“17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For 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. 19 Whosoever 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. 20 For 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.
The reader today must be totally objective when reading the Sermon on the Mount, and the comments about the Law. There were those who accused Jesus of going against the Law of Moses, and the temple. So it is, when tradition “leavens” the Word of God. The Lord is teaching the true intent of the Law, and placing Himself in authority to give the correct meaning and application. This is seen in His words, “But I say unto you…” See verse 22ff. Jesus came to meet the demands of the Law.
He met all it demands at His first advent, and no one knew that is was no longer in force until revealed by Paul. The Law, even for the Jew, is of no effect in this dispensation. A Jew gets save today just like a Gentile. HOWEVER, the Law will be in force again in the Tribulation, and will be until the end of the Millennium when that dispensation ends.
It must be understood that Jesus never broke the Law. He obeyed it even unto death. If fact, death was the “fulfillment” of the Law. As we said, the Law has been discontinued during this dispensation. However, from the Tribulation, through the Millennium, the Law will be in force again, and the King will enforce it.
The following speaks of the time when the Kingdom of Heaven will be established, and Jesus will rule from Jerusalem. “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain (Kingdom) of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” Isaiah 2:1-4. “16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:16-19. You will notice in the above, that the Law will be taught through Jerusalem, and the feast of tabernacles must be kept. We see the judgment on nations that neglect it.
Much of Ezekiel is dedicated to the temple, the priest, and the sacrifices. “… two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering… 41 Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their sacrifices... whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43 And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering… This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house. 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him… sured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.” Ezekiel 40:39-49.
The reader can search the Scriptures himself, and see clearly that the Law was not fulfilled, it was only set aside at His death. Thus, with this in mind, it will be easier to understand the book of Matthew, which is under the confines of the Law. When Israel was set aside, the Law went with them. Once God jump-starts His program with Israel, the Law will be in force again. Jesus did not come to destroy it, He came to clarify, and fulfill its demands. He did! However, the fact HE “fulfilled” it, does not mean that it will no longer exist. Search the Scriptures, they testify to that fact.
It is noteworthy that those who teach contrary to the Law, in that time, will be called “least in the Kingdom of Heaven.” The Christian is already made perfect in Christ, and will not be called least in heaven. The body of Christ is not the subject of the Sermon on the Mount.
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.