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Jesus & the Scriptures. (Matthew 5:17-20)

Structure/Outline

Manifesto of the King

  1. Citizens of the Kingdom (ch 5)

    1. Quality (1-12)

    2. Function (13-16)

    3. Motive (17-48)

  2. Values of the Kingdom (ch 6)

  3. Relationship with the Kingdom (ch 7)

Review

The world is a rotting place, that needs a preservative. We must be Salt.

The world is a dark place, that needs the Light of Jesus.

Icebreaker

If someone died and God asked them, “Why should I let you into heaven?” What would you expect them to say?

I’m a good person. Well, how good is good enough? What is the cut-off point to gain eternal life? How righteous must I be to get into heaven?

Passage

Matthew 5:17-20

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Context

Jesus is giving the Sermon on the Mount where He is speaking to His disciples and a large crowd. At that time the culture was saturated by the Law of Moses (Torah). And, there were debates about how to interpret and apply it.

In this passage, Jesus talks about His relationship with the Law and tries to help us understand the true righteousness required for His Kingdom.

Next, He will give specific examples following this formula:
You have heard it was said…But I say to you…

  • Murder (Matthew 5:21-26)

  • Adultery (Matthew 5:27-30)

  • Divorce (Matthew 5:31-32)

  • Oaths (Matthew 5:33-37)

  • Eye for Eye (Matthew 5:38-42)

  • Love your neighbor (Matthew 5:43-47)

Jesus & the Law

Why did Jesus come?

Matthew 5:17. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

The Claim. Jesus didn't come to ABOLISH (destroy) the Law.

Misconception. Some might think that Jesus came to get rid of the the Law; meaning that it doesn't matter anymore.

Abolish

(GR. katalysai). to tear down, destroy, annul, invalidate.
Jesus says this is not His purpose.

Why would someone think Jesus came to abolish the Law?

Sinners. Jesus regularly spent time with sinners (tax collectors, prostitutes, and the unclean); suggesting a disregard towards God’s commands for HOLINESSS and SEPARATION FROM SIN.

Sabbath. Jesus healed on the Sabbath and defended his disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath; suggesting a disregard towards the Fourth Commandment to observe the Sabbath.

Food Laws. Jesus said what goes into a person doesn’t defile them; all foods are clean Mark 7:19; challenging complex dietary laws.

Mercy & Forgiveness. Jesus focused heavily on love, mercy, forgiveness, and the internal condition of the heart; suggesting strict judgment was being replaced.

Religious Traditions. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for hypocrisy—elevating tradition above God’s commands; suggesting a rejection of tradition as a guide.

Authority. Jesus taught with inherent authority; placing His word on par or above the Law.

What was His counter argument?

The Counter. He came to [FULFILL]{.md-content p.text-source} (complete) the Law.

Fulfill

(GR. plērōsai). to fill up, complete, bring to its intended goal or realization.
Jesus says this is His purpose.

Romans 10:4. For Christ is the end [GR. telos—end, goal, or completion] of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

Illustration

Think of a seed. The Law is like a seed, containing the potential for a plant. Jesus is the plant, the full expression of what the seed was meant to be.

Think of a Building. Jesus isn't tearing down the structure God built in the OT. He's completing the project, bringing it to its glorious, intended conclusion.

How did Jesus fulfill the Law?

Prophecy.

  • Birthplace. Micah 5:2. Bethlehem…out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel.

  • Virgin Birth. Isaiah 7:14. Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.

  • Triumphal Entry. Zechariah 9:9. your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble riding on a donkey.

  • Suffering. Isaiah 53. v. 3. despised and rejected by men, v. 5. pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, v. 9. assigned a grave with the wicked, v. 12. numbered with the transgressors.

  • Crucifixion. Psalm 22. v. 1. my God, why have you forsaken me?, v. 16. they have pierced my hands and my feet, v. 18. they divide my garments among them.

Typology.

  • Passover Lamb. Exodus 12. the unblemished lamb whose blood protected Israel from judgment in Egypt.

  • Sacrificial System. Leviticus. a complex system of animal sacrifices required for atonement and fellowship with God; sin required death.

  • High Priesthood. Leviticus; Numbers. Aaronic priesthood mediated between God and man.

  • Tabernacle. Exodus 25-40. The place where God’s presence dwelt among His people.

Morality.

What is the core message?

Jesus came to be the living embodiment of the Law’s demands, to perfectly obey it, and to bring its typology to their ultimate reality in Himself.

Galatians 3:24. So the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

Hebrews 10:1. For the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the actual form of those realities.

The Law’s Permanence

Matthew 5:18. For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

What does Jesus say about the Law?

Not the smallest part of the Law will pass away. Jesus affirms the divine authority and permanence of the Law.

single jot

(GR. iōta). the Hebrew letter Yod (י), the smallest letter in the alphabet.

stroke of a pen

(GR. keraia). the tiny hooks or flourishes that distinguish similar Hebrew letters.

Illustration

It's like saying, not even the dot on an i or the cross on a t will pass away. Jesus uses hyperbole to stress the importance of even the least significant part of Scripture.

What is the crucial qualifier?

until everything is accomplished

God is sovereign and will do all that he intends. Nothing goes away until God's plans are fully accomplished.

How is it accomplished? In Christ! His life, death, and resurrection are the accomplishment the Law pointed towards. Things don't disappear by being abolished, but by reaching their intended fulfillment in Him.

  • Some aspects have been fulfilled (sacrificial system)

  • Some will continue until Christ's return (love for God and neighbor).

Practice What You Preach

Matthew 5:19. Therefore, anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Does it matter how we handle God’s commands?

Yes. How we regard or handle God's commands reflects our standing within the Kingdom community.

sets aside

(GR. lysē). related to abolish (katalysai); to disregard or treat as irrelevant.
Loosening the Law's requirements or teaching others that they are no longer binding.

Luke 6:46. Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?

least. Those who diminish the Law's importance and encourage others to do so will have a diminished role in the Kingdom.

practices

(GR. poiēsē). does, observes.

James 1:22. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

teaches

(GR. didaxē). instructs.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

great. Those who rightly understand the Law through Christ, practice it from the heart, and teach it accurately will be esteemed.

Summary. It's not enough to know the Law; you must live it authentically and teach it.

Is this a critique of the Pharisees?

Yes. The Pharisees, often added to the Law while sometimes neglecting its core intent.

Matthew 23:23. You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Matthew 7:9-13. You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.

The Standard for Heaven

Matthew 5:20. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

What kind of righteousness is required to enter heaven?

Greater. Entrance into the kingdom requires a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.

  • The Pharisees were the epitome of outward religious observance. Jesus says more is required.

  • They dedicated their lives to studying and keeping the Law (externally). If their righteousness isn't enough, whose could be?

Illustration.

High Jump. Imagine the Pharisees setting the high jump bar at what seemed an impressive height (their external rule-keeping). Jesus comes along and says, That's not nearly high enough. The real standard is perfect holiness, set by God Himself.
No human can clear that bar on their own.

This verse should drive us to despair of self-righteousness. If the best fall short, we all fall short.

Human effort, however sincere or meticulous, cannot meet God's perfect standard.

How did their righteousness fail?

It failed in at least five ways.

Source. It was human-achieved and self-generated. They believed they could attain righteousness through meticulous obedience to the Law (as they interpreted it). It was based on their performance.

Focus. Focused on external actions, rituals, and adherence to the letter of the Law and human traditions. They were concerned with outward appearances.

Motivation. Motivated by self-glorification, seeking praise from others, maintaining status, and earning merit before God. Fear of punishment or desire for reward based on performance could also be factors.

Scope. Limited to the letter of the Law, sometimes even finding loopholes to avoid the Law's deeper intent. They added burdensome traditions.

Result. Led to hypocrisy (saying one thing, doing another, or having impure motives behind pure actions), pride, judgmentalism, and fell short of God's perfect standard.

Matthew 23:28. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

What did Jesus want it to be?

Source. Ultimately God-given and imputed. While it results in righteous actions, its foundation is the perfect righteousness of Christ credited to the believer through faith (Romans 3:21-22; Philippians 3:9). It originates outside of oneself.

Focus. Focuses on the internal—the heart, motives, attitudes, and desires. Jesus digs beneath the surface action to the root intent. Inward transformation leading to outward obedience.

Motivation. Motivated by love for God and love for neighbor, flowing from gratitude for God's grace and a transformed heart. It seeks to please God rather than impress people.

Scope. Encompasses the spirit and full intent of the Law. Jesus reveals the deeper meaning and radical demands behind the commands, showing they reach into our thoughts and desires.

Result. Leads to genuine transformation, humility, sincerity, and actions that truly reflect God's character, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Illustration.

They were the very ones who led the way in killing Jesus.

Philippians 3:9. Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

It's not just quantitatively more rule-keeping, but qualitatively different and infinitely higher because its source and nature are divine.

How might we fall into the trap of Pharisaical righteousness today, focusing on outward appearances rather than inward transformation?

We have a problem

How Do We Meet This Standard?

Jesus sets an impossible standard. How can anyone's righteousness surpass that of the Pharisees?

Righteousness imputed (given) by God through faith.

Romans 3:21-22. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

Explanation. We can't earn it. It is a free gift.

  • It's based on what Jesus has done, not on what we do.

  • It comes thru faith; trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Illustration.

Paid Debt. Imagine owing an enormous debt you can never repay. Someone else (Jesus) pays the debt in full. The creditor (God) then credits their payment to your account. That's imputed righteousness.

The Result: A New Heart and a New Life

Romans 8:3-4. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us…

Conclusion

Application

Summary.

We cannot earn God's favor through our own efforts. True righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness not only saves us but also empowers us to live lives that are pleasing to God.

Challenge.

Commit to:

  • seeking God's grace,

  • studying His Word,

  • living in obedience to His commands,

  • not out of obligation,

  • but out of love and gratitude for all He has done.

Pray.

Thank you for your Word that endures forever. Help us to understand that Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. May we grasp the depth of your commandments beyond mere external observance.

Give us hearts that seek righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees—not through perfection in following rules, but through transformation from within. Help us to honor your law with sincere hearts and to teach others by our example.

In Jesus' name we pray,

Amen.