Christ & the Law Christ & the Law Part 1 – The supremacy & importance Part 1 – The supremacy & importance

of Scriptureof Scripture

Mathew 5:17 - 20Mathew 5:17 - 20

I. INTRODUCTION

A.) Historical background

The Jews of Jesus day (and even until now) was seeking the Messiah. They believed the Messiah would radically revise or completely overthrow the Mosaic law and establish a new standard. (This is their interpretation of Jeremiah 31:31 “The time is coming, declares the LORD when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.)

Many people hoped the Messiah would bring in a new day of freedom from the burdensome, mechanical and meaningless demand of their traditional religious system.

Because of this they were evaluating Jesus on what he thinks about the law, Moses and the prophets. They were constantly confronting Jesus on matters of law.

I. INTRODUCTION

B.) Contextual background

- The Beatitudes depicts the CHARACTER of the believers who are kingdom citizens (Vs. 3 to 12)

- Jesus discourse on Salt and Light emphasizes the FUNCTION of believers in this world and the importance of INFLUENCE (vs. 13 to 16)

- In this section Christ teaches the FOUNDATION for functioning as God’s salt and light, which is GOD’s LAW, the only standard for righteousness and truth.

- Here Jesus focuses on the supremacy & importance of Scripture. We cannot live a righteous life without an anchor. The key to a righteous life is keeping the Word of God.

I. INTRODUCTION

- Here Jesus focuses on the supremacy & importance of Scripture. We cannot live a righteous life without an anchor. The key to a righteous life is keeping the Word of God.

- Jesus warns “Think not that I am come to destroy the law . . .” most of his hearers had a wrong concept about his teaching. The Jews though that because Jesus did not follow their traditions that Jesus regarded the law as of minor importance.

- The Jews were wrong in their thinking. In this verse, Jesus focused on the importance and Supremacy of Scripture. He suggest three reasons for Scriptures importance and Supremacy.

A.) The Law is important and supreme because it is authored by God

- By including the definite article “THE” Jesus made it clear to his Jewish audience what he was talking about “THE LAW OF GOD”

- To the Jews speaking about the “law” referred to four things.

a.) The Ten Commandmentsb.) The Pentateuch (The five books of Moses)c.) The entire Old Testamentd.) The traditions

- In making the traditions the Jews thought they have complied exceeded the law of God, but in reality they have “invalidated the word of God through their traditions – Mathew 5:16)

- God also says in Isaiah 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”

- It seems that the traditions made keeping God’s law harder, but in reality it made it easier. The traditions may demand a great deal of effort but it demanded no heart obedience and no faith in God.

- The traditions also lowered the standard. Jesus said he has not come to destroy the law. In fact in the sermon on the mount he raised the standard. (Mathew 5:21 to 43 with illustrations on 21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43) (Romans 14:5)

- The phrase “The law and the prophets” refer to the Jewish Scriptures themselves not the Rabbinical teachings.

- The foundation of the Old Testament is the law given in the Pentateuch. This was expounded by the prophets, psalmists and other inspired writers. In consisted of three parts:

a.) The Moral law – Regulate behavior of all men. Based on the Ten commandments

b.) The Judicial law - Regulates Israel’s function as a unique nation. More on the civil day to day life of the Jews. Subsequent commands given to Moses

c.) The ceremonial law – Prescribes Israel’s worship to God. Subsequent commands given to Moses.

B.) The Law is important and supreme because it is affirmed by the prophets

- The prophets reiterated and reinforced the law. All their warnings, admonitions and predictions were directly or indirectly based on the Mosaic law. God’s revelation to the prophets were an extension of his law. They spoke on sin and encouraged the people to keep God’s laws.

C.) The Law is important and Supreme because it is accomplished by Christ

- Jesus did not “fulfill” the law through his teaching as he did not complete what was incomplete. The Old Testament is already complete (Psalm 19:7) Others say he fulfilled the law because he lived a perfect life.

- However what is really meant here is that Jesus fulfilled the law because JESUS IS THE FULLFILLMENT OF THE LAW.

- From Genesis to Malachi the Old Testament is inspired by Christ, it points to Christ, and is fulfilled by Christ

In GENESIS, He is the BREATH OF LIFEIn EXODUS, He is the PASSOVER LAMBIn LEVITICUS, He is OUR HIGH PRIESTIn NUMBERS, He is a PILLAR OF CLOUD BY DAY & a PILLAR OF FIRE BY NIGHTIn DEUTERONOMY, He is MOSES' VOICEIn JOSHUA, He is SALVATION'S CHOICEIn JUDGES, He is the LAW GIVERIn RUTH, He is OUR KINSMAN REDEEMERIn 1ST & 2ND SAMUEL, He is OUR TRUSTED PROPHETIn KINGS & CHRONICLES, He is SOVEREIGNIn EZRA, He is the TRUE and FAITHFUL SCRIBEIn NEHEMIAH, He is the REBUILDER OF BROKEN WALLS and LIVESIn ESTHER, He is MORDECAI'S COURAGEIn JOB, He is the TIMELESS REDEEMERIn PSALMS, He is our MORNING SONG

In PROVERBS, He is WISDOM'S CRYIn ECCLESIASTES, He is the TIME and SEASONIn the SONG OF SOLOMON, He is the LOVERS DREAMIn ISAIAH, He is the PRINCE OF PEACEIn JEREMAIH, He is the WEEPING PROPHETIn LAMENTATIONS, He is the CRY FOR ISRAELIn EZEKIEL, He is the CALL FROM SINIn DANIEL, He is the STRANGER IN THE FIREIn HOSEA, He is FOREVER FAITHFULIn JOEL, He is the SPIRIT'S POWERIn AMOS, He is the ARMS THAT CARRY USIn OBADIAH, He is the LORD OUR SAVIORIn JONAH, He is the GREAT MISSIONARYIn MICAH, He is the PROMISE OF PEACEIn NAHUM, He is OUR STRENGTH and SHIELDIn HABAKKUK & ZEPHANIAH, He is PLEADING FOR REVIVALIn HAGGAI, He is the RESTORER OF THE LOST HERITAGEIn ZECHARIAH, He is OUR FOUNTAINIn MALACHI, He is the SON OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

a.) Jesus fulfilled and is the fulfillment of the judicial law – God’s judicial law was to provide a unique identity for Israel as a nation. This did not become applicable anymore when Israel rejected the Mesaiah. Jesus warned the Jews in Mathew 21:43, “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” (Fulfillment - 1 Peter 2:9)

b.) Jesus fulfilled and is the fulfillment of the ceremonial law – When Jesus died he fulfilled the ceremonial law being the perfect sacrifice. All the symbols in the new testament had no more significance as they were only a “shadow” of things to come. (Hebrews 10:1 emph 19)

c.) Jesus fulfilled and is the Fulfillment of the moral law – Jesus not only fulfilled the moral law by living a perfect life, he is God’s righteousness fulfilled and God’s righteousness in us. (Romans 3:21 – 22)

Because Christ fulfilled the law, so can those who belong to Him. (Romans 8:3 – 4)

Most of the Notes in this slide are lifted from John MacArthur’s Bible Commentary on the book of Mathew. For Bible study Guide

notes, sermon notes and the audio message

of this series by John MacArthur visit www.gty.org.

Other inputs and revision of outlines and notes by Zigfred Diaz

To download other slides that can be used for sermons visit the Master’s Community Fellowship website at www.tmcf.zdiaz.com