The Law in a New LightSample

Introduction

Chapters 5-7 are the centre point of Matthew’s presentation of the sayings of Jesus, particularly as it relates to the Law. In some ways, the rest of his gospel is the story of the outworking of Jesus’s teachings found in the first three chapters of Matthew, and specifically chapter 5. Over the next weeks, I hope you are as taken by the words and authority of Jesus as I have been. This is nothing less than our manifesto – kingdom behaviour, ethics, and call, all in these verses. What Jesus says is pure genius (how could it be anything less), and how Matthew puts it together is a work of inspiration (in every sense).

What is striking in these verses is that Jesus, and he states it at the start, is in no way minimising, much less abolishing, the Law. He was certainly accused of this, but he saw the Law as it was intended. The standard, or lens, he sees through is one of love – towards God, and towards others. “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” This doesn’t weaken the intent of the Law – on the contrary. His interpretation and standards are significantly more demanding and therefore of greater value than that of simply obeying the Law – which in many cases is doing the legal least. Not so Jesus, he sees the Law in a new light. That light is the fulfillment of the Law in selfless and sacrificial love.

Much of what Jesus says is about how we are to order our ethical/moral lives considering his understanding of the Law. This is particularly apparent in Matthew 5 where he addresses numerous prohibitions from the Mosaic Law - anger, adultery, divorce, swearing, suing, and hatred.

Each day we will start with the relevant text, and we will be reading from the English Standard Version (ESV).