It’s about time that we jump back into the Sermon on the Mount. We left off last time with a look at the use and purpose of God’s saints on earth (salt and light). Now, Jesus switches the subject a bit. In this next section, Jesus tells us something very important about His relationship to the Old Testament.
Jesus’ View of the Old Testament
There are always a lot of voices out there telling us how we should view things. Do you ever think, “If only we could hear what Jesus would have to say about this?” Fortunately, Jesus’ words were recorded in Scripture. We just might be able to find out. One of those areas of modern contention is the subject of the Old Testament. Atheists love to use it to try to make Christians look inconsistent. We do enjoy pork. I know I do. Legalists try to use it to justify unnecessarily burdensome rules for the Christian. I know of one church that claims it is a sin for boys to wear shorts because of the garment requirements given to the Levitical priests. Of course, they still eat pork, but I digress. Then, you have the Andy Stanleys of the world telling us we should “unhitch from the Old Testament.” Has Jesus had anything to say about this? You guessed it. Yes, He has.
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17, NASB)
I think we can go ahead and write Stanley’s view off. Jesus did not come to abolish the Old Testament, but to fulfill it. He said so Himself. In other words, the Old Testament is still just as relevant today as it was when it was written. We should not unhitch from it. In fact, we should be very much hitched to it. And we are hitched to it through Christ.
When Jesus used the phrase, “the Law or the Prophets”, He was affirming the authority of the Old Testament. Any time that phrase was used it referred to the entire Old Testament canon. In saying He came to fulfill, not abolish, the Old Testament Jesus solidified His view of the entire Old Testament as God’s inspired Word. He was sure to emphasize that He is not cancelling the Old Testament. Rather, He is fulfilling it. The word “fulfill” is doing a lot of work here. One thing that it does is show us that Jesus believed the whole of the Old Testament was pointing to Him. According to Jesus, the Old Testament has not lost its importance.
Jesus, the Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets
As I said, “fulfill” is doing a lot of work here. The original word means, “to make full, to complete.” We know that Jesus did not fulfill the Law and Prophets in the sense of ending it. He says as much. He did not come to abolish it. Rather, He fulfilled it in the sense of satisfaction. All of the Law and Prophets finds its satisfaction in Christ.
Of course, we can readily see how this has happened with the prophets. All of the prophecies were fulfilled perfectly in Christ, even down to the location of His birth and the details of His death. But, what about the Law? That is where many people get hung up. For example, why are the ten commandments binding on the Christian, but not the ceremonial cleansings and sacrifices?
In order to understand this, we first must understand the threefold division of the Law. God gave His Old Testament people three categories of laws. He gave them ceremonial, judicial, and moral laws. In Christ, all of these have been fulfilled, but not abolished.
The Ceremonial Law. This includes all of the laws surrounding the temple, sacrifices, and priesthood. All of these things were given as types and shadows of the coming Christ. Jesus Himself became our sacrifice and Great High Priest. Since we now enter into the Holy of Holies through Him, He is the fulfillment of the temple requirements as well. All of these requirements are still binding, but Jesus, as our representative, has satisfied them. Therefore, they are bound up and realized in Him.
The Judicial Law. This includes all of the social and national laws God gave to His people. It is all of those laws given out for the civil regulation of the nation of Israel. Christ’s work opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles and transitioned God’s chosen people from one specific nation to a spiritual people across the world. The Church is now God’s Israel. Therefore, the judicial law, in its particulars as a national legal system, is no longer necessary. Having said that, I do not believe it is irrelevant. Modern nations should not seek to adopt all of the specifics of the Old Testament judicial law. Hence, I do not believe we should reinstate the stoning of disobedient children. However, I do believe that the more a nation adopts the spirit of the Mosaic civil law, the greater it will flourish.
For example, it is totally reasonable to use Exodus 21:22-25 to support the sanctity of life in the womb. A nation that creates legal protections for the unborn based on the spirit of that law will flourish as a result. Whether or not this view makes me a Theonomist, I do not know. I have yet to do much study in that area. So, I will let the reader use their judgment on that.
The Moral Law. This consists of the Ten Commandments and the moral teachings of God’s Word. Christ fulfilled this in the sense that He lived perfectly according to it and died to pay the penalty for our failure to do so. There are two ways in which this law will be fulfilled (or satisfied).
By righteousness. The law is fulfilled in one who lives in perfect obedience to it. That person has met all of its requirements. Christ did this in our place, earning for His people the reward for a righteous life.
By condemnation. The law is fulfilled in one who fails to live in perfect obedience to it. That person will receive the condemnation required of it. Christ received this in our place, satisfying in Himself the required condemnation for the sin of His people.
Hence, Christ has performed a sort of double fulfillment. However, this is only for the elect. For those who reject Christ, the law will be fulfilled in their own deserved condemnation. I should also note that this is not a basis for antinomianism (the belief that all is grace and there is no requirement for the Christian to obey God’s law). It means that Christ has taken away our condemnation under the law. Under that umbrella of freedom from the law’s judgment, He has now given us a new heart which He graciously brings to greater degrees of obedience to it.
Righteousness Surpassing the Scribes and Pharisees
The point of verses 18-20 is really just backing up this last point. The requirements of the Old Testament have not disappeared or become irrelevant. They remain binding on all those not found in Christ. And they will face the penalty for their failure to live up to it. For the saints, these things have been fulfilled in Christ and are being worked out by Christ in the believer. This is why Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The demand for entrance into the kingdom is perfection (Matthew 5:48). Only in Christ can we have that demand satisfied.
Praise God that Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets!
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