Complete Disciples

Matthew 5:17–20 NASB95

17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:17 NASB95

17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

Fire Bible (Chapter 5) The “Law” refers to the first five books of the OT. The “Prophets” include: (a) the books called the Latter Prophets (i.e., the Major Prophets [Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, although Daniel is sometimes classified differently because of its focus on the end times], along with the 12 Minor Prophets, which close out the OT), and (b) the books called the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings). Other parts of the OT, referred to as the Writings, can also be classified as prophecy

So Jesus is speaking of the whole Old Testament.

This outlines how God maintained His relationship with His creation before the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Fire Bible (Chapter 5) The law that Christians are responsible to keep contains the ethical and moral principles of the

Fire Bible (Chapter 5) These laws reveal God’s character, desires, standards and general purposes for all people, which still apply today

Fire Bible (Chapter 5) For Christians, the law is not a system of legal commands and rules by which we can earn forgiveness and spiritual salvation (Gal 2:16, 19).

It is but the moral standard that we are called too. It is through the work of the HS that we can accomplish this.

Because of our love for Jesus and hopefully our desire to be Holy as he is, we strive to live by this code.

Fire Bible (Chapter 5) Having been freed from slavery to sin, Christ’s followers willingly choose to submit to God’s control and to become “slaves to righteousness

He fulfilled the moral law, the ceremonial law, the judicial law

He fulfilled the moral law by keeping it perfectly.

He fulfilled the ceremonial law by being the embodiment of everything the law’s types and symbols pointed to.

He fulfilled the judicial law by personifying God’s perfect justice

Matthew 5:18 NASB95

18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Here Christ was affirming the utter inerrancy and absolute authority of the OT as the Word of God (down to the smallest dot) — He was always teaching from it.

this suggests that the NT should not be seen as supplanting and abrogating the OT, but as fulfilling and explicating it.

For example, all the ceremonial requirements of the Mosaic law were fulfilled in Christ and are no longer needed to be observed by Christians (JMSB)

Matthew 5:19 NASB95

19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)

Kingdom citizens are to uphold every part of God’s law both in their living and in their teaching - John MacArthur

The issue is not primarily obedience to the commandments, but undermining their authority by teaching that they can now be ignored.

Thankfully for these folks Jesus did not indicate a loss of salvation, but it does prove that they can not be trusted to take responsibility and thus will not have as much in the kingdom.

(The fire chief testing his officers by giving them minor jobs— one thought it was a waste of his skills)

Matthew 5:20 NASB95

20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus was calling his disciples to a more radical and deeper faith and holiness than that of the Pharisees.

MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)

Pharisaism had a tendency to soften the law’s demands by focusing only on external obedience

Jesus was calling for obedience in the heart, which then manifests in ones actions.

MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)

This verse sets up an impossible barrier to works-salvation. Scripture teaches repeatedly that sinners are capable of nothing but a flawed and imperfect righteousness.

Therefore the only righteousness by which sinners may be justified is the perfect righteousness of God that is imputed to those who believe.

Jesus offends men because he lays emphasis on the unseen life, because he speaks of motives rather than of actions.

Oswald Chambers (Lecturer and Missionary)

Take Home Question:

How Does The Law Effect Your Life?