THRU THE BIBLE - MATTHEW 5:17-20 - “Forgiven & Free to Obey”
John 14:15-16 NKJV
If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
John 6:28-29 NKJV
Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.
Revelation 12:17 NKJV
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
Matthew 5:17-20 NKJV
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 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. 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. 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.
What is the law and the prophets?
What does it mean for them to be fulfilled?
Will heaven & earth have to pass away first?
What does the warning mean?(V19)
What about the “unless”? V20)
Matthew 5:17 NKJV
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
MATTHEW 2:17
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah
MATTHEW 2:23
...so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled...
MATTHEW 4:14
so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled
MATTHEW 13:14
...the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled.
MATTHEW 26:56
...all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.
MATTHEW 27:9
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah...
Matthew 5:18 NKJV
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.
THE LAW & THE GOSPEL
1. THE PRIESTHOOD
THE LAW
Exodus 40:15
Deuteronomy 18:5
THE GOSPEL
I Peter 2:5 NKJV
“you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Romans 12:1 NKJV
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
2. THE TEMPLE
THE LAW
Exodus 23:14-17
THE GOSPEL
I Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
3. THE VEIL
THE LAW
Exodus 26:33 NKJV
“And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy.”
THE GOSPEL
Matthew 27:51 NKJV
“Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,”
Hebrews 10:19-23 NKJV
“…brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
4. THE SACRIFICES
THE LAW
Exodus 26:31-35
Leviticus 16
THE GOSPEL
Hebrews 10:3-5 NKJV
“But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.”
Hebrews 9:24-26 NKJV
“For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
5. THE CIRCUMCISION
THE LAW
Leviticus 12:1-3
THE GOSPEL
Romans 2:26-29 NKJV
“Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”
Philippians 3:2-3
“Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—”
Galatians 5:11-12 NIV
“Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!”
Galatians 5:1-6 NKJV
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”
Romans 3:20 NIV
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.”
Hebrews 8:13 NKJV
“In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”
THE LAW TODAY
1. It witness against us
2. It points to Jesus
3. It teaches us the nature of God
4. It gives us wisdom
5. It challenges us to love God & love our neighbor
Galatians 3:24-25 NKJV
“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
John 1:17 NKJV
“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
John 5:39-40 NKJV
“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”
Matthew 17:1-9 NKJV
“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.
Luke 9:30-31 NKJV
“And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”
IT IS FINISHED (fulfilled)
1. The righteous requirements needed to satisfy the just nature of God were fulfilled.
2. The Provision for man to be restored to relationship with a holy God were fulfilled
John 19:28-30
“…knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit.”