The Fulfillment of the Law in Christ
Matthew 5:17-20
Introduction
It is important that this morning we begin where we ended two weeks ago. Some of you weren’t here others of you have forgotten, myself included. So let’s remind ourselves what we saw from Hebrews 8
Matt 5:17-20
[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 say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. [19] Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
1. The Intended Fulfillment of the Law in Christ
Jesus says, “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.” What does it mean that Jesus has fulfilled the Law? Well it depends on how we understand the word ‘fulfill.’
This word is has been understood in all kinds of ways. Some think Jesus fulfills the law by confirming or establishing it. Others think that he fulfills it by bringing the fuller, intended meaning to the law. Still yet, there are those that think Jesus reduces the law to its simplest form.
There is something of a grain a truth to some of those things, but all of those things understandings also have problems when we look to the bigger picture of Jesus’ teaching. The best way to find out what Jesus means when he says he fulfills the law is to look in other places where the word fulfilled is used and see what it means.
When you look at Matthew especially, you see that this word almost always means to fulfill a prediction or prophecy. In the past, God said he would do something, and then he fulfills his word and does it.
Those listening to Jesus teach would have heard him say things that clearly overturned what the law said. And so Jesus is saying ‘Be careful in how you understand my teaching. I am not seeking to abolish the Law or the Prophets. Instead – in my teaching, in my life, I am bringing to pass all that the Law looked forward to.’
Thus Jesus did not come to keep, preserve, or intensify the Law, but to fulfill it. He is not coming to simply maintain the tradition, or to destroy it. All of God’s previous revelation – all of the Old Testament has pointed to him, and now he is here. He brings all of its expectations to pass.
If you’re studying for a degree in Engineering or Education. You are preparing for a specific task – to be an engineer or to be a teacher. You go to school, you take classes on all kinds of diverse subject related to your field. You have life experiences and internships that help your education along, making concepts more clear to you.
Then, you graduate and get a job in your field. Suddenly everything that you have been working towards becomes reality. You weren’t just going to school for the sake of getting a degree. The school was a means to an end, a goal. Now the education is over and the goal has been met. That doesn’t mean that you forget everything you learned. It means that now all of your education is put to its proper use.
The Law’s relationship to Christ is very similar. Everything in the Old Testament is pointing forward to Christ. Every story, every passage, every proverb, every law, every list of dimensions for the Ark, and every genealogy – all of them were inspired by God and wrote down by men in anticipation of Christ.
And now what was anticipated has come. Christ has come and brought fulfillment to the Law. Why should we treasure the fulfillment of the law by Christ? Because it means that we are no longer under the old covenant that existed between Israel and God. Now, as Christians, we are part of the new covenant in Christ.
So what does that mean for how we are to relate to the Old Testament Law?
2. The Abiding Relevance of the Law in Christ
Jesus says, “I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
Jesus has come to fulfill the law and he says that until the plan of God in Christ is complete, the entirety of the law has lasting value. Now, there are traditionally two ways to explain how Law still has value for the Christian. (Actually, there are more than two, but only two that really make any sense).
First, some want to say that there are three parts of the Mosaic Law – the ceremonial, the civil, and the moral. The ceremonial is the part that deals with the worship of Israel – everything related to the Temple, the sacrifices, and the priesthood. Then there’s the civil – all of the laws that deal with the larger social life of Israel, the kingship, military service, etc. Then there is the moral law – everything that spoke to what God had declared was right and wrong. It was epitomized by the Ten Commandments.
And some will say that in fulfilling the in the Law, Christ does away with the ceremonial and civil parts, but upholds the moral part of the Law. So even as Christians we are obligated to keep the moral laws of the Old Testament.
But there are some problems with that. First, no where in the Bible is that distinction every made. No biblical writer ever breaks the Law up that way.
More importantly though, because God gave the law – all of it is moral. If you didn’t keep any part of the law, whether it dealt with the priesthood or public sanitation, it was sin; a moral offense against God.
Finally, Jesus himself seems to bring to an end certain laws that appear to be moral in nature, like keeping the Sabbath. It’s hard to say we should keep the Ten Commandments when Jesus himself says, no you don’t need to.
This option just doesn’t seem to work.
The second option says this – just as Jesus says, the Old Testament Law is not Old Testament be abandoned. However, because it pointed to him, and find fulfillment in him, the Law must now be interpreted in light of Christ.
In other words, we understand that the Old Testament Law was just that – rules and regulations that served the life and worship of a very specific people, the nation of Israel. Those things were good and helpful but now that Christ has come, there purpose has come to an end.
This is why Paul says to the Galatians “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. [25] But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,” (3:24-25).
Those laws no longer stand as the ultimate standard of conduct for God’s people. Now, it is the teachings of Christ that act as the standard for God’s people.
Furthermore, Christ and his teachings are the lens by which the Law is to be understood and obeyed by Christians. This is why the New Testament writers can talk about the something called the ‘Law of Christ.’
The most helpful passage on this is from Paul in 1 Corinthians 9. There he is talking about adapting his way of life in non-sinful ways so that he associate with people and share the gospel with them. So, he says, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel,” (22-23).
So how is Paul going to relate to Jewish people who live according to the Old Testament, Jewish Law? He says, – “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. [20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.
He says, although I am not under the Law, bound to keep it in any way, I will gladly live according to the Law in order to have fellowship with my Jewish brothers so that I can tell them about their Messiah, Jesus.
But then, what does he do when he is around Gentiles? Paul says, “To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law” (9:19-21).
What does he say? Around Gentiles, I don’t keep the Law. But notice what he says. He says, just because I don’t keep the Old Testament Law, that doesn’t mean I don’t keep God’s law – that doesn’t mean I live an immoral life, doing whatever I want. No, as one who believe in Christ, I am under God’s law – specifically, the law of Christ.
This then is the new covenant believer’s relationship to the old covenant Law. The Law is not our Law – it is not our final standard of conduct like it was for Israel. Rather, it is the law of Christ – his teachings that serve as the final authority in our life.
However, the Law has an abiding relevance to us if we read it, understand it, and apply it through the lens of Christ. Because he is the goal of the law, Christ determines in what sense the law continues, what its true direction is, and how it is to be obeyed.
3. The Radical Righteousness of the Law of Christ
In verse 19, Jesus says, “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
In Jesus’ day, if you were to get Zogby or someone to poll the people ask them who were the most righteous people living, the answer would have come back, ‘The Pharisees.’ They seemed to keep meticulous care of the Law, dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s.
But Jesus say, look my disciples will have a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees. When the people heard that they would have been thinking, ‘How is that possible?’
The truth is it would have been easier than that they thought. Because the Pharisees’ righteousness was not a real righteousness. They claimed to care about the Law, but they really trashed it. They had reduced the Law to a series of do’s and don’ts and lost any sense of the Law’s calling to a life of radical holiness in all areas of life.
More than that though, they were depending on their obedience to the law to make them right with God and bring God’s blessing on their lives. It was deadly mix of grace and works. The Pharisees thought that God’s grace got them – they were born as Jews. But then their works kept them in the covenant; their works saved them.
But what does Jesus say? That kind of thinking, that way of pursuing righteousness just won’t cut it. [20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
How can our righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees? By seeking to live by the Spirit and not according to a set of rules. If we look to the Gospel and not the Law for encouragement to holiness.
Let me explain what I mean. As Christians we should not try to look at the Old Testament Law and be motivated to godliness. The Law wasn’t intended for that. The Law says ‘do this and live.’ God said keep these commands according to the covenant promise you made and it will go well with you in the land I have given you.
But we’re not under that covenant anymore. So what do we do? We not look for another law, even the law of Christ. Instead, we look to the Gospel and hear Christ say, “Live! Now do.”
The law of Christ is helpful to us because our minds are not yet fully transformed by God’s Spirit. So, it helps give us guidance as to how we are to pursue holiness. But we never treat it as law in the sense of keeping something to make God happy with me.
The gospel says, ‘God gives us grace, gives us spiritual life, forgives our sins, and then says live in a way that pleases me.’ We aren’t trying to be holy so that God will accept us. Instead, we are living holy lives because we love Christ so much for saving us!
I hear all the time about people who have marriage problems. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a perfect marriage, but it’s a good one. Because I’ve learned the secret of a good marriage: don’t be selfish.
When I’m selfish, the marriage is bad. When I’m not selfish the marriage is good. The more I give and sacrifice and show love towards Melinda, the more she displays her love for me. If I strut around the house like the boss, there’s going to be friction. But if try to serve her with humility, and be a leader and not a bully, she gladly follows and love me all the more for it.
The principle holds for all relationships. When you show love, you’re going to be shown love. It’s as easy as that. And the same is true when it comes to pursuing holiness.
Romans 1-11 is all theology, and then chapter 12 begins Paul’s shift into exhorting the Roman Christians to live holy lives. Do you know what kind of theology Romans 1-11 contains? It’s basically all the gospel.
So when it gets to chapter 12, Paul can say ‘offer your lives as a sacrifice to God – living, holy, and acceptable to God. Why should I do that Paul? He says, because of the mercies of God. Because God looked at the sinfulness of your heart and saw a person who only deserved the just sentence of eternal punishment you deserve.
But instead of punishing you, he sent his own Son to die in your place. And that son, Christ, went willingly out of love for his Father and love for sinners who would one day be called his people.
And when you come to grips with that, when you believe it, and trust Christ as your savior by faith, then the pursuit of holiness completely changes.
Conclusion
One pastor puts it like this:
“We are blood-bought servants of Christ. He loved us and gave himself for us. He died that we might be dead indeed unto sin and alive unto God. Jesus Christ, the incarnate, crucified and exalted Son of God — he is our Lord, our Master, our Husband. We love him because he first loved us. We desire to listen to his voice, to obey his sweet commands, to place ourselves under his light yoke. We long to please him, to receive his “well-done, good and faithful servant” at the last day. We do not obey because it is required under threat of judgment. We obey because we have already been judged in forensic union with Christ and have come out the other side to walk in newness of resurrection life, the life of Christ beating in us and through us by his Spirit.
We do not obey in order to enhance our assurance of God’s favor. We obey because we have already received the ultimate, definitive verdict, pronounced in the cross and resurrection, that we are perfectly, irrevocably righteous in God’s sight and entitled to enter heaven on the basis of the perfect righteousness and merit of Christ. The gavel has come down, the sentence has rung out throughout the universe: You are mine! No one can snatch you out of my hand! You are my blood-bought servant, a brand snatched from the burning! No angel, no demon, no sin can take you out of the favor of being accepted in the Beloved!
And so, in reliance on that immense grace, I strive to obey everything that Jesus, lover of my soul, commands me. I cannot bear to look at the . . . law of God . . . without immediately being struck with terror and wilting under its crushing weight. But when I gaze upon my Savior’s face, when I see the wounds in his hands and feet and side, when I see his gracious eyes of love, knowing that I am his and he is mine, then I am ready and willing to leap up in joy to serve him at his every beck and call. Lord Jesus, I am ready. Command me! I will follow. I long to do your will. I will not do it perfectly. I will fall on my face. But you will uphold me and set me back on my feet. You will reassure me that I belong to you even when I stumble and sin. And you will enable me, by your Spirit, to begin, in some small measure, to put to death the misdeeds of the body and to bring forth the fruit of righteousness to the glory of your name.”
Christian brothers and sisters, do not look to the Law for salvation or as a rule to live be. Look to Christ. Look to his love for you and joyfully obey him by the power of his Spirit.
