It All Points to Jesus

Matthew 5:17–20 NIV

“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 truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 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. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Introduction: How can we go about reading the Bible for understanding? So we know Jesus better? - Today study, next two weeks moving into devotionally

Story of learning these questions from Michael Goheen and the Missional Training Center

Read the Passage a few times noticing things that jump out at you. - Get the Lay of the land.

11 - What are the Basic Facts about this passage?

Read the whole book to find out.

Read Introductions to Commentaries or introductions in Study Bibles.

12 - Watch first Part of Bible Project

13 - Who Wrote it?

Matthew Wrote this Gospel to a primariy Jewish Audience to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of Man. The New Moses, and I would also suggest in my reading the New David or Son of David.

Who was the original audience? -

A primarily Jewish Audience who knew their scriptures quite well. - This becomes important as they may be wondering in their mind what Jesus’ thinking is on the O.T., but particular the laws they have to follow.

When Was it Written?

What literary style was it written in?

Teaching as a part of a Sermon. This is Prose in the middle of a Gospel Narrative.

What the main purpose of the Book?

to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of Man. The New Moses, and I would also suggest in my reading the New David or Son of David.

14 - How Does this Passage fit into the overall structure of the Book?

15 - Watch Second part of Bible Project

This passage is in the block of teaching called the Sermon on the Mount. So far Matthew has been presenting Jesus as the Messiah from the King of David through the Advent Story, and lineage, but also Matthew has been tracking Jesus as the New greater than Moses as well as the New Israel as his early story line matches the storyline of the Torah. Jesus flees to Egypt as Israel did, then is brought up out of egypt and called to follow God in the Baptism story which mirrors the crossing of the Red Sea. Jesus wanders the desert as Israel does, but is faithful, and now comes out as the new faithful Israel/Moses and he will go up on a Mountain to Teach the Renewed Torah, just as Moses came down from a Mt. to deliver the Torah.

Last week we talked about how Jesus is the Word of God. This week we will discuss how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. Our passage today has sometimes been misunderstood or even misinterpreted in the history of the church. Sometimes too much focus is placed on the fact that Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, while not enough focus is placed on how Jesus fulfills the Law. This is interesting when considering the broader context. Our passage is located in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount, a sermon where Jesus—at least at times—ratifies, modifies, changes certain teachings from the Law of Moses.

16 - How does this passage fit into the story of Redemption?

17 - God’s Story Symbols

This passage is Jesus' explanation of how he fits into the overall story of Redemption especially the story of the O.T. Jesus is the Fulfillment of the Story of the Old Testament Longing.

Explore Cultural and Historical connections.

Explore Connected Biblical References.

19 - What does the Passage Mean or What is it Saying?

I have different Methods for different genre’s - A more advanced class

In seminary they teach you how to read in Greek - Helpful, but not necessary for most readers.

One helpful hint instead - read different translations together.

Take through Questioning method anyone can do.

Notes What is Law and Prophets? Short-hand for the entire O.T. also writings.

What does abolish mean? to anul or officially declare invalid or inapplicable.

What does fulfill mean? To bring to completion/satisfy and to fill it full. Which meaning is meant here? - Jesus is renovate the law like renovating an old dead building.

Notice “Until all takes place.” so again we have the focus on the Law being embedded in an overarching Story.

What does keep mean? It means to walk in accordance with them.

What is righteousness? - Living rightly in relationship to another, in this case God.

How can I be in the Kingdom, abolish the law (vs. 19), but unless I surpass the best at keeping the law, I will not enter the Kingdom? - Hint the rest of the story tells us this, because we receive Jesus’ righteousness.

But also Jesus demonstrates a following the law that surpasses the Pharisees & scribes in the next verses.

There are two dangers in Christianity and Judaism.

• 1 Danger - Getting rid of the O.T. Story because we now have Jesus who has freed us from sin - Jesus says, Not so fast....

• 2 Danger - Continue to Legalistically obey the O.T. laws externally like the Pharisees wanted to do.

• To Danger 1: Jesus says, none of it can you dishonor, all of the O.T. has its place, and its meaning and should be studied and learned, and taught, and especially for this particular reason - It points to Jesus and the need for Jesus in redemption. - Notice how Jesus sees the Law not just as a set of rules, but a storyline is implied “until all takes place.” (The over-arching story of redemption).

• To Danger 2: Legalistic following. Jesus is not advocating a strict adherence to every law as it was stated in the O.T. - In some ways this would be radically difficult or even impossible in our day and culture.

example: "And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:10

He Completes the Law in this way.

• Ceremonial Law - Points to Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. Book of Hebrews then says we do not need to perform these laws, but they must be taught so we understand how Jesus has fulfilled them.

• Moral Law - Jesus is the sinless righteous one who is the only human able to fulfill the Morality of the Law and be Just...

Jesus is the one who applies his righteousness to us who put their trust in him. - We need his righteousness. - He does not say that in this passage, you must read the rest of the Gospel’s to find that out, and the Letters. He is just pointing us

• Filling Full the meaning of the Moral Law and the Civil Laws of Israel - No rule is to be ignored.

• Notice how Jesus goes beyond the written rule - Murder is about Anger, Sexual immorality is about lust, etc… - Jesus goes beyond the written rule to our heart.

• He wants us to see God’s heart behind the rule.

• Let’s take the vineyard rule that I mentioned before.

• How did this law help the Israelites Love God?

• How did this law help the Israelites Love their neighbor?

Conclusion:

"Do not suppose that I came to undermine the authority of the OT scriptures, and in particular the law of Moses. I did not come to set them aside but to bring into reality that to which they pointed forward. I tell you truly: the law, down to its smallest details, is as permanent as heaven and earth and will never lose its significance; on the contrary, all that it points forward to will in fact become a reality (and is now doing so in my ministry). So anyone who treats even the most insignificant of the commandments of the law as of no value and teaches other people to belittle them is an unworthy representative of the new regime, while anyone who takes them seriously in word and deed will be a true member of God's kingdom. But do not imagine that simply keeping all those rules will bring salvation. For I tell you truly: it is only those whose righteousness of life goes far beyond the old policy of literal rul-keeping which the scribes and pharisees represent who will prove to be God's true people in this era of fulfillment.