Often I encounter situations where someone gets confused regarding statements Jesus made such as:
Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 "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. 19 "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. 20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
When Jesus says this he is a man under the Law. He is speaking prior to the cross, he has not yet ascended to the real holy of holies to sprinkle His blood on all the articles and offer a final atonement that is good for all eternity.
He reinforces the Law to those under it so that they clearly realize they cannot be made righteous by it. It is intended to drive them to a better solution which will be given to them under a New Covenant soon to be established by Jesus himself. Just as Moses ascended up the mountain to bring back a covenant Jesus ascended Golgotha to a cross, then to a borrowed grave, and from there into heaven itself to establish His Covenant.
Until the New Covenant was in place the Old one remained in force and to teach men to break it would have been horrible because one would be teaching men to stumble. Not that we now teach men to be law breakers but we do not use the law as a means to establish righteousness, now that a new way has been made.
In other words whatever covenant is in force those who adhere to it and teach others to do so are the greatest and those who esteem it lightly and teach others to do the same are the least. This was true of the Old Covenant while it was in force and is now true of the New Covenant that is everlasting and in force.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
