Matthew 5:17-20

Observations

V. 17

“Do not think”

Jesus seems to assume his audience is thinking wrongly.

What does he assume they are thinking?

France notes that Jesus had been misinterpreted in other portions of His ministry to be breaking the Law

The Sabbath

Mt. 12:1-14

Pharisees condemn Jesus’s Disciples for picking wheat on the Sabbath and Jesus for healing a hand on the Sabbath

Hand washing (cleanliness)

Mt. 15:1-10

Breaking the tradition of the elders

Sitting with Tax Collectors and Sinners

Mt. 9:9-13

He was called a glutton and drunkard for keeping company with them

His disciples were misinterpreted to this effect also regarding the tearing down of the Temple

Acts. 6:13-14

Apparently, Jesus’ teaching could seem to give off the impression that he was “throwing away” the old testament. (tearing it down and building up something new)

This would align with his expanding of the law in the rest of Chapter 5. Notice His formula

He cites an OT truth (“you have heard”), then follows with his exposition (“but I say to you”) 6 times

So, He seems to be prefacing his teaching in the remainder of the chapter, assuring His audience that he is not coming here to reinterpret the OT; rather, He has come to fulfill it and apply it.

“The Law or the Prophets”

is there significance to that phraseology?

“But to fulfill”

What does Jesus mean by fulfilling the “Law and the Prophets”

France: “fulfill” has a rich context and usage in Matthew.

It is used 10 times in the “all this took place to fulfill” sayings

Matt 1:22, 2:15, 2:17, 2:23, 4:14, 8:17, 12:17, 13:35, 26:56, 27:9

All of these sayings relate to prophecy

France defines Fulfill as:

“the coming into being of that to which Scripture pointed forward (whether by direct prediction or understood typologically”

France, noting that Jesus is saying he fulfills the “Law and the Prophets” asks: can Jesus fulfill the Law in the same way he fulfills the prophets?”

I think that is a prescient question and a crucial key to understanding what He is saying here

It is fairly straightforward what Jesus means by fulfilling the prophets

Something was predicted with certainty that it would take place in the future. Jesus “fulfilled” that prediction by the thing coming true in and through His life.

In regards to the Law, what would it look like to apply that same logic?

Carson:

In no case does this “abolish” the OT as canon, any more than the obsolescence of the Levitical sacrificial system abolishes tabernacle ritual as canon. Instead, 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.

So, in plain english, what Jesus is saying here is: don’t think I came to tear up the Old Testament, I came to complete it. To fill it up to fullness.

Why does His fulfillment look so much like abolition?

France: “If in the process it may appear that certain elements of the law are in fact for all practical purposes “abolished,” this will be attributable not to the loss of their status as the word of God but to their changed role in the era of fulfillment, in which it is Jesus, the fulfiller, rather than the law which pointed forward to him, who is the ultimate authority.”

So, that shift to an era of fulfillment (Mt. 11:13), expands some laws further and “completes” other laws in terms of their purpose.

Ceremonial is completed, the ceremonies being meant to foreshadow and explain the work of Christ Jesus in types and shadows

Heb 9:8-14 explains this. The cermonial cleansings are rituals pointed to the work of the true messiah and the need of the true Messiah

Lev. 16 is a good example

The High priest laid his hands on the goat, confessing the sins of Israel and symbolically imparting them to the goat.

Hebrews tells us the goat was not actually taking away sins. It was foreshadowing the work of Christ Jesus. And it was communicating to the people of Israel that they needed a perfect messiah (not a mute goat) to come and actually do that for them

The true Israelites understood this and looked for the Messiah to come (Heb. 11:13-16, 1 Pet. 1:10-12)

Judicial is completed, the judicial Law being set forth primarily to isolate and distinguish the nation state of Israel until the coming of Christ

1 Cor. 9:8-10

We now look at the Judicial law as a helpful tool in applying the Moral Law

To use the example we have from Paul, the Law about not muzzling the Ox teaches us something: the laborer is worthy of his wages. To not pay someone for their work is thievery, stealing, and a violation of the 8th commandment.

Moral

The Ten Commandments are perpetually binding

To answer this question, Abolition looks like fulfillment in that many of the OT laws and prophets will now have become obsolete (to use the language of Hebrews). That doesn’t mean Jesus is starting fresh, it means he has fulfilled their purpose. They have served their purpose, and now they serve a new one under the NT, in the post-incarnation age.

Jesus is addressing a misconception. Though it may look like abolition on the outside, it is emphatically not. Rather, it is fulfillment.

Like a caterpillar and a butterfly.

V. 18

“For”

He is explaining v. 17.

“Until”...”Until”

Is he drawing a comparison here between “heaven and earth” passing away and “all being accomplished”?

Carson:

Thus the first “until” clause focuses strictly on the duration of OT authority, but the second returns to considering its nature. It reveals God’s redemptive purposes and points to their fulfillment, their “accomplishment,” in Jesus and the eschatological kingdom he is now introducing and will one day consummate (cf. Gibbs).

So, perhaps some level of nuance is happening here where Jesus is saying, the OT’s authority will never cease, and it will continue to be fulfilled

As I look at it, I tend to interpret them as essentially equivalents. I believe Jesus to be saying: “the OT is not going anywhere - it will remain authoritative, and will continue to be fulfilled until the end of the age.”

And I think we see that. Missions is the fulfillment of the OT. We are seeing before our eyes Christ be granted the inheritance of the nations. (Ps. 2:8 for example).

“The smallest letter or stroke”

He doubles down on his statement in V. 17 expanding it (“for”)

Not only is He not abolishing the Law and the Prophets, but he affirms that the earth will sooner pass away than the slightest stroke of the Law

What is he affirming here?

Is he affirming the perpetuity of the Law? If so, which portion?

Is he affirming the utter relevancy of the whole Law for its intended ends?

This would make a lot of sense; however, he states that none of the Law will pass away until all is accomplished

He is affirming the perpetual authority of the OT. And he is affirming that, though its use has changed in the NT age, it has not been abolished. It has simply been fulfilled.

V. 19

He then applies the truth he has set forth (v. 17) and expanded (v. 18)

He says if anyone annuls this, they will be called least in the kingdom of heaven

Is he saying they will be lost? What could it mean to be “least” in the kingdom of heaven?

What does “annul” mean?

If anyone “keeps” and “teaches” this command, then they are called “greatest” in the kingdom

Similar to the previous question, what could it mean to be called the greatest in the kingdom?

V. 20

He then expands his application (“for”)

“Surpasses”

Perhaps this word alludes to the manner in which He is about to teach the Law. (ie. expanding interpretation and application of previously known truths)

So, it could be a way of bringing home to His audience the truth of V. 17

That is, He did not come to abolish the Law but fulfill it.

So too, He did not come to combat the Pharisees with Lawlessness, but with true lawfulness

A proposed outline could be:

Truth Stated (v. 17-18)

Truth stated

Truth expanded

Truth Applied (v. 19-20)

Application stated

Application expanded

Application:

Hallelujah, what a Savior! (Read your OT! - and read it as a Christian… not as a Jew!)

All of history points to one Person, to Jesus!

Adam’s fall points to the true and better Adam

Abraham’s seed points to the vast inheritance of Christ

Moses’ exodus points to our deliverance from sin’s enslavement

David’s kingly failure points to the need for a perfect king

The prophets foretold of Him!

The ceremonies foreshadowed Him!

The Law was obeyed perfectly by Him.

He is the Wisdom of God!

He is Isaiah’s Prince of Peace, making peace with God and man

He is Immanuel, God with Us.

He is Jacob’s ladder

The Great I AM.

Can you believe it? Oh the wonders of our Christ! He was promised. He was foreshadowed. And now he has come. And we are privileged to be the fruit of His blessed ministry.