Redefining and Fulfilling God's Law
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“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.” (Matthew 5:17 NIV) [see full text in button/link below]
An Introduction to Matthew 5:17-48
Our problem with laws and rules. All humans tend to resist or outright rebel against the law. Any law or rule. Some people are more inclined to keep the law but still have an innate resistance within them. This resistance or rebellion is embedded in our nature. It’s called selfishness.
Where does it come from? We inherited it from our first ancestors, Adam and Eve. I’ve written about this before, so I won’t take time to explain it here, but we naturally shift blame and responsibility onto others to make ourselves look good or better than we are.1
And yet, we all tend towards some form of legalism—some attempt to justify ourselves before God and others. We do this by trying to maintain a morally upright life through our own efforts and merits. This leads to some form of self-righteousness—a false sense of righteousness.
Once Jesus establishes what the nature of God’s Kingdom is and who its citizens are with the Beatitudes and declarations of being the salt and light of the earth. As we continue to consider Matthew Chapter 5, we see how Jesus further redefines the original intent of the Mosaic Law and how it is fulfilled. At the time of His teaching, the people, including the apostles and other disciples, had no idea how Jesus would fulfill “the Law and the Prophets.” Only after the resurrection of Jesus would they understand.2
Insights
Let’s consider why Jesus needed to redefine the Law. Most Christian believers think of the Law—the Mosaic Law or Law of Moses—as the commandments given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai, which is summed up in the Ten Commandments found in Exodus and Deuteronomy.3
Moses received the Law through the intermediary ministry of angels.4 We find the specifics of the Law in the book of Leviticus then repeated for a new generation in Deuteronomy. The Law is the basis for the Old Covenant (Testament). The Law provided guidance for life, relationships, and worship, so Israel would be an example to other nations of a people who worshipped the One, True, and Living God.
The Ten Commandments are a general summary of the Law, but Jesus summarized them further into two primary commandments to love God with all we are and our neighbor as ourselves.5 When Jesus refers to the Law (the Torah),6 He quotes from the book of Deuteronomy more than any other Old Testament book.
The nation of Israel’s relationship with God was based on the Old Covenant.
Over the centuries, reaching back to the Babylonian Captivity, various rabbis added their interpretations and traditions as a way of explaining the Law for everyday life. But these commentaries expanded on the original intent of the Law to make it more contemporary.
Along the way, many of these commentaries and interpretations added ways of skirting the demands of the Law to provide a less stringent way of keeping the Law. This is what Jesus addresses in this next portion of the Sermon on the Mount.
Redefining and Fulfilling God’s Law
Jesus redefines the Law from the traditions of the Mishnah and Talmud back to God’s original intent of the Law when given to Moses.7 Again, the Law was given to Israel so their lives and worship would be in contrast to other nations (people groups) involved in idolatry and the often degrading practices of their worship of many gods.
Jesus gives a much simpler explanation of the basics of the Law and its direct impact on relationships. Jesus makes it clear that He did not come to abolish or destroy the Law, but to fulfill it. When He says this, Jesus is preparing the way for a new relationship with God. A New Covenant based on grace, not human effort to keep the Law of God.
This New Covenant is a fulfillment of specific prophecies by Jeremiah and Ezekiel.8 However, this New Covenant was only established when Jesus offered Himself as a final atoning sacrifice upon the cross and by His resurrection from the dead.
Through His life and ministry on earth and in offering Himself up as the Lamb of God, Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Law—once and for all—for all sin, for all people, and for all time.9
Jesus came to fulfill all the Law’s requirements and to bring eternal freedom and forgiveness to those who trust in God through faith.
Reflection—
We all resist or outright rebel against laws and rules because of our selfish nature. And yet, we try to justify and rationalize our behavior and decisions in life to make ourselves look good or better than others. Only Jesus can set us free from all of that.
Prayer Focus—
When you find yourself in conflict with your conscience and what you know is right and good and what God desires for you, seek the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to show you how to live in the freedom of His forgiveness and grace.
Footnotes–
Kimball, T. (2021a, October 19). Shame, blame, and consequences —. Word-Strong With Trip Kimball. https://tripkimball.com/thinking-out-loud/shame-blame-and-consequences-a7b8h
In the last chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus explains how it was necessary for Him (the Messiah) to suffer crucifixion and be raised from the dead. (Read through all of Luke 24)
1. See– Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21
See– Acts 7:28, 53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2
See– Matthew 22:37-40
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (1998, July 20). Torah | Definition, Meaning, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Torah
GotQuestions.org. (2022, January 5). GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/Mishnah-midrash.html | https://www.gotquestions.org/Talmud.html
See– Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:26-27
See– Luke 22:14-20; Hebrews 7:23-27; 8:6, 13; 9:15
This is an excerpt from a soon-to-be-published book called The Heart and Soul of God’s Kingdom. Look for it on Amazon with my other books— Trip Kimball on Amazon
