of Shammai. There were 613 commandments, rules, traditions, and examples without number, which made the Law a confusing exercise for the mind and a burden for the conscience.

Christ Jesus cut through the traditions and legalistic interpretations and unveiled the broad principles of the Law from which He interpreted its basic intent. His intent was not to focus on the righteousness of the Law but on the need for righteousness with God. Paul says that, “They don't understand that Christ gives to those who trust in him everything they are trying to get by keeping his laws. He ends all of that.” (Romans 10:4). Paul does not say that Christ Jesus is the end of the Law, as is often misquoted. No, you see the Law still serves to show us our sin, our sinfulness, and our need of the Savior. But the Law is no more than a pointer, a reminder of our need for the righteousness of God. To answer this need, Christ Jesus is the end of the Law for righteousness. He is the “end” to which the Law pointed and still points.

Christ Jesus wants us to know more of the righteousness of God, obey it, and share it with others. The moral law of God has not changed. Nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament epistles and commanded to believers. (The exception is the Sabbath commandment, which was given as a sign to Israel, see Nehemiah 9:14.)

We do not obey an external Law because of fear. No, believers today obey an internal Law and live because of love. The Holy Spirit teaches us the Word and enables us to obey. Sin is still sin, and God still punishes sin. And the Law still points us to our need for a Saviour, it still points us to Christ Jesus.

Well, thanks for dropping by, I pray that our Lord and Saviour will bless you and yours greatly.

Until next time, Biblesurfer