Matthew 5:19; Meaning

[jargew]

Hi,

I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around Matthew 5:19.
Jesus says to adhere to the Law. But clearly Paul says later (repeatedly) we do not need to adhere to the Law. There are ~613 instructions in the Law and no Christian alive today adheres to them them all, obviously.
Was Jesus referring to the 10 commandments?
I have read some commentary on this, but they seem vague.
I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

Here is the Passage:
Matthew 5:17-20 NIV

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.

 

[dentonz]

Hi,

I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around Matthew 5:19.
Jesus says to adhere to the Law. But clearly Paul says later (repeatedly) we do not need to adhere to the Law. There are ~613 instructions in the Law and no Christian alive today adheres to them them all, obviously.
Was Jesus referring to the 10 commandments?
I have read some commentary on this, but they seem vague.
I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

Here is the Passage:
Matthew 5:17-20 NIV

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.

Jesus said that the law would continue until "everything is accomplished". What did he say on the cross? "It is finished" He fufilled the entire law for us. He is the perfect lamb without spot or blemish that was sacrificed for us. That is why Paul can say that we do not need to adhere to the law, because if we live in Christ, then His righteousness is ascribed to us.

 

[dayhiker]

I'm not a big dispensationalist but I do think a simple view of before Christ and after Christ helps us understand. Before Christ there were sacrifices for sin every year. Since Christ is the lamb not needed any more. Before Christ one person once a year went into the Holy of Hollies. After Christ we all can go every day into God's present thru Christ. The OT was about how Israelis to live not the whole world. The NT is how the whole world is to live in Christ.

 

[hedrick]

Jesus says that the Law is still valid, and then goes on to interpret most of the 10 commandments in a very non-literal way that concentrates on intent. My sense is that Jesus and Paul use different ways of formulating what is essentially the same thing. Paul says the Law is (in some sense) no longer valid. Jesus says it's valid, but interprets it non-legally. I think the results are the same, but they're different approaches.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

"I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around Matthew 5:19.
Jesus says to adhere to the Law."

SO DO you MURDER?? - NO? good, you're "Adhering to the law".
DO you STEAL?? - No? good, you're "Adhering to the law".
DO you have an affair with your neighbor's wife?? - No? good, you're "Adhering to the law"!! (a wise monkey doesn't monkey with another monkey's monkey).
Do You Have only ONE God?? - No? good, you're "Adhering to the law".
Do you LIE about your neighbor?? - No? good, you're "Adhering to the law".
DO you COVET your neighbor's property??? - No? good, you're "Adhering to the law".
etc.

And if you DO fall and SIN, then when you confess, and repent, HE is faithful and just to FORGIVE us.

As a Christian, you have already been JUDGED BY THE LAW - (conviction of SIN), and in FAITH your "Old man" has been crucified with Christ, so you're DEAD to the law - but yet you LIVE in newness of life in the SPIRIT.

And since the ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS YOU WILL EVER HAVE is that of Jesus by FAITH in his sacrifice for you, and you're in HIM, then your righteousness is HIS righteousness, and DEFINITELY exceeds the "Righteousness" of the "Religious Jews".

Simple as that.

 

[dabro]

Jesus said that the law would continue until "everything is accomplished". What did he say on the cross? "It is finished" He fufilled the entire law for us. He is the perfect lamb without spot or blemish that was sacrificed for us. That is why Paul can say that we do not need to adhere to the law, because if we live in Christ, then His righteousness is ascribed to us.

This hit home greatly for me....Thank you!!!

 

[Johnnz]

Jesus spoke those words to a Jewish audience. The new covenant had not yet arrived. Jesus lived under and kept Torah - "Who can accuse me of sin?" But He does add "..but to fulfill.." Jesus showed what true righteousness was in His life. Then on the cross he accomplished all that was necessary to conquer sin and death. Now, the old covenant had ended and the new began. This is what Paul and Hebrews sets out very clearly. For Paul Torah keeping was 'flesh' and superseded by the new
Rom 8:1-4 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. NIV

John
NZ

 

[hopeinGod]

Jesus spoke those words to a Jewish audience. The new covenant had not yet arrived. Jesus lived under and kept Torah - "Who can accuse me of sin?" But He does add "..but to fulfill.." Jesus showed what true righteousness was in His life. Then on the cross he accomplished all that was necessary to conquer sin and death. Now, the old covenant had ended and the new began. This is what Paul and Hebrews sets out very clearly. For Paul Torah keeping was 'flesh' and superseded by the new
Rom 8:1-4 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. NIV

John
NZ

Good points, John. Isn't it wonderful how well the Word explains itself?

 

[Pastor Glenn]

Here's some of my thoughts and notes on this ( not too theological I hope )
Lets tie verse 19 into verse 20

The position of Christians in the kingdom of heaven will be determined by attitude towards God's law and by our teaching and practice of it. Those who are disloyal to the authority of God's Word will be judged accordingly.

The commandments are to be obeyed as explained and fulfilled by Jesus’ life and teaching, not as in the legalistic thinking of the religious authorities of Jesus’ day. For example, sacrifice is commanded by the law, but it was fulfilled in Jesus, so we do not run the danger of being called least in the kingdom of heaven by not observing animal sacrifice as detailed in the Law of Moses.

b. Whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven: The Christian is done with the law as a means of gaining a righteous standing before God. One passage that explains this is Galatians 2:21: For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. However, the law stands as the perfect expression of God’s ethical character and requirements.

i. The law sends us to Jesus to be justified, because it shows us our inability to please God in ourselves. But after we come to Jesus, He sends us back to the law to learn the heart of God for our conduct and sanctification.

c. Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven: Considering the incredible devotion to the law shown by the scribes and Pharisees, how can we ever hope to exceed their righteousness?

i. The Pharisees were so scrupulous in their keeping of the law that they would even tithe from the small spices obtained from their herb gardens (Matthew 23:23). The heart of this devotion to God is shown by modern day Orthodox Jews. In early 1992, tenants let three apartments in an Orthodox neighborhood in Israel burn to the ground while they asked a rabbi whether a telephone call to the fire department on the Sabbath violated Jewish law. Observant Jews are forbidden to use the phone on the Sabbath, because doing so would break an electrical current, which is considered a form of work. In the half-hour it took the rabbi to decide “yes,” the fire spread to two neighboring apartments.

ii. The life of Paul shows what the righteousness of the Pharisees was like: Acts 23:6, 26:5; Philippians 3:5.

iii. We can exceed their righteousness because our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees in kind, notdegree. Paul describes the two kinds of righteousness in Philippians 3:6-9: Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, [I was] blameless. But what things were gain to me, I have counted loss for Christ. But indeed, I count all things loss . . . that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

iv. Though the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was impressive to human observation, it could not prevail before God (Isaiah 64:6).

v. So then, we are not made righteous by keeping the law. When we see what keeping the law really means, we are thankful that Jesus offers us a different kind of righteousness.

E. Jesus interprets the law in its truth.

In this section, Jesus shows the true meaning of the law. But this isn’t Jesus against Moses; it is Jesus against false and superficial interpretations of Moses. In regard to the law, the two errors of the scribes and Pharisees were that they both restricted God’s commands (as in the law of murder) and extended the commands of God past His intention (as in the law of divorce).

 

[dragongunner]

Since we are talking about the "Law", was not the law and commandments given to the Jews and not to the gentiles? And are we not gentiles, in which the law was never given too? So that in the early church when gentiles, like us, came to Christ to be saved the Apsostles said they did not see the need to lay the law and commandments upon them, but rather said to stay away from fornication and a couple other things and no other burden should be put upon them. So that we as gentiles grafted into the body of Christ never need to worry about the law or the commandments of the old testament but to walk after the spirit, and to obstain from the sins of the flesh. Thats my take anyway.

 

[Juelrei]

Hi,

I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around Matthew 5:19.
Jesus says to adhere to the Law. But clearly Paul says later (repeatedly) we do not need to adhere to the Law. There are ~613 instructions in the Law and no Christian alive today adheres to them them all, obviously.
Was Jesus referring to the 10 commandments?
I have read some commentary on this, but they seem vague.
I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

Here is the Passage:
Matthew 5:17-20 NIV

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.

You are mistaken in assuming that the law that Jesus refers to is meaning all of the commandments of God to the adherent.

Jesus is particularly speaking of the old testament texts that refer to him as the Savior and the Messiah, of which the Pharisees did not believe him to be.

Jesus came to fulfill those texts written in the Torah about him. The Hebrew word translated "law" is Torah. The better translation of Torah is teachings. Or, enlightening teachings. Since Torah has the word Orh in it, which is translated light or enlightenment.

Entering into the kingdom of heaven is by accepting Jesus as Savior. Jesus also said in Matthew 5, "Blessed are those who are tenderhearted/humbleminded for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

James said in his epistle chapter 1, "Receive the word with meekness/humblemind which is able to save your souls."

The apostle Paul doesn't exempt the believer from adhering to the commandments of God that we are to keep. He makes the difference between keeping them by the letter, and keeping them by grace through faith in Christ and his finished work on our behalf.

In Jewish faith no Gentile is expected to keep all the Jewish commandments because they don't apply to them. In the book of Acts such a thing was discussed. If anything, that is what the apostle Paul refers to when he writes that the New Testament Gentile Christians do not need to adhere to the law.

 

[dayhiker]

Its quite amazing how varied the views of how Christians are to deal or not deal with the law. Its a big topic that very few pastors try to deal with from the pulpit. I've waded thru the different views over the years. In the end I have taken a pretty simple view. There is only one way the Bible says that we can fulfill the law in our daily living. That is by loving God and people. Both Jesus and Paul said that love fulfilled the law.

 

[jargew]

Thanks for your time and replies.
Your thoughts were wonderfully helpful.

 

[Pastor LDM]

In our Church I teach never give your opinion on any part of the Bible, you may ask why is this. In the last book of the Bible it tells us do not add to the word of God or take away from it. I believe when we give our opinion we are adding to God Bible! The Bible have got the answer to everything in life, why would anyone want to look at a opinion when your answer is right in the Bible? I tell the people in our Church to get a study Bible so they can study and research the Bible more easier....

 

[dragongunner]

In our Church I teach never give your opinion on any part of the Bible, you may ask why is this. In the last book of the Bible it tells us do not add to the word of God or take away from it. I believe when we give our opinion we are adding to God Bible! The Bible have got the answer to everything in life, why would anyone want to look at a opinion when your answer is right in the Bible? I tell the people in our Church to get a study Bible so they can study and research the Bible more easier....

You realize that the last book says who so ever adds or takes away from this book shall be condemned is talking about the book of Revelation....or is it your opinion its talking about all the Bible? Opinions do not necessarily mean doctrine and or teachings that could add or take away from the word. None of us have all the truth.....but I have met some churches and pastors who thought their way was the only way...at least that was their opinion.

 

[Yoseft]

An excellent back and forth.

How about one, such as I?

Jewish Blood and background.

I am now born again, filled with the Mighty Baptism of the Holy Spirit
and on fire for the Messiah.

I never embraced Easter, but rather the Passover each year.

When I was born again and studied and saw that Jesus was crucified
as the Passover Lamb, and that he had a Passover Seder with His
Disciples, it made me so glad.

I follow areas of the Torah in diet to this day in honor of His Words.

But I know that none of that will get me to the Father's presence
but faith in the Blood and Cross of Jesus.

It is, and has been a back and forth with some (what parts of the
Torah / Law) what do we (born again Jews), and do we not observe.

Anyone that would ask me, that is not Jewish, I just say Faith In Jesus
repentance from sinful ways is the start point.

Read the New Testament daily, spend time each day in one-on-one prayer
in the prayer closet alone, shut in with Him, and the Most High will guide
you by His Holy Spirit.

 

[dragongunner]

Yoseft....sounds like you got it all together. The disciples were Jewish and of course became Christians, yet we know they kept many of the things they believed in as Jews in honoring God. There are Jews for Jesus just like there are Gentiles like me for Jesus. As far as what to honor or not to honor I would say each man follow his own conscience of the scripture that he has. It would be wrong of me to tell you as a Jewish believer you have to be just like me, just as it would be for you to say I need to follow some of the Jewish customs in order to honor God.

 

[Alithis]

as someone mentioned earlier

abstain from sexual sin ,(puts the christian liberals in a dilemma ) abstain from food you know has been offered to idols or strangled ,(puts users of idols statues dead saints and feasts to them in a dilemma) abstain from eating blood (few have a problem with this except some brits with their awful blackpudding ) stay away from these things ..and you do well
so the apostles ,all of the house of Jacob (Israel) ,including Paul who was a pharisee of highest order all agreed in Christ , that the law of Moses given to him by God , was not to be laid upon the church ( the church being everyone in whom the Holy Spirit dwells ) jew and gentile alike .

Paul also states that one must NOT judge ones brother in Christ is they so choose to observe certain customs of the law (in as much as they do not deny God in doing so ...like sexual orientated feasts .. idols and eating blood would ).
So many cultural practices continued ... hence today many Israeli believers in Yeshua (Jesus) continue to observe lawful custom and many gentile believers continue to observe December Christmas... even though one does not bring righteousness and the other is a man made observance at the wrong time of the year steeped in all manner of twisted history .
but we are not to condemn one another in that regard but love one another in Christ Jesus who loved us and laid down his life for us and rose again to life in victory for us .

the law only applies to a person who lives under it ... but we have been made dead in Christ Jesus by baptism of full immersion into HIS DEATH ..we are dead with him .. and as he is also Resurrected from the dead , we who are in him ,and he in us .. are made alive again in his resurrection .. thus having died we are freed from the written law and now live -as new creatures in him-under the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

people get confused by what this new law is
allow me to simplify it .. it is simply .. receiving the Holy Spirit and then listening to him and obeying him ... no more ,no less .

he is GOD SPEAKING .."for he does not speak of himself but only what the father is saying .." we are reconciled to God and become like Adam before the separation. walking and talking with God .. Adam broke no written aw to sin .. he heard god and did not listen or obey ... we are returned to that relationship -hence if we misbehave and do not listen .. knowing what is right to do we do not do it .. then THAT.. is sin to us .. nothing to do with the law .thus if we do muck up we can admit .. confess our sin and he is faithful and just to forgive us .. and we go on learning to walk in obedience to the promised Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth

having already died in Christ , who died as the punishment of the written law , we are no longer under the law nor can we be judged by the law nor condemned by the written law . so go rejoicing and obey .

for Jesus said - my sheep HEAR my voice and i know them and they follow me

 

[Alithis]

may i add i so love Israel who are the original branches of the vine into which i am grafted by the grace of God displayed in his only begotten son ,spoken forth from his heart in which his speaking became flesh and i love Passover ,but not being a Jew im not supposed to observe it in that manner -i think .
and yet i remember it at every communion .at every communion i remember the death that has passed over me because of the wonderful immeasurable wealth of the blood of the Lamb provided by God to be the perfect sacrifice for sin once an d for all AMEN