Sermon Tone Analysis

The Kingdom and the Law

What was Jesus’s attitude toward the Law?

Jesus’s preaching concerning His kingdom would have been disconcerting for many in His day.

In ancient times, a new kingdom typically meant an overthrow of the old kingdom.

For the suffering Jewish christians of Matthew’s day, the notion that Jesus was just an insurrectionist intent on destroying the law of Moses and turning Jewish world upside down would have been used against them as reason for persecution.

For the modern day Bible student, there is often difficulty reconciling the sinless life of Jesus and acts that seemed to violate the Sabbath (, )

Jesus relationship to the Law -

2. Is the Gospel in conflict with the Law

The kingdom message that Jesus preached was in harmony with the Law that Moses had delivered.

By stating that His purpose was not to “abolish” but to “fulfill” the Old Law, Jesus placed the law of His kingdom in harmony with the Law of Moses

This should be remembered along side the "you have heard that it was said...but I say to you...." statements of veres 21-46.

Jesus was not contradicting the law; rather He was contradicting their mistaken view of the Law.

This should be remembered along side the "you have heard that it was said...but I say to you...." Jesus was not contradicting the law; rather He was contradicting their mistaken view of the Law.

Much of the rest of chapter 5 could be viewed as undercutting Moses, however with this introductory statement we find that we should look for an interpretation that is in harmony with the Old Law.

What was Jesus’s attitude toward the Law?

1.

Much of the rest of chapter 5 could be viewed as undercutting Moses, however with this introductory statement we find that we should look for an interpretation that is in harmony with the Old Law

In verse 17, Jesus stated that His ministry serves a purpose in relation to the Old Law, specifically that He came to fulfill the Law.

This statement is difficult and has been understood in many ways, however the context helps us to narrow down what Jesus meant by this.

3. What does it mean that Jesus came to fulfill the Law?

Whatever fulfill means it must be seen as the opposite of abolish and related to “accomplished” in vs. 18.

The term translated “abolish” means to destroy; throw down; demolish (BDAG)

The term translated fulfill was often used in the sense of to satisfy, conceived of as filling a container completely.

fulfill - (pleroo) - to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full.

1a to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally.

1a1 I abound, I am liberally supplied.

2 to render full, i.e. to complete.

2a to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim.

2b to consummate: a number.