What is the Christians relationship to the law? Are we supposed to keep it or are we free from it? Are there bits we should keep and bits that are no longer relevant and if so what are they and how do we know which is which?

They are big questions and ones we need to grapple with. Here Jesus reveals his attitude and relationship to the law and the implications of that for his disciples.

1. Jesus is the Scriptures fulfilled
If you had to sum up Jesus approach and attitude to the law what would you say? We tend to see Jesus as the opposite of the hyper legalistic Pharisees, assuming that Jesus sits a bit looser with it, that he’s a bit more laid back in his approach to it. But I think there is a shock for us in these verses, we need to let them challenge our suppositions about Jesus and the law.

(17-18)Jesus doesn’t come to abolish, destroy, invalidate, or set the law aside, he comes to fulfil it, to fill it up.

It may be helpful to think of it a little like a shape. If you see something in 2D you get one understanding of it, but when you look at it in 3D you see an added dimension - you see the full reality, you see depth as well as the height and width. Jesus adds another dimension to their understanding.

But the question is what does Jesus fulfil and how? We tend to think of Jesus fulfilling prophecy but Jesus claim goes beyond that "the Law and the Prophets." It is the whole Old Testament scriptures that he has come to fulfil.

In Matthew 11:13 Jesus uses the same phrase "For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John." Jesus sees the Law and the Prophets - the whole Old Testament as speaking about him, as prophesying.

But how? Well Matthew has already shown us some examples of predictive prophecy, there are examples throughout the birth narratives. But the history also prophesies of Jesus. You can’t miss the repeated image from Israel’s history as Matthew records Jesus baptism in the Jordan before he goes into the wilderness for 40 days and is tempted. Israel’s experience in the wilderness and failure prophesies the need of one to come who will be God’s perfect son - who will keep the law - Jesus fulfils that.

The genealogy Matthew opens with shows that Jesus is of the seed of Abraham, of David, the one through whom those promises would be fulfilled.

Jesus fulfils the cult - the sacrificial system - it speaks of him, it foreshadows his sacrifice which is the reality. The sacrifices of atonement are rooted in Genesis 22 where Abraham gives his only son whom he loves to be a burnt atonement offering on Mount Moriah. Which becomes the site of the temple at which continual substitutionary offerings for sin are made which prophesy of the need of one to come who can be a once for all sacrifice for sin. It is on that hill where Jesus dies as a substitutionary offering atoning for sin.

Jesus doesn’t abolish the law and the prophets he fulfils it. So the law and prophets are permanent (18)"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."

But they are also different because they find their fulfilment in Jesus. He is the one to whom they point therefore his words and teaching matter. That’s why in the next six sections Jesus goes on to explain the law and his word is authoritative.

It is his word that now determines how to live as those saved and brought into the kingdom of heaven. We must listen to his words and follow his instruction.

2. Be hungry for an inside out righteousness.
The TNIV and NIV translators don’t translate a little word at the start of(19), its the word ‘therefore’ or ‘So’. It tells us that having revealed his attitude and relationship to the Law and Prophets now he’s teaching his disciples what the implications of that are for them and us.

We are to practice and teach these commands, we must not set them aside. But the question is what are "these commands"? Is it the commands of the Law and the Prophets, or is it his commands?

I think given that Jesus has just said he is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, that his understanding, revelation and teaching are authoritative it is his commands and how he explains and applies the Law and Prophets that those in the kingdom are to obey. So because he fulfils the sacrificial law we are not required to make sacrifices continually, with Peter in Acts 10 we see that the food laws are no longer applicable, in Acts 15 we see the Apostles determine that circumcision is not necessary for new Gentile believers among other things. The commands we keep, teach and practice are those of Jesus.

That doesn’t mean the Old Testament is irrelevant but that we hold as high a view of it as Jesus did(18) but we view it in the light of what Jesus teaches and did.

It doesn’t make its requirements less taxing but actually raises the bar, just look at the next 6 sections - Jesus raises the bar in every instance. (20)makes clear that kingdom living, kingdom righteousness goes beyond the righteousness of the Pharisees.

The Pharisees had genuine desire for holiness but it was an external righteousness, they were very concerned about what they did, so to make sure they didn’t break the law they put a fence around it, adding another 613 additional laws. Things for example you could and couldn’t do on the Sabbath, instead of just keeping it holy. But while their aim was to please God it actually became a legalistic means of self justification - a way to earn God’s favour. And crucially it didn’t change the fundamental problem their hearts.

By contrast for those in the kingdom, those under the new covenant they are given a new heart and the Spirit writes God’s law on their hearts and minds.

Kingdom righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees because Christ fulfils the Law and dies for us; "the righteous for the unrighteous" and he then sends his Spirit into our hearts to give us hearts of flesh that long to please God. The righteousness of the kingdom is not like that of the Pharisees which is an outside-in righteousness, it is an inside-out righteousness. Our new hearts have new longings, we have an appetite for righteousness(6).

But there is a challenge here for us, have we settled for the Pharisees level of righteousness? Are we in danger of living by a set of external laws, of being satisfied with behaviour modification not real heart change?

'Legalism is appealing for two reasons; First it makes holiness manageable. A heart wholly devoted to God is a tough demand but a list of ten rules I can cope with... Secondly legalism makes holiness an achievement on our part...' From You Can Change, T Chester.

Here’s how we fence the law. We ask ourselves ‘How far can I go?’ questions. The most obvious example is for couples before they are married - how far can they go is the question. Is holding hands ok? Is kissing ok? How about snogging? And on it goes, making up rules which have a pretence of righteousness but actually don’t stop and really search scripture for God’s standard, that look to settle rather than be radically righteous.

We do it with giving, we make up rules about what is enough - How much do I have to give? Is it 10%? Is it 10% of my time as well as my money?

We need to ask ourselves; am I in danger of making pleasing God 2D not 3D? Of trying to tame Jesus demands for righteousness because they are just too hard? Where am I asking ‘How far can I go? Rather than ‘How can I please God?’

They are too hard for us to do ourselves, God knows that, Jesus knows that it’s why he dies for us and we get his perfect record, his righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees. But having been made righteous he calls us to live changed lives and sends his Spirit so that as we walk in step with him we change. It is his Spirit living within us who gives us an insatiable appetite for pleasing God, for righteous that exceeds the Pharisees and aims for the true standard (48)"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

It is such an appetite, such a desire to change to be like God that will enable us to be light, God’s permanent covenant people on display to the world.

Do I have an appetite for righteousness? You get more of one as you hold Jesus teaching up to your life and see what he calls you to be, as it makes us more aware of our failings and sins, of our sublevel standard of righteousness, but more aware of the amazing grace and love God has lavished on us and his Spirit at work in our hearts.

Lighthouse