Scripture Study: Matthew 5:17-48

From: Young Christian: Volume 2, 1912

Matthew 5:17‑48 • 5 min. read • grade level: 8

Matthew 5:17-20¹⁷Think 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). “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 5:18¹⁸For 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. (Matthew 5:18) declares that all must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44⁴⁴And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. (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. 5:19¹⁹Whosoever 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. (Matthew 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 7:6-7⁶He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Mark 7:6‑7); Psa. 51:6⁶Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. (Psalm 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 5:21-24²¹Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ²²But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. ²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; ²⁴Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (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 5:23²³Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; (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 5:25²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. (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 40:1-2¹Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. ²Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. (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. 35:25-28²⁵And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; ²⁷And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: ²⁸Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. (Numbers 35:25‑28)).

Matthew 5:27-30²⁷Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: ²⁸But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. ²⁹And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³⁰And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. (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, 32³¹It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: ³²But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. (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 5:33-37³³Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: ³⁴But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: ³⁵Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. ³⁷But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (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.