Matthew 5:17-20. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” This does not mean His personal obedience to the law—in that also He was ever the Perfect One. He came to make good all that was written in the law and the prophets. He came to complete all God’s mind written in them.
Matthew 5:18 declares that all must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). His life on earth was the keeping of it without a flaw; His death on Calvary, bearing its curse for transgressors, maintained its authority. Thus He established it, and in grace bore its curse to set the believer free.
He will not weaken its authority (Matt. 5:19), but it must be the law of God and not the traditions of men, and it must be obedience from the heart and not the outward lip worship and righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes (Mark 7:6-7; Psa. 51:6). The Lord insists on godliness in His people, and works in them desires to please Him. They must judge sin in their ways if they are to walk with God.
Matthew 5:21-24 apply the law to the heart. Violence and anger that end in murder, spring from the heart. Our Lord treats all feelings of contempt or hatred as coming under the same list as murder, in the sight of God. How careful therefore we should be not to allow evil thoughts or words against any one.
Matthew 5:23. “Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gifts.” This is in Jewish form, but its meaning is plain, that we are at once to do all we can to be reconciled to the brother offended. We are not supposed to have anything against our brother. Notice that a brother may have something in his mind against us that we cannot remove, but we are to do our utmost to remove it, then we are reconciled to him.
Matthew 5:25 and 26. Israel should have agreed with Jehovah quickly, but did not; consequently they are now as a nation shut out from the promises and are in prison till Isaiah 40:1-2, is fulfilled. They are guilty of Christ’s death, and, like the manslayer in the city of refuge, they cannot get their inheritance till the priesthood is changed (Num. 35:25-28).
Matthew 5:27-30. Here again the evil in the heart is exposed and judged as if the sin were committed; so in verses 29 and 30, self-judgment is put before the soul as of more importance than a right eye or a right foot; no matter how valuable the thing is, it must be judged, if it leads the soul away from God. Hell here is Gehenna, and answers to the lake of fire as a figure.
Matthew 5:31, 32. The Lord declares the solemnity and lastingness of the marriage tie, going back to its original intention, so that no one can, in the fear of God, break the tie. The only reason adduced as valid to put away a wife, is, where the bond has already been broken by unfaithfulness; and to marry one put away, is to commit adultery.
Matthew 5:33-37. The disciples are warned here to let their language be simple, “yea” and “nay,” and this to them should be just as binding as an oath.
This does not hinder the Christian taking the oath in a court of justice. There he is to own the authority of God in the magistrate to govern the world, but in ordinary life anything more comes of the evil one.
Matthew 5:38-42. How different is the path of the disciples of Jesus here than Moses’ disciples. It is not retaliation or demanding justice, but “I say unto you, that ye resist not evil,” and show grace instead (Phil. 4:5). We can suffer, and commit our souls to Him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19) It is acceptable with God if we suffer and take it patiently; but we may show the oppressor his evil ways in what he is doing.
We could not walk in such a path with a fallen nature. Only as sustained by grace divine can we follow our Lord here.
Matthew 5:42. Notice, it does not say, “Give to him that asketh of thee, what he asketh of thee,” for then we would be often in fellowship with, and helping on, sin; but we are to give, that is, to meet the need, if we can, before the Lord, but with wisdom from Him. I might only give my advice or sympathy, yet it is meeting the need; that is before us (1 John 3:17).
Matthew 5:43-48. We can think of the Lord Jesus carrying out all this in His own life so blessedly. He loved His neighbor more than Himself. He gave His life for us. Let us ponder this portion. He shows us the Father’s goodness to all men, as a pattern for His followers. How plain are the words “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven”—that is, in character. This is the perfection that is spoken of here.
(Continued)