Matthew 5: The law of the Kingdom of God, a blessing for the community - Author: Evert Jan Hempenius

Transcription

1 Matthew 5: The law f the Kingdm f Gd, a blessing fr the cmmunity - Authr: Evert Jan Hempenius Fr any questins abut this Scripture passage r the ntes, please cntact us thrugh the Cntact Us tab n the website. Intrductin Jesus said: D nt think that I have cme t ablish the Law r the Prphets; I have nt cme t ablish them but t fulfill them (Mt 5:17). When we learn frm him, hw he practised and taught the cmmands given by the Law (Genesis-Deuternmy) r the prphets as the Old Testament cmmentary n the Law, the church f tday will discver WISDOM, the wisdm f Christ, the wisdm f Gd, wisdm taught by the Hly Spirit. This WISDOM will prve t be a blessing fr the individual Christian, the Christian cmmunity and the sciety in general. The cntext, frm, and structure as well as the thelgical, technical and hermeneutical ntes given in this sermn utline verlap smewhat with ther sermn utlines taken frm the Sermn n the Munt (Mt 5-7). This makes it pssible t use this utline as a stand-alne r as part f a series. Cntext T understand the teachings f Jesus, a brief summary f the histrical backgrund is necessary. The baptism f Jesus (Mt 3:13-17): Befre Jesus was baptized by Jhn, he said: Let it be s nw; it is prper fr us t d this t fulfill all righteusness. And afterwards: As sn as Jesus was baptized, he went up ut f the water. At that mment heaven was pened, and he saw the Spirit f Gd descending like a dve and

2 lighting n him. And a vice frm heaven said, This is my Sn, whm I lve; with him I am well pleased. The preaching f Jesus: The Sermn n the Munt teaches this fulfilment f all righteusness. <> Fr I tell yu that unless yur righteusness surpasses that f the Pharisees and the teachers f the law (Mt 5:20). Jesus had already been preaching in the synaggues in Galilee fr sme time befre he delivered his sermn n the munt. Matthew summarized these sermns as fllws: Frm that time n Jesus began t preach, Repent, fr the kingdm f heaven is near (Mt 4:17). Jesus cntinued and tk ver the ministry f Jhn the Baptist: In thse days Jhn the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert f Judea and saying, Repent, fr the kingdm f heaven is near (Mt 3:1 2). And later n, when Jesus sent ut his twelve disciples: As yu g, preach this message: The kingdm f heaven is near (Mt 10:7). These tw themes, repentance and the kingdm, are prminent in the Sermn n the Munt. The life f Jesus Christ: Jesus taught the Law and the Prphets, and he lived accrding t the Law and the Prphets. The Sermn n the Munt reflects his life. He lived accrding t his wn teachings and by ding s set an example fr his fllwers, the disciples. A clear example is fund in Matthew 5:39: D nt resist an evil persn. If smene strikes yu n the right cheek, turn t him the ther als. When Jesus was arrested, he didn t strike back. The future f the kingdm: After his resurrectin, Jesus summned his eleven disciples t g back t the munt: All authrity in heaven and n earth has been given t me. Therefre g and make disciples f all natins ( ) and teaching them t bey everything I have cmmanded yu (Mt 28:18-20). This authrity is reflected in expressins like: But I tell yu that anyne wh is angry with his brther will be subject t judgment (Mt 5:22). And in: Nt everyne wh says t me, Lrd, Lrd, will enter the kingdm f heaven, but (Mt 7:20).

3 Frm and structure The Sermn n the Munt cnsists f five main parts: 1. General calling t repentance and the prmise f the kingdm: Matthew 5:3-10, characterized by: Blessed are 2. Then Jesus turns t his disciples and all wh want t learn frm him: Blessed are yu The main theme is the prphets (Mt 5:11-16). 3. The central part is an expsitin f the Law and the Prphets (Mt 5:17-7:12): D nt think that I have cme t ablish the Law r the Prphets; I have nt cme t ablish them but t fulfil them (Mt 5:17) The Lrd s Prayer is fund at the very centre f the sermn! S in everything, d t thers what yu wuld have them d t yu, fr this sums up the Law and the Prphets (Mt 7:12). 4. After his expsitin f the Law and the Prphets, he returns t the theme f the Prphets and warns against the false prphets (Mt 7:13-23). This cntrasts with the secnd part f the sermn. 5. He cncludes his sermn again with a general call t chse: Therefre everyne wh hears these wrds f mine (Mt 7:24-27). The structure f Matthew 5:17-20: Jesus Christ, the teacher f the Law and the Prphets Refutatin (verse 17) Affirmatin (verse 18) D nt think that I have cme t ablish the Law r the Prphets; I have nt cme t ablish them but t fulfill them. I tell yu the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, nt the smallest letter, nt the least strke f a pen, will by any means disappear frm the Law until everything is accmplished. The disciples, trained t be teachers f the Law and the Prphets Refutatin (verse 19) Anyne wh breaks ne f the least f these cmmandments and teaches thers t d the same will be called least in the kingdm f heaven, but whever practices and teaches these cmmands will be called great in the kingdm f heaven.

4 Affirmatin (verse 20) Fr I tell yu that unless yur righteusness surpasses that f the Pharisees and the teachers f the law, yu will certainly nt enter the kingdm f heaven. The first refutatin is clear. Jesus refutes accusatins, made against him by the Pharisees. This refutatin f the allegatin is based n the first affirmatin. The secnd refutatin anticipates the future when the disciples are sent ut int the wrld and teaching them t bey everything I have cmmanded yu. Technical and hermeneutical ntes It is imprtant t realize that Jesus preached this sermn arund 30 AD in Galilee: t Jews living in a cuntry which was part f the Rman Empire; wh had cntact with the Hellenistic (Greek) and Rman culture; this culture was prminent in a city like Tiberias (Lake f Tiberias = Sea f Galilee) and the Decaplis, nwadays Jrdan; t Jews wh frequented the synaggues and were used t listening t the teaching f the Pharisees and scribes, their spiritual leaders at that time; wh were expecting the prmised One (accrding t Dt 18:15-18; Mal 4:4-5; Mt 11:3); wh were lnging fr the restratin f the kingdm f Gd (Mt 11:12), which was the main theme f the teaching f Jesus. wh were familiar with the prphetic wrd f the Old Testament. This backgrund is needed t understand sme passages f the sermn, especially thse that speak f persecutin (Mt 5:10-12), pagans (Mt 6:7, 32) and f hypcrites. The selectin f tpics fund in the Sermn n the Munt reflects sme debated issues amng first-century Jews, such as divrce (Mt 5:31-32; Mt 19:3-9). Jesus didn't cver all aspects f the Law, fr instance, the furth cmmandment (Sabbath Day) is nt fund here, althugh it was htly debated between the Pharisees and Jesus (Mt 12:1-8). Neither did he refer t the greatest cmmandment (Mt 22:37-40). He especially cnfrnted the teaching f the Pharisees and Scribes. Sme f the tpics fund in the sermn are als fund in Matthew 23, where he cndemned them fr their hypcritical stance.

5 Jesus didn t give a new set f rules r applicatins but shwed a different mindset. This mindset is gverned by (see applicatin): the blessings f the kingdm (Mt 5:3-10); the Lrd s prayer (Mt 6:9-13), the central part f the sermn. The Old Testament backgrund is especially imprtant. Jesus taught the Law and the Prphets. The blessings are fund in the Bk f Psalms. Especially Psalm 1 is imprtant: Blessed is the man. his delight is in the law f the LORD, and n his law he meditates day and night (Ps 1:1,2; Ps 32:1-2; Ps 106:3; Ps 119:1-2). The parallels between Isaiah 61:1-4 and the first blessings are striking: The Spirit f the Svereign LORD is n me, because the LORD has aninted me (The baptism f the Lrd) t preach gd news t the pr. (Mt 5:3) He has sent me t bind up the brkenhearted, (Mt 5:4) t prclaim freedm fr the captives and release frm darkness fr the prisners, t prclaim the year f the LORD s favr and the day f vengeance f ur Gd, t cmfrt all wh murn, and prvide fr thse wh grieve in Zin t bestw n them a crwn f beauty instead f ashes, the il f gladness instead f murning, and a garment f praise instead f a spirit f despair. (Mt 5:4) They will be called aks f righteusness, a planting f the LORD fr the display f his splendr (Mt 5:6). Jesus refers t the persecutin f the prphets: Blessed are yu when peple insult yu, persecute yu and falsely say all kinds f evil against yu because f me. Rejice and be glad, because great is yur reward in heaven, fr in the same way they persecuted the prphets wh were befre yu (Mt 5:11 12). Law and grace Law and Grace is ne the main tpics f Lutheran and Refrmed thelgy. 1 The wrds f Jesus: D nt think that I have cme t ablish the Law r the Prphets; I have nt cme t ablish them but t fulfill them, must primarily be understd as an answer t the criticism f thers. Secndly, they are f help t study the relatinship between the law f Mses, and the grace and truth brught by Jesus Christ (Jn 1:17). 1 Law and Gspel. (2018, February 13). Retrieved February 16, 2018, frm

6 Wrds Ablish = καταλύω : 3. t end the effect r validity f smething, put an end t; a. t cause t be n lnger in frce ablish, annul, make invalid; d away with, annul r repeal the law. 2 Fulfill = πληρόω : depending n hw ne prefers t interpret the cntext, πληρόω is understd here either as fulfill=d, carry ut, r as bring t full expressin=shw it frth in its true meaning, r as fill up=cmplete. 3 Break = relax (ESV) λύω : Of cmmandments, laws, statements repeal, annul, ablish. 4 Righteusness = δικαιοσύνη : 3. the quality r characteristic f upright behavir, uprightness, righteusness. 5 Expsitin Verse 17 D nt think that I have cme t ablish the Law r the Prphets; Jesus had been preaching in the synaggues fr a while (Mt 4:12-17). He taught the Law and the Prphets differently cmpared t the Pharisees and the teachers f the Law (Mt 7:29). Why wuld peple think that Jesus had cme t ablish the Law r the Prphets? Culd he have given this impressin while he was preaching in their synaggues? We nly have a very shrt summary f the preaching f Jesus: Repent, fr the kingdm f heaven is near (Mt 4:17). The answer can be fund in Matthew 23, where Jesus severely criticizes the Pharisees and the teachers f the Law: But d nt d what they d, fr they d nt practice what they preach. They tie up heavy lads and put them n men s shulders, but they themselves are nt willing t lift a finger t mve them. We t yu, teachers f the law and Pharisees, yu hypcrites! Yu give a tenth f yur spices mint, dill and cummin. But yu have neglected the mre imprtant matters f the law justice, mercy and faithfulness. Yu shuld have practiced the latter, withut neglecting the frmer (Mt 23:13). 2 Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000, p. 522). 3 Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000, p. 829). 4 Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000, p. 607). 5 Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000, p. 248).

7 The Pharisees were criticizing Jesus: They asked his disciples, Why des yur teacher eat with tax cllectrs and sinners? (Mt 9:11). And: Lk! Yur disciples are ding what is unlawful n the Sabbath (Mt 12:2). They asked, Why d yur disciples break the traditin f the elders? They dn t wash their hands befre they eat! (Mt 15:1, 2). They were testing Jesus cncerning the Law. They asked, Is it lawful fr a man t divrce his wife fr any and every reasn? (Mt 19:3). One f them, an expert in the law, tested him with this questin: Teacher, which is the greatest cmmandment in the Law? (Mt 22:34-36). The teachings f Jesus differed frm the teachings f the Pharisees. When the listeners were cnvinced that the Pharisees taught the Law and the Prphets, - and they prbably were -, then a departure frm these teachings might sund as a nvelty and an ablishment f the Law and the Prphets. D nt. I frbid yu t think like this. 6 I have cme. Jesus pints t his missin, sent by his Father int this wrld. 7 I have nt cme t ablish them but t fulfill them. Jesus ascertains that he has nt cme t ablish the Law but t fulfill bth the Law and the Prphets. He in persn is the fulfilment f the Law and the Prphets. The Prphets can als be understd as a cmmentary n the Law. The Law cmprises the first five bks f the Bible, Genesis Deuternmy, als designated as Mses. The Prphets cmprise all ther Bks f the Old Testament. The prphets include nt nly the prphetical bks (Isaiah Malachi) but als the histrical bks (Jshua Nehemiah). The Law (Thra; Genesis Deuternmy) is in itself a mixture f histrical accunts, cmmands and rdinances, sngs and prphecies. The Law and the Prphets. An Example (Matthew 12:1-8). At that time Jesus went thrugh the grainfields n the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began t pick sme heads f grain and eat them. (verse 1) When the Pharisees saw this, they said t him, Lk! Yur disciples are ding what is unlawful n the Sabbath. (verse 2) He answered, Haven t yu read what Situatin The Law: Ex 20:9 11; 23:12; 31:15 17; 35:2. Nu 15: The use f the Law and the Prphets by 6 Wallace, D. B. (1996, p. 469). 7 Carsn, D. A. (2010, Vl. 9, p. 172).

8 David did when he and his cmpanins were hungry? He entered the huse f Gd, and he and his cmpanins ate the cnsecrated bread which was nt lawful fr them t d, but nly fr the priests. Or haven t yu read in the Law that n the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are inncent? I tell yu that ne greater than the temple is here. If yu had knwn what these wrds mean, I desire mercy, nt sacrifice, yu wuld nt have cndemned the inncent. Fr the Sn f Man is Lrd f the Sabbath. Jesus: 1 Sam 21:3-6; Lev 24:5 9; Nu 28:9, 10; Hs 6:6. T fulfill them. T fulfill can be explained by the image f the bud and the flwer. The bud already cntains everything. The flwer shws everything in its full splendr. The bud (Old Testament) Surely he tk up ur infirmities and carried ur srrws (Isa 53:4). I will pen my muth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things frm f ld (Ps 78:2). The Law and the Prphets. The Queen f the Suth will rise at the judgment with this generatin and cndemn it; fr she came frm the ends f the earth t listen t Slmn s wisdm (Mt 12:42; 1 Ki 10:1). The flwer (The Old Testament fulfilled) This was t fulfill what was spken thrugh the prphet Isaiah: He tk up ur infirmities and carried ur diseases (Mt 8:17). S was fulfilled what was spken thrugh the prphet: I will pen my muth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creatin f the wrld (Mt 13:37). The Gspel. and nw ne greater than Slmn is here (Mt 12:42). The Law and the Prphets cntain already the Gspel. The full splendr f the Law and the Prphets is LOVE & WISDOM, Christ in persn!

9 The apstle Paul wrte: Let n debt remain utstanding, except the cntinuing debt t lve ne anther, fr he wh lves his fellwman has fulfilled the law. The cmmandments, D nt cmmit adultery, D nt murder, D nt steal, D nt cvet, and whatever ther cmmandment there may be, are summed up in this ne rule: Lve yur neighbr as yurself. Lve des n harm t its neighbr. Therefre lve is the fulfillment f the law. (Rm 13:8-10; Rm 8:4). Christ taught this lve and shwed this lve. We must bear in mind that fulfil des nt mean the same as keep ; Jesus is speaking f mre than bedience t regulatins. Nr shuld we frget that the way in which Jesus fulfilled the law culd nt be fully appreciated until after his death and resurrectin. Nt till then culd it be seen hw he had fulfilled all righteusness (Mt 3:15), nr hw he wuld send the Hly Spirit t enable his fllwers t attain a higher standard f righteusness than they ever culd in their wn strength. 8 Jesus replied t Jhn the Baptist: Let it be s nw; it is prper fr us t d this t fulfill all righteusness. This included the baptism f Jesus. This was part f the reenactment f the histry f Israel. A vice frm heaven said, This is my Sn, whm I lve; with him I am well pleased. Listen t him! (Mt 3:17; 17:5; Dt 18;15-20). Verse 18 I tell yu the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, nt the smallest letter, nt the least strke f a pen, will by any means disappear frm the Law until everything is accmplished. I tell yu the truth. Jesus speaks with authrity (Mt 7:28, 29) cmparable t Mses and at the same time, he is surpassing Mses, because he is the Lrd (Mt 7:21-23). The frm and cntents f the saying is striking: until heaven and earth disappear nt the smallest letter, nt the least strke f a pen, will by any means disappear frm the Law until everything is accmplished. Jesus makes use f repetitin (until; disappear) and f parallelism t affirm the enduring authrity f the Law. Heaven and earth. Bth belng t the created rder (Gen 1:1, 2). The Law is given t the peple f Israel t be fr Gd a kingdm f priests and a hly natin: Nw if yu bey me fully and keep my cvenant, then ut f all natins yu will be my treasured pssessin. Althugh the whle earth is mine, yu will be fr 8 Mrris, L. (1992, p. 108).

10 me a kingdm f priests and a hly natin (Ex 19:5, 6; als 1 Pet 2:9 and Rev 1:5, 6). Nt the smallest letter will by any means disappear frm the Law. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my wrds will never pass away (Mt 24:35). This desn t mean that Jesus advcates a literal reading f the Law, but a spiritual reading guided by the Spirit f Christ, the Spirit f knwledge and wisdm and fear f the Lrd (Isa 11:2). The law has been given fr as lng as the present rder exists. Until everything is accmplished. This is a reference t the Day f the Lrd, the final realisatin f the Kingdm f Heaven. And surely I am with yu always, t the very end f the age Verse 19 Anyne wh breaks (relaxes; ESV) ne f the least f these cmmandments and teaches thers t d the same will be called least in the kingdm f heaven, but whever practices and teaches these cmmands will be called great in the kingdm f heaven. Anyne f the fllwers f Jesus. One f the least f these cmmandments crrespnds with the smallest letter and the least strke f a pen. Jesus desn t specify these cmmands. An example will make this clear. Jesus replied, And why d yu break the cmmand f Gd fr the sake f yur traditin? Fr Gd said, Hnr yur father and mther and Anyne wh curses his father r mther must be put t death. But yu say that if a man says t his father r mther, Whatever help yu might therwise have received frm me is a gift devted t Gd, he is nt t hnr his father with it. Thus yu nullify the wrd f Gd fr the sake f yur traditin (Mt 15:3, 4). Other examples f relaxing the law are fund in Matthew 5: It is the difference between discussing and eventually denying the validity f the cmmandments r searching fr wisdm and their enduring validity. Jesus is urging anyne wh wants t fllw him t practice and t teach the cmmandments. In the same way, let yur light shine (teaching) befre men, that they may see yur gd deeds and praise yur Father in heaven (Mt 5:16). Will be called least / great. Hnured by Gd and by the church f Christ. It is true nw and will apply als in the day f judgment and afterwards. 9 Cmpare Prverbs 3:3, 4. 9 Hendriksen, W. (1973, p. 293).

11 Teach : Therefre g and make disciples f all natins, baptizing them in the name f the Father and f the Sn and f the Hly Spirit, and teaching them t bey everything I have cmmanded yu (Mt 28:19). Verse 20 Fr I tell yu that unless yur righteusness surpasses that f the Pharisees and the teachers f the law, yu will certainly nt enter the kingdm f heaven. Frm Matthew 5:21 nwards, Jesus cntrasts the righteusness f the Kingdm f Heaven with the righteusness f the Pharisees and teachers f the law: The righteusness f the Kingdm f Heaven Matthew 5:21-48 Matthew 6:1-18 Sme f the htly debated aspects f the Law and the Prphets. Aspects f the righteus life: The giving f alms; Prayer; Fasting. Matthew 6:19-34 Matthew 7:1-12 The search fr wisdm: But seek first his kingdm and his righteusness, and all these things will be given t yu as well (Mt 6:33). Dn t judge each ther. Summary: S in everything, d t thers what yu wuld have them d t yu, fr this sums up the Law and the Prphets. The pursuit f righteusness can be based n fear and reward r be based n faith and lve! Based n fear fr the judgment. Based n faith and lve, because f the lve f Christ. Cmpare Rmans 4:9: We have been saying that Abraham s faith was credited t him as righteusness. Matthew 23:13 is a very gd illustratin: But yu (Pharisees) have neglected the mre imprtant matters f the law justice, mercy and faithfulness. Yu shuld have practiced the latter, withut neglecting the frmer. Surpassing the righteusness f the Pharisees means: Be righteus. Be merciful. (Cmpare Matthew 9:9-13 and 12:1-8!)

12 Be faithful t Gd and t thers. Jesus desn t mean perfectin. N ne except the Sn is perfect, withut sin. He des mean: whleheartedly fllwing the Wrd f Gd. Greatness in Gd s kingdm is measured by whlehearted bedience. 10 Matthew 12:1-8 is anther example: If yu had knwn what these wrds mean, I desire mercy, nt sacrifice, yu wuld nt have cndemned the inncent. The righteusness f the Pharisees led t cndemnatin f the inncent. Surpassing this righteusness leads t mercy (Hs 6:6). A third example is fund in Matthew 5:47: And if yu greet nly yur brthers, what are yu ding mre than thers? D nt even pagans d that? Be perfect, therefre, as yur heavenly Father is perfect. Perfect means whleheartedly. The prphets wrte abut this whleheartedly keeping the law: This is the cvenant I will make with the huse f Israel after that time, declares the Lrd. I will put my law in their minds and write it n their hearts. I will be their Gd, and they will be my peple. N lnger will a man teach his neighbr, r a man his brther, saying, Knw the Lrd, because they will all knw me, frm the least f them t the greatest, declares the Lrd. (Jer 31:33, 34; Ezek 36:27). yu will certainly nt enter the kingdm f heaven. IMPORTANT. This desn t mean that a disciple f Christ must live a righteus life befre he can enter the kingdm f heaven. It des mean that a righteus life and the kingdm f heaven are synnymus. A righteus life is gverned by the kingdm f heaven (Mt 6:33). It is by faith that ne enters the kingdm f heaven and lives the righteus life. The Kingdm f heaven and the righteusness are the tw sides f the same cin. Applicatin Verse Cautin. It is nt advisable t imprt the thelgical discussin abut Law and Grace int these wrds f Jesus. 10 Green, M. (2001, p. 82).

13 It is nt advisable t imprt all aspects f Jesus fulfilling the Old Testament, i.e. the prphecies cncerning the Messiah, the ceremnial laws, judicial laws and their meaning and significance fr us tday, int these wrds. These can be discussed at the relevant passages. With these wrds, Jesus intrduced a dispute abut his teachings and the validity f his teachings in relatin t the Law and the Prphets, mre specifically the cmmands (Mt 5:19, 20) and gd wrks (Mt 5:16). Christ came t fulfil the Law and the Prphets in all its aspects, like a bud (Old Testament) pening int a flwer (The Gspel; the New Testament). Praise Christ fr his knwledge, his wisdm, his teachings! Christ came t fulfil the Law and the Prphets. He was led by the Hly Spirit (Mt 3:17): The Spirit f the Lrd will rest n him the Spirit f wisdm and f understanding, the Spirit f cunsel and f pwer, the Spirit f knwledge and f the fear f the Lrd and he will delight in the fear f the Lrd (Isa 11:2). Jesus taught the wisdm f the Law and the Prphets. The fulfilment f the Law by Christ leaves n rm fr legalism (Pharisees) and antinmianism. A liberal attitude twards the law is nt in rder; all antinmian tendencies are excluded. 11 Legalism (r nmism), in Christian thelgy, is the act f putting the Law f Mses abve the gspel by establishing requirements fr salvatin beynd faith (trust) in Jesus Christ and reducing the brad, inclusive, and general precepts f the Bible t narrw and rigid mral cdes. It is an ver-emphasis f discipline f cnduct, r legal ideas, usually implying an allegatin f misguided rigur, pride, superficiality, the neglect f mercy, and ignrance f the grace f Gd r emphasizing the letter f law at the expense f the spirit. Legalism is alleged against any view that bedience t law, nt faith in Gd's grace, is the pre-eminent principle f redemptin. On the viewpint that redemptin is nt earned by wrks, but that bedient faith is required t enter and remain in the redeemed state. 12 Legalism can be a serius prblem in Christian churches. We all tend t judge peple when they d nt behave like we expect them t d. Antinmianism. In Christianity, an antinmian is ne wh takes the principle f salvatin by faith and divine grace t the pint f asserting that the saved are nt bund t fllw the Law f Mses. The distinctin between antinmian and ther Christian 11 Davies, W. D., & Allisn, D. C., Jr. (2004, Vl. 1, p. 496). 12 Legalism (thelgy). (2018, February 17). Retrieved February 24, 2018, frm

14 views n mral law is that antinmians believe that bedience t the law is mtivated by an internal principle flwing frm belief rather than frm any external cmpulsin. 13 The apstle Paul wrte t Timthy: But as fr yu, cntinue in what yu have learned and have becme cnvinced f, because yu knw thse frm whm yu learned it, and hw frm infancy yu have knwn the hly Scriptures, which are able t make yu wise fr salvatin thrugh faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is Gd-breathed and is useful fr teaching, rebuking, crrecting and training in righteusness, s that the man f Gd may be thrughly equipped fr every gd wrk. (2 Tim 3:14-17). Jhn Sttt wrte: We must nt imagine (as sme d tday) that when we have the Spirit we can dispense with the law, fr what the Spirit des in ur hearts is, precisely, t write Gd s law there. S Spirit, law, righteusness and heart all belng tgether. 14 Verse T be called great by Gd is very great hnur. Teaching the Law, the Prphets, and the Gspel requires a mind, which is well-trained in expunding the Scriptures as a true disciple and fllwer f Christ. Wisdm is required. It is imprtant nt nly t qute frm the Scriptures but als t live accrdingly, and t study als the teaching methds f Christ. The righteusness surpassing that f the Pharisees stems frm the faithful character f the disciple f Christ as described in the beatitudes: Blessed are the pr in spirit, fr theirs is the kingdm f heaven. Blessed are thse wh murn, fr they will be cmfrted. Blessed are the meek, fr they will inherit the earth. Blessed are thse wh hunger and thirst fr righteusness, fr they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, fr they will be shwn mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, fr they will see Gd. Blessed are the peacemakers, fr they will be called sns f Gd. Blessed are thse wh are persecuted because f righteusness, fr theirs is the kingdm f heaven (Mt 5:3-10). The righteus are pr in spirit, murn, are meek, hunger and thirst fr righteusness, are merciful, pure in heart, are peacemakers, and they will be persecuted. This righteusness is imbued with lve fr Gd and fr peple. 13 Antinmianism. (2018, February 23). Retrieved February 24, 2018, frm 14 Sttt, J. R. W (1992. p. 75).

15 Bibligraphy Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicn f the New Testament and ther early Christian literature (3rd ed.). Chicag: University f Chicag Press. Davies, W. D., & Allisn, D. C., Jr. (2004). A critical and exegetical cmmentary n the Gspel accrding t Saint Matthew (Vl. 1). Lndn; New Yrk: T&T Clark Internatinal. Hagner, D. (1993). Wrd biblical cmmentary: Matthew Dallas: Wrd Bks. Green, M. (2001). The message f Matthew: the kingdm f heaven. Leicester, England; Dwners Grve, IL: InterVarsity Press. Hendriksen, W. (1973). New Testament cmmentary: Expsitin f the Gspel accrding t Matthew. Grand Rapids: Baker Bk Huse. Lngman, T., III, & Garland, D. E. (Red.). (2010). The Expsitr s Bible Cmmentary: Matthew Mark (Revised Editin) (Vl. 9). Grand Rapids, MI: Zndervan. Mrris, L. (1992). The Gspel accrding t Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press. Nlland, J. (2005). The Gspel f Matthew: A cmmentary n the Greek text. Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Sttt, J. (1992). The message f the Sermn n the Munt: Christian cunter-culture. (2nd ed.). Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press. Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek grammar beynd the basics: An exegetical syntax f the New Testament with scripture, subject, and Greek wrd indexes. Grand Rapids: Zndervan. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible expsitin cmmentary. Wheatn, IL: Victr Bks.