Kingdom Law

“the period during which men were related to God under its terms ceased with John” -Doug Moo

Matthew 5:17–20 ESV

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. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

1. Jesus did not come to abolish the law

Iota=greek for smallest letter. smallest letter in Hebrew is yod.

Smallest stroke of the pen (hebrew, the difference between kaf [כ]and bet [ב] and resh[ר] and daleth [ד]are minute

Matthew a. General Relationship (5:17–20)

For example, kaf [כ] and resh [ר] have no such stroke but bet [ב] and daleth [ד

2. Jesus Fulfills the Law

Matthew The Hermeneutic of Jesus

Jesus is the end or goal of the law, and therefore he is its ultimate, definitive interpreter

Obey The Kingdom Law: follow Jesus

“For Matthew, then, it is not the question of Jesus’ relation to the law that is in doubt but rather its relation to him!”

-Robert Banks: Journal of Biblical Literature vol 93

Teach others to obey Kingdom Law

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke a. Jesus and the Kingdom as Fulfillment of the OT (5:17–20)

the OT’s real and abiding authority must be understood through the person and teaching of him to whom it points and who so richly fulfills it.

For Kingdom citizens to be salt and light, they must also be obedient, or we ourselves become what we detest in church; hypocrites -PBJ

It is by grace we are saved through faith; it is by obedience that we are rewarded walking in faith. -PBJ

With the correct emphasis on Grace (getting something wonderful that we don’t deserve[Jesus]) do you sometimes allow yourself to ignore the moral law that Jesus gave us?

What area(s) of your life are you holding back from surrendering to God’s rule in your life?