"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

                      Jesus And The Law (Mt 5:17-19)
INTRODUCTION
1. Up to this point, Jesus has been describing the "citizens" of the

   kingdom…

   a. Their character and blessedness – Mt 5:3-12 

   b. Their influence on the world – Mt 5:13-16 
2. The next section details the "righteousness" of the kingdom…

   a. The righteousness conduct Jesus would expect of His disciples

   b. In contrast with the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees
3. He begins by correcting any false impression some may have had about

   His relationship with the Law of Moses and the Prophets…

   a. Had He come to destroy the Law and the Prophets?

   b. Are His teachings contradictory to the Law and the Prophets?
[In Mt 5:17-19, we find His answer to such questions. Our first

observation is that…]
I. HE CAME NOT TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFILL
   A. SOME MAY HAVE THOUGHT JESUS INTENDED TO TOTALLY DISREGARD THE

      LAW…

      1. That His coming and teaching would regard the Old Law in a

         negative light

      2. For the expression "to destroy" means literally to "to destroy

         utterly, to overthrow completely" (VINE)
   B. ON THE CONTRARY, HIS PURPOSE WAS TO "FULFILL" THE LAW AND THE

      PROPHETS…

      1. For they foretold the coming of the Messiah (Christ)

         a. There are approximately 330 prophecies concerning the

            Christ found in the Law and the Prophets

         b. For example, Deu 18:15; Deu 18:18-19; Isa 53:1-12 

      2. For they foretold the coming of the kingdom of God

         a. One example is Dan 2:44 

         b. Jesus proclaimed the fulfillment of that prophecy was now

            at hand – Mk 1:14-15 

      3. For they also foretold the establishment of a new and

         different covenant for the people of God

         a. See Jer 31:31-34 

         b. That Jesus brought in this new covenant is confirmed in

            Heb 8:6-13 
   C. THEREFORE, UNTIL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS WERE FULFILLED, JESUS

      TAUGHT THAT…

      1. The Law would be as permanent as the heavens and the earth

         – Mt 5:18 

         a. As He said in Lk 16:17 , "It is easier for heaven and earth

            to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail."

         b. There would be no change at all, until it was fulfilled

         c. Not even a "jot" or a "tittle" (Hebrew grammatical

            markings, similar to the dotting of an "i" or the crossing

            of a "t")

      2. A person’s treatment of the Law (while still in force) would

         affect their standing in the kingdom – Mt 5:19   How so…?

         a. Remember that the kingdom has a future aspect – Mt 7:21-23 

         b. Those who lived before the coming of the kingdom in its

            present sense (i.e., the church) could still be in the

            kingdom in its future sense

            1) Note what is said about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob – Mt 8:11 

            2) But then notice what was said about the "sons of the

               kingdom," those Jews who by the Law had the right to

               inherit the kingdom but did not appreciate its

               fulfillment in the coming of Jesus Christ! – Mt 8:12 

         — Thus, one’s standing in the kingdom (in its future sense)

            would be affected by their treatment of whatever Law of God

            was in effect when they were alive!
   D. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION: "DID JESUS FULFILL THE LAW?"

      1. If He did not…

         a. He failed His purpose in coming to this earth! – Mt 5:17 

         b. We had better observe the Law in its strictest sense!

            – Mt 5:18-19 (including circumcision, and not eating

              unclean meats!)

      2. If He did…

         a. He accomplished His purpose! (notice Jn 17:4 )

         b. We should not be surprised to find a NEW Law or Covenant

            governing God’s people today

      3. Indeed, Jesus must have fulfilled the Old Law…

         a. For there has been changes:

            1) In the priesthood – Heb 7:11-14 

            2) In the Law itself – Heb 7:18-19; Heb 7:18-19  Heb 7:22

         b. As the Law itself foretold, it has been replaced by a New

            Law – Heb 8:6-13 
[Though Jesus ultimately fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, at the

time He was preaching this sermon they had not been fulfilled.  So,

true to His statement in verse nineteen, He taught His disciples to be

faithful to God’s Law as it then stood.
But what about the contrasts found in Mt 5:21-48?  Are not these to be

viewed as comparisons between the Old and New Law?  Here are some

thoughts along these lines…]
II. THE CONTRAST MADE BY JESUS
   A. MANY UNDERSTAND JESUS WAS CONTRASTING THE "OLD" AND "NEW"…

      1. I.e., comparing the "Law of Moses" with the "Law of Christ"

         which would govern His kingdom

      2. This in essence has Jesus teaching:

         a. That the "Old Law" only condemned the outward actions

         b. But that the "New Law" introduced by Jesus condemned the

            inner conditions which lead to the outer actions
   B. HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THE CONTRAST TO BE DIFFERENT…

      1. It was a contrast between:

         a. The "traditional interpretation and application" of the Law

         b. The "righteousness of the kingdom" Jesus would require of

            His disciples

      2. In fact, Jesus demonstrated that the righteousness of the

         kingdom…

         a. Was not only contrary to the manner many had interpreted

            and applied the Law

         b. But was in harmony with the original spirit of the Law as

            given to Moses and the Israelites
   C. REASONS FOR SUCH A VIEW…

      1. The other view would seem strange in light of verse 19

         a. Jesus had just warned against any alteration of the

            commandments of the Law!

         b. The first view has Jesus doing the very thing He had just

            warned against!

      2. If Jesus was referring to what Moses had commanded in the Law

         itself, it is likely different wording would have been used

         a. At other times, when Jesus was definitely referring to what

            the Law actually said, He prefaced it with things like:

            1) "Moses commanded" – Mt 8:4 

            2) "It is written" – Mt 4:4; Mt 5:7; Mt 5:10

         b. Instead, we find Jesus repeatedly using phrases more likely

            to refer to ORAL teachings and interpretations rather than

            the WRITTEN Word of God:

            1) "You have heard that it was said to those of old"

               – Mt 5:21; Mt 5:27

            2) "Furthermore it has been said" – Mt 5:31 

            3) "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old"

               – Mt 5:33 

            4) "You have heard that it was said" – Mt 5:38; Mt 5:43

      3. In two of the contrasts, Jesus refers to statements not even

         found in the Law of Moses!

         a. "…and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment"

            – Mt 5:21 

         b. "…and hate your enemy" – Mt 5:43 

         — Here, Jesus reacted, not to the Law itself, but to the way

            it was often used!

      4. We should also remember that the "Law and the Prophets" were

         just as concerned with the inner thoughts of the heart as the

         Law of Christ is – cf. Deu 6:4-7; Isa 29:13-14 
CONCLUSION
1. So Jesus came…

   a. Not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill the Law

   b. Which He did, by fulfilling its many prophecies

   — That Law has now been replaced by the New Covenant of our Lord
2. In illustrating the righteousness expected of those under the New

   Covenant, Jesus will…

   a. Contrast it with the traditional interpretations and applications

      orally handed down

   b. Demonstrate how our righteousness must indeed exceed that of the

      scribes and Pharisees!
In our next lesson, we shall begin looking at the righteousness Jesus

demands…

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