Read: Matthew 4:12-6:18
Verses chosen for reflection:
Matthew 5:17 “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.
Reflection:
Some of us might feel a sense of relief that we are finally reading the New Testament. The Old Testament had seem difficult to grasp and understand. Yet, as we read the first few chapters of the Gospel of Matthew, the Old Testament comes into the picture again.
Matthew 5:17-20 speaks precisely of how interrelated the Old Testament is with the New. The passage tells us that Jesus had not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them. Perhaps there were accusations against Jesus; that He taught people to disregard God's laws. That probably came from the way He talked about the Sabbath or even his friendship with the "sinners". His self invitation into Zacchaeus' home (a great sinner by the Pharisee's standards) must had been a shock to many who were serious about "law keeping".
Hence, Jesus' defence, that He had not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. In fact, Jesus had come to fulfil the Law and the Prophets. What did he mean and does this has anything to do with the 21st century Christian?
When Jesus said He had come to fulfil the Law and the Prophets, He meant that He had not come to do away with what was in the Old Testament. Rather, He had come to make reality on what was being said. His incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection were all fulfilment of what was said about Him through the prophets.
The prophecy that a Messiah would be given to Israel and the whole world, for the purpose of salvation and eternal life. Jesus' fulfilment also points to His revelation of God's will in our lives. That as followers of Christ, we ought to follow the example that Jesus had given in how He interpreted and obeyed the laws of God.
Hence, God's commandments especially in the form of the moral laws (Ten Commandments) are still relevant and important. Whereas the ceremonial laws are now irrelevant as they were a foreshadow of how Jesus paid for our sins with His own blood.
Jesus' interpretation of the commandments of God in the realm of how we should treat one another is even stricter than that proposed by the Pharisees (read the Sermon on the Mount). This was because the Pharisees did not understand the spirit of the law but could only apply the letter of it.
Yet, because of the resurrection and the Holy Spirit, we who believe can have righteousness which exceeds the Pharisees. This is because the Holy Spirit empowers our obedience. We live in grace, but it will be grace that propels our obedience to be holy even as God is holy. Hence, those who teach others to obey God's commandments in Christ, as Jesus said, would be call great in His kingdom.
Relate
We live in a society that embraces lawless living. We want to be our own man. We hate restrictions or a sense that our "freedom" is taken away. Even for Christians, we can live in implicit dislike of the "rules". Hence, church going becomes a chore. Devotions becomes obligatory. Ministry becomes self serving.
Yet, we totally miss the point if that is how we choose to live our life in Christ. God's commandments are given not to restrict but to show us our depravity. It will then be humility and a reverence for God, that we want to obey through the grace of Christ and power of the Holy Spirit. In this way, God's commandments need not "bind" us, but rather free us from our temptation to sin. They give us guidelines that a better way is possible. We can choose to live in true joy and a kind of spiritual freedom which can never be given by the world. For while the world champion "freedom" and "liberty"; it is shackled by its own selfish interest and hence hypocrisy.
Therefore, living in God suggested an "alternate reality". An alternate reality that even though we live in this world, we choose to do things differently. We behave largely for the benefit of others and not for ourselves. We do things that speaks of selflessness and love; instead of the sense of entitlement and selfishness frequently proposed by the world. In that way, the world can see the difference. We can truly be the salt and light of this world and make an impact.
Otherwise, we will continue to be a lamp hidden in the cave of our own making or fear. For Jesus had come not to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but He had come to fulfil them; so that we can have life and have it abundantly.
Rest
King of Kings by Brooke Ligertwood
Jason
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