The Law #2

We are going to continue in our series called Camping With Jesus.

Today’s message is called. “The Law #2”.

Last week we ended in what I felt like was the middle of this thought. Jesus has basically told the audience that he did NOT come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. We determined that if we do not put our faith in Jesus then our only hope is in perfectly fulfilling the law. Which is hopeless. 

I was planning on getting into Romans today - and when we get there it will, I believe, so perfectly clarify this teaching about the law. But I will not get there today. Sorry. I had said it will take me 2-3 weeks to get through these 4 verses in Matthew - now we know its 3. So, those of you who are listening to this message - are getting a bonus message. I hope it helps you .

We are going to dive deeper into this. If you have missed last weeks message or any of the messages in this series - you can go to FLFC.church and watch or listen to any message there. 

So lets read our key text again.

Matthew 5:17–20 (ESV)

“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. 

That is more or less the heart of what we covered in detail last week. But lets look closer at this:

Matthew 5:19–20 (ESV)

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.

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Really fascinating scripture. What does Jesus mean by this?

And it has pretty deep implications and potential meanings. 

I want to look at three things in this passage

1. Kingdom of Heaven
2. The word Therefore
3. The word Exceeds

There are those who believe that the phrase Kingdom of Heaven - is NOT synonymous with the phrase the “Kingdom of God” and therefore not a simple reference to the divine domain of God. They would tell you it is a specific reference that is unique and different than the Kingdom of God. They would tell you that the “Kingdom of Heaven” is specifically referring to the Millennial Reign of Christ that will take place after the tribulation for 1000 years. 

Personally, I am not convinced that is the truth. I have studied it a bit and read commentaries and listened to sermons on the subject - and I just don’t see enough biblical evidence to make that conclusion. 

HOWEVER, I do see enough evidence that I would say it is possible they are correct. I am just not convinced that is a deliberate and specific distinction vs. the Kingdom of God. 

For one thing, Matthew is the only writer to use the phrase - The Kingdom of Heaven. So, if it were a deliberate distinction, I think other writers would use that phrase.

In the Gospel of Luke where we see a nearly identical message from Jesus

Luke 6:20–23 (ESV)

(Jesus) said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. 

Obviously very similar message as he gives in the sermon on the mount - this is not Luke giving a different description of the same event - but this is Jesus using the same kind of message only it is Kingdom of God vs. Kingdom of heaven.

The reason I bring it up here is it could change the implication of what Jesus is saying. Being called “Great” in the “Kingdom of Heaven” would mean that you hold a higher place of authority and responsibility during the millennial reign of Christ. I think that argument does make sense. Absolutely! In fact I don’t think there is any question that there will be those who hold higher places of influence during the Millennial Reign of Christ. 

So while I think that argument has validity - my personal interpretation of this is that is NOT what Jesus is saying. 

He is not saying in this passage, that if you want to be great in the kingdom of heaven - be the best at keeping the commandments. 

This is tricky - because I absolutely do believe that our choices and behavior in this life will determine our role and responsibilities and authority in the Millennial Reign. 

Revelation 20:4 (ESV)

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed…

Daniel 7:27 (ESV)

And the kingdom and the dominion 

and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven 

shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; 

his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, 

and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

So does our behavior or choices or works matter? Yes absolutely!

Do our choices impact our future - yes they do.

Is Jesus saying in this passage - greatness in the kingdom is dependent on keeping the commandments down to the smallest part of the letter? no. I don’t think so. I don’t think that the kingdom of heaven here in this verse is a specific reference to the millennial reign of Christ. 

I have done quite a bit of research on this and read many commentaries and one thing I saw clearly is that there is not a lot of consensus about what this means. Really all over the map - from: 

• Jesus is saying that if you really keep the commandments you will have a greater role and responsibility in the Millennial Reign of Christ
• To it only applied to that audience and was null and void after the resurrection of Jesus
• To just not touching it. Some of the commentaries I read, just skip right over that.

So what I am going to give you about it is what I believe the text is telling us - not what I read in a commentary from someone else about it. *I could be wrong and you are free to disagree with me.

I find that when ever you are struggling with a passage of scripture the most important thing to focus on is context. 

The context is the key

You see, if we believe that Jesus is saying I am going to fulfill the Law but then he is saying that there is a great reward for those who keep it the best and teach others to do the best also - that seems like a contradiction. Some will say that is only the message for those listening - and was solved by the resurrection. That still does not work - Because that implies Jesus didn’t what what was going to happen. Which of course he did know what was going to happen. It also implies that without the resurrection - keeping the law to smallest letter - would make you great.

The words therefore and exceeds I believe explain what is really being said. 

The word therefore - means for that reason. So it is impossible to understand what comes after “therefore” if we don’t also connect what comes before it.

Jesus said,

Matthew 5:17–20 (ESV)

“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 (FOR THAT REASON) 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. 

For that reason — what reason? The reason is — The law is not abolished… So greatness in the kingdoms of heaven is dependent on keeping the law down to the smallest letter. IF your hope is in the law.

So, Jesus is not saying that greatness comes from continuing to keep and teach the law. He is reiterating that if you put your trust in the law - you better go all in. Because it is your only hope. 

Now I would completely agree that my interpretation is a stretch IF we didn’t have vs. 20 - which says, 

Matthew 5:20 (ESV)

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Listen, the scribes and Pharisees believed they were going to be great in the kingdom of heaven - they believed they kept the law and they absolutely taught others to do it also - so think about this:

Was Jesus saying that they would be great in the kingdom of heaven? NO WAY!

We read that and assume the scribes and Pharisees were righteous. And that we have to do even better. 

I don’t think that is what he is saying at all. He is not saying you have exceed their righteousness because they ARE righteous. He is saying you HAVE to exceed them because that are NOT. Look at it…. Completely different way of seeing this statement.

Jesus did NOT see the scribes and Pharisees as righteous. 

Jesus was outright indignant towards them. 

Matthew 23:1–3 (ESV)

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

The 6 times he says 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!“

He calls them blind guides and blind fools!

He calls them whitewashed tombs, full of dead peoples bones.

He says they appear righteous on the outside - but inside they are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Then look at what he says…

Matthew 23:33 (ESV)

You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?

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So do you see it? Jesus is not using them as example of righteousness is Matthew chapter 5 - he is using them as an illustration of unrighteousness. You need to exceed their righteousness. 

Now that fits the context. If the law will not be abolished but will be fulfilled our only hope is Jesus. 

That is the point - the whole point. Everything about this points to the reality that faith in Jesus is our only hope righteousness, and of salvation. 

Jesus is saying, I didn’t come to abolish the law, you are still subject to it.

That is not going to change until heaven and earth pass away and ALL is accomplished - not just at the resurrection.

For that reason - you better not relax even the smallest law or teach others to do so. The law is not the problem the law is good. Sin is the problem. If your hope is in keeping the law and how good you are - you are better be way better than that brood of vipers you call the scribes and Pharisees. Because they are not the example you should be following.