Read Matthew 5 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
Chiastic Structure Teaching Tools in this chapter:
Matthew 5:3-16 Chiastic Structure
Matthew 5:10-48 Reverse Parallelism
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 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. 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.” Mat 5:17-19
How many of you have heard it said that since Yeshua came to fulfill the Law, that means the rest of us can now ignore it? *raises hand*
However, that cannot be the meaning of Mat 5:17, according to the Plain Meaning of the Text teaching tool, because if it was, it would directly contradict Mat 5:19: “Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” And we know that truth does not contradict. If there is a contradiction, then our understanding or application is off, not the word of God.
Many of the the Law’s commandments foreshadow and prophesy of the coming, circumstances, and ministry of Messiah. Likewise the Prophets prophesied of Him. So when Yeshua said, “I came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets,” He is saying, “I am He whom the Law and the Prophets declare!”
But the teaching of Yeshua here at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount lays to rest forever the false claims of those who say that God approves of commandment-breaking. Yeshua is teaching, Do not merely obey the Law outwardly as the scribes and Pharisees, but obey it from the heart–then your obedience will look like Mat 5:20-48.
If there are questions, these are good resources:
The righteousness that is of faith – Christine Miller
What does πληρωσαι [to fulfill] mean in Matthew 5:17? – Tim Hegg
The law and prophets fulfilled – Christine Miller
Obeying from the heart – Christine Miller
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