MATTHEW 5:17-20 MARCH 20, 2011
“SEEING THROUGH THE LENSES OF CHRIST!”
Many people visit either an optometrist or ophthalmologist several times during their lives. As a result most of us have experienced peering through the machine in which we seek to determine which lenses are clearer or more visible. I’ve heard that this machine has been updated and is much quicker and easier. Yet the principle is the same in that to see most clearly we must determine which set of lenses we need to use. I often come across Christians who are frustrated with the Old Testament. They are frustrated with seeking to understand the role of animal sacrifices, the laws and purity requirements, the role of the Temple and how the people worshipped, as well as the role of prophets, priests, and the king. These four verses in Matthew provide us with the Rosetta stone; the lenses Christians need use to have a clearer view of the Old Testament.
Gossip, rumor and innuendo are not recent inventions, but they are vices that have existed since Adam and Eve got neighbors. As soon as Jesus began his ministry he gained a large number of critics who accused and maligned him with a great number of falsehoods. The Pharisees had several different schools of thought (on how to interpret the scripture) and everyone was trying to make Jesus choose between one of the groups. Some of his critics had apparently accused Jesus of seeking to dispose of the Law all together. Matthew 5:17-20 (NIV) Jesus said 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.”
Jesus refers to the Law or the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy. The Prophets included the major and Minor Prophets, and all of the other books. (61 books) Jesus did not play by the rules of the religious leaders as he did not choose one of the established theological schools of interpretation. He obeyed the rules of his father. Jesus came from God to set things straight. Jesus confronted the accusation of disposing of the Law, with a bold announcement that he came not to abolish the Old Testament scriptures but to fulfill them.
Some have thought that Jesus being perfect meant that he had completely fulfilled the requirements of the Law. Jesus did obey and follow all of the commandments but Jesus came to do even more than be perfect in his actions. Jesus came to open our eyes, hearts, and minds to understand more fully what God intended. The Sermon on the Mount is the best example of Jesus showing his followers how to go deeper in loving and serving God.
Jesus said “18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Some of the letters in the Jewish alphabet are very similar and they are only distinguished from one another by a small stroke of the pen. I have heard some Christians say we do not need the Old Testament. Yet, I doubt they would argue with Jesus! (Then again, I’m not sure.) All of the scriptures, the Old Testament and the New, are the Word of God and we ignore any part of it at our peril.
Look closely at the two phrases that begin with the word until. “Until heaven and earth disappear” and not “until everything is accomplished” indicates that the scriptures will remain until the end of time of this earth. God has provided his word and then Jesus, the Son, even came to clear up humanity’s misunderstanding of the word. So, we must not ignore the Old Testament. I simply do not understand how Christians (those who identify themselves as Christians) can reject any part of scripture. The 12 disciples understood the full authority of scripture as did Paul. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) “16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Jesus said 19 Anyone who breaks 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 practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. What did Jesus mean by talking about the least of the commandments? The teachers of the Law (scribes) taught that there were two classifications of the commandments: the light and the weighty. The light commands were those like the obligation to tithe even your garden vegetables. One of the weighty commands was taking God’s name in vain, or keeping the Sabbath, or not cheating the poor or widows. Some of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law twisted the scriptures for the sake of their own traditions (see Matthew 15:1-20) and taught ways to get around even the weighty commands of scripture. A Christian should not be judgmental, but neither should we be so lax as to indicate that we can ignore those scriptures we do not like.
The current presidential administration has gone too far in not upholding marriage as being between a man and a woman. The attorney general announced a few weeks ago that the department of Justice would no longer support traditional marriage. Whenever a government fails to uphold the moral structures of society and promotes the breaking of God’s law in supporting same sex marriages and abortion then the church must speak out against these evils. Not one part of God’s law is to be ignored.
Jesus said 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Do not misunderstand Jesus. Jesus was not condemning the Pharisees for obeying the commands of God. However, Jesus was condemning the Pharisees for separating external obedience from having an inner call to love the Lord. The Pharisees had twisted the meaning of obedience to only mean an external compliance of the law. This is what is meant by “the letter of the law”. The scripture has always taught obedience must come from the heart. Psalm 51:16-17 (NIV) “16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” One of the prophecies Jesus fulfilled was from Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV) “26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Obedience must originate from the heart.
Jesus when asked what the greatest commandment was, responded in Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) “37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." This is what Jesus taught. We are to read and study the Old Testament through the lenses of Christ who completely fulfilled the Law. We can now understand the Old Testament because Jesus taught us how to do so. We are saved by God’s grace. Because of that amazing grace the Spirit works a wonderful change in us as we draw closer to our Lord and seek to follow Him. The change must begin within our heart and yet one can observe the changes begin on the outside and work their way slowly into every part of our body, our mind, and our soul. A young believer will make external changes: like going to church and being baptized. As we read the word of God it works into our minds to then change attitudes and habits. These inner changes are a part of our spiritual growth. Do not let Satan rob you of the richness of love, grace, and mercy that flows from Christ through all of the Word of God. Read the Old Testament through the lenses of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Look at the pattern Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount to then read the Old Testament. And you will then be blessed!
Let us pray.
No comments:
Post a Comment