Author : Keith Sharp
The Law and the Prophets
A Presbyterian friend with whom I am studying appealed to Matthew 5:17-18 as proof the law has not been repealed. Did Jesus teach in this passage that the law given through Moses is to continue till time is no more? What did He teach?
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”(Matthew 5:17)
The term “destroy” (King James Version, New King James Version and American Standard Version) does not here mean to “abolish,” even though it can have this meaning and is unfortunately so rendered in the New American Standard Version and New International Version. Two facts prove this truth. First, it is used in contrast with “fulfill.” “Abolish” and “fulfill” are not antonyms (opposites). In fact, it is precisely because the purpose of the law has been fulfilled that it has been abolished as law (Galatians 3:19-25). But if it were destroyed, it would have failed of its purpose and would not have been fulfilled. Second, other passages plainly teach the law has been abolished (taken out of the way) (e.g., Romans 7:1-7; Galatians 3:19-25; Colossians 2:13-17).
The phrase “the Law or the Prophets” is used to summarize the Old Testament Scriptures (e.g., John 1:45; Acts 28:23 ). It includes the entire Old Testament, whether moral, civil or ceremonial (distinctions unknown to the Bible).
How did Jesus fulfill the law? In his personal life He fulfilled all the demands of the law by living a sinlessly perfect life under it (Galatians 4:4; John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:21-22). He also fulfilled the prophecies of the law concerning Christ (John 5:39; Acts 3:18-24; 13:29; 2 Peter 1:19) and the types of the law (Hebrews 8:4-5; Luke 24:44-47). By preparing the Jews for the coming of Christ, the law fulfilled its purpose in Him (Galatians 3:19-25). Finally, the righteousness before God which was the purpose of the law but which it could not give is fulfilled in Christ (Romans 8:3-4; 10:4-10). Having been fulfilled, the law has served its purpose.
“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:18)
The “jot” was the Hebrew letter “yod,” the smallest in the Hebrew language. In Greek it was represented by “iota,” the smallest Greek letter. It corresponds to our “y.” The “tittle” is the little line or projection (literally, “little horn”) by which Hebrew letters, otherwise identical, were distinguished. In English printing it is called a “serif.” For example, the line which changes “c” to “e” is a serif. Of course, the point is, not the smallest part of the law was to pass away until all of it was fulfilled.
Does this mean the law has not passed away as law? If a spokesman for a labor union on strike declared, “till heaven and earth pass away, we will not go back to work till all our demands are met,” would he be saying the workers would never return to their jobs? Of course not. When their demands were met, they would go back to work. The purpose of the law has been fulfilled (Galatians 3:19-25), and it has passed away.
“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)
Once, when I tried to discuss instrumental music in worship with a young woman, she accused me of “majoring in minors and minoring in majors.” Those, such as I, who insist we must obey all the Lord commands, are often derided as “legalists.” or “Pharisees.” Jesus never condemned a Pharisee or anyone else for demanding rigid observance of God’s law. He condemned the Pharisees for, among other things, loosing God’s law to keep their traditions (e.g., Matthew 15:1-9), being hypocrites (Matthew 23:13-22) and ignoring the weightier matters of the law to observe small details (Matthew 23:23-24). Yes, some of God’s laws are more basic than others, but we should obey them all (Matthew 23:23). The law of the Lord is a unitary whole, and he who keeps nine commandments and violates one is a transgressor of the law (sinner) (James 2:10). We are under law to Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21) and must obey Him in all things (Acts 3:19-23).
“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
How startling this declaration must have been to the Master’s audience, who generally considered the scribes (copyists and teachers of the law) and Pharisees (strictest sect of the Jews – Acts 26:5) as the very paragons of legal righteousness. But we must exceed the Pharisees in both the quality of our obedience and the kind of our righteousness. Whereas they were hypocrites, we must obey the Lord from the heart (Romans 6:17-18; Ephesians 6:5-8). They trusted in themselves that they were righteous (Luke 18:9-14), but we must acknowledge our own sinfulness and seek the righteousness that comes by grace (Romans 3:20-26). Without this righteousness, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
