Putting on Christ Series 11/21/11

11/21/11


^"17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

 ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

 ¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 ²⁰For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 5:17-20

King James Version (KJV)

"Here 'law' refers not only to covenant obligations revealed at Sinai but to the entire Pentateuch. Here 'fulfill' means to bring the OT revelation to its intended goal. Jesus goes on to declare the enduring, validity, & authority of every detail of the law until it is fulfilled. With Christ's first coming may aspects of the law are brought to complete fruition. As the eschatological fulfillment of the old covenant, in His person Jesus brings to an end to the ceremonial shadows (sacrifices & festivals) & transforms old covenant customs into new covenant realities (baptism, the sign of the covenant made with the church, appears to replace circumcision, the sign of the covenant made with physical Israel). The Lord's Supper both replaces the Passover meal (Matthew 26:17-29 Mark 14:12-26 Luke 22:13-20) & anticipates the eschatological covenant meal (Revelation 19:6-10) of which the meal eaten on Sinai (Exodus 24:9-11; cp. Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25) was but a foretaste. However, other aspects of the law were to remain in force until Christ's return. When we read the OT law, we should always be open to both continuities & discontinuities with NT demands," Holman Illustrated Dictionary. Christians must not only talk the Christian talk, but walk the Christian walk. We can't be as hypocrites, teaching others the Commandments, while we are breaking them. Neither are we to teach others to break them. James 2:10 lets us know that if we break one, we're guilty of all. We have to pay attention to the law. We have to be better than false teachers/hypocrites. We have to clean the inside & out.