The Gospel According to Matthew
This week we are studying the passage in Matthew that is titled "The fulfillment of the law". The fulfillment of the law sounds like having a lawyer present would be helpful. Complicated? Maybe. Simple? Probably not. In studying this passage it is important to understand that this is a brief introduction to what is to come. This passage starts off understandable to the crowds and then He confuses them.
READ: Matthew 5: 17-20
The Fulfillment of the Law
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 tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
So over and over again in our study we have said that the Pharisees and the Rabbis had it all wrong and yet here we are told we have to be better than them.
Does this support the idea that we need to be not only like them but more than them?
Does this support the idea that we need to be not only like them but more than them?
That keeping the law is where our focus needs to be?
Isn't it saying that?
Isn't it saying that?
Jesus is talking about the importance of the law, I'm sure he had the crowd thinking, "yep, just as we have heard from the Pharisees." Then at the end comes the curve ball. The scripture that makes them say, "What?"
"For
I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the
Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the
kingdom of heaven."
Seriously, no one can keep the law better than the creators of the law? The Pharisees held themselves as an example of how to do it so if you have to surpass them, than, what hope do we have?
I'm sure there were scratching of chins and gasps going through the crowd. This is a simple message, a message that is carried through the entire sermon. This passage is important because it introduces the rest of the sermon. Here Jesus is saying, "Keeping these laws is NOT ENOUGH! I need all of you! I NEED ALL of YOU!
In Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, Ellen White writes, "A legal religion is insufficient to bring the soul into harmony with God. The hard, rigid orthodoxy of the Pharisees, destitute of contrition, tenderness, or love, was only a stumbling block to sinners. "
What is the stumbling block?
How many times do we hold up rules and the lack of keeping the rules as stumbling blocks instead of our lack of contrition, tenderness or love?
Ellen White writes, " The mission of Christ on earth was not to destroy the law, but by His grace to bring man back to obedience to its precepts."
She goes on to say, "Speaking of the law, Jesus said, "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." He here used the word "fulfill" in the same sense as when He declared to John the Baptist His purpose to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15); that is, to fill up the measure of the law's requirement, to give an example of perfect conformity to the will of God. "
I'm sure there were scratching of chins and gasps going through the crowd. This is a simple message, a message that is carried through the entire sermon. This passage is important because it introduces the rest of the sermon. Here Jesus is saying, "Keeping these laws is NOT ENOUGH! I need all of you! I NEED ALL of YOU!
In Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, Ellen White writes, "A legal religion is insufficient to bring the soul into harmony with God. The hard, rigid orthodoxy of the Pharisees, destitute of contrition, tenderness, or love, was only a stumbling block to sinners. "
What is the stumbling block?
How many times do we hold up rules and the lack of keeping the rules as stumbling blocks instead of our lack of contrition, tenderness or love?
Ellen White writes, " The mission of Christ on earth was not to destroy the law, but by His grace to bring man back to obedience to its precepts."
She goes on to say, "Speaking of the law, Jesus said, "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." He here used the word "fulfill" in the same sense as when He declared to John the Baptist His purpose to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15); that is, to fill up the measure of the law's requirement, to give an example of perfect conformity to the will of God. "
NOTHING is as they thought it was. The laws, the rules, the ceremonies, that is what is required. NOPE it is so much more!
They had been told that Jesus was trying to abolish the law the law... NOPE to fulfill it!
Their works the laws were enough! NOPE HE WANTS MORE!!!
They had been told that Jesus was trying to abolish the law the law... NOPE to fulfill it!
Their works the laws were enough! NOPE HE WANTS MORE!!!
Once again I think it is incredibly important to understand that the Pharisees we expecting and looking for a Savior who would come and in a great war kill those who were sinning, those who didn't keep the 613 laws that had been established. Then the select few, the holy who had been keeping the 613 laws perfectly would be part of the new kingdom. Yet the way of salvation was complete opposite.... in fact here it is...
Alex Bryan in a sermon said:
Pharisees taught... Many would die----Few would be saved
Jesus taught... One would die -- for many---- So all could be saved
His way is not about the select but about a place big enough for all. A salvation big enough for ALL!
Who are we?
Who are we?
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