Honor God’s law—Matthew 5:17-19

50 Teachings of Jesus. 

¹⁷ “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 tell you, 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. ¹⁹ Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

—————————————————————————————————————-

The Highlighted passages jump out of me. 

Heaven and earth have not disappeared yet. 

If I disobey or even ignore laws and tell others to ignore them, I am least in Jesus’s new kingdom, least when we get a new heaven and new earth.  If I do the opposite, there are some benefits in the new kingdom.  We see that not a dot has changed yet from the law of God. 

Now, the big debate is what is law? We know that many sacrificial and ceremonial laws are not practiced and seem to be nullified because Jesus is the final lamb that covers our sin. But which laws still resonate with me spiritually out of the 613? Common sense confuses me. Yet, it seems wrong to cherry pick. Yet, I would never personally kill as some subscribe. 

So here are a few examples, ask the Holy Spirit for clarification and guidance.

What do you think? Still applies or No? Remember, not a tittle is gone. Heaven and earth are still here.

1. Not to stand by idly when a human life is in danger (Lev. 19:16)
2. To give charity according to one’s means (Deut. 15:11)
3. Not to commit sodomy with a male (Lev. 18:22)
4. Not to castrate the male of any species; neither a man, nor a domestic or wild beast, nor a fowl
5. Not to indulge in familiarities with relatives, such as kissing, embracing, winking, skipping, which may lead to incest (Lev. 18:6)
6. To celebrate the festivals [Passover, Shavu’ot and Sukkot]
7. Not to do work on the seventh day of Passover (Ex. 12:16; Lev. 23:8)
8. Not to eat the flesh of unclean beasts (Lev. 11:4)
9. Not to demand from a poor man repayment of his debt, when the creditor knows that he cannot pay, nor press him
10. Not to tattoo the body like the idolaters (Lev. 19:28)
11. Not to commit sodomy with a male (Lev. 18:22)

There are a lot of laws. As you read them you will have different feelings. Be sure to differentiate between a Holy Spirit prompting and a scrubbing because you don’t want to do it or you don’t like it because. 

Everyone should read every single law, not just the 10 commandments, many which Jesus amplified or put explanation points behind. Here is the list of laws for you to read: https://www.jewfaq.org/613_commandments

So after Jesus tells us that not a dot is gone from the law because heaven and earth have not disappeared yet. There is much debate on what he meant when he said, ” “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. ” Fulfill could mean to clarify or it could also mean he has fulfilled so that we will not die if we do not sacrifice animals. But still, he says that not a dot will go away until heaven and earth disappear. And earth is still here, that I know for sure. 

Jesus goes on to explain or amplify the laws meanings. Most of these come from the 10 commandments but not all, some comes from the 613 laws. So we see that more than just the 10 apply to Jesus. That is why we must pray and learn all of them, ask for the Holy Spirit to guide. 

Jesus Amplifies Laws:

1. Yes murder is wrong but Jesus says if you are angry with your brother or sister and call them a fool… “will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Now that is some scary stuff! 
2. He says yes adultery is wrong, but if you lust after a woman you have already committed adultery in your heart- do what needs to be done to get rid of lusting thoughts again he says better to ”  lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. ”  Gosh! He’s serious! We got work to do! 
3.  ^“But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Seems like the entire world does this, divorces for things other than adultery! Then, they get remarried.  He takes divorce very seriously. 
4. “And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷ All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” So for me this could mean not saying ” I promise”  or ” I pledge.”  Think about where we have innocently done this even in cultural or club ceremonies.
5.  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’^h] ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. ( Aggression, defending seems to not be “The Way.”
6.  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. ( We are all guilty of being angry and cursing those that hurt us, seems like we are really in trouble…with unforgiveness, anger)

So this one teaching of Jesus is a really tough one. This is one that you have to take to prayer and you must study to know how to obey. What I do know is that we should always weigh Jesus’s words heavier than a disciples input. That is a given. Disciples were sinful, wavering men just like us.  

What I know is that doing good, doing what is right, helping the poor or someone in need is always important, even on the Sabbath. What I do know is that sexual sin is a big deal. What I do know is that God is a jealous God, we should give him honor and respect in our worship, our time and our pursuit of purity. What I do know is that I do not know it all and that I do not study his laws or words like I should. We must know what he sees as right or wrong, so we don’t sin and miss our mark. 

As I read a lot of this today, I felt convicted to repent, acknowledge my short comings and ask God to pray for people who have angered me and to ask God to place forgiveness on my heart. 

One of His laws is to read the Shema Morning and Night. I used to do this. I need to pick this back up. 

Here is the Shema Prayer.

Cover your eyes with your right hand and say:

Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G‑d, the L-rd is One.

Recite the following verse in an undertone:

Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.

You shall love the L-rd your G‑d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.

And it will be, if you will diligently obey My commandments which I enjoin upon you this day, to love the L-rd your G‑d and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, I will give rain for your land at the proper time, the early rain and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine and your oil. And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be sated. Take care lest your heart be lured away, and you turn astray and worship alien gods and bow down to them. For then the L-rd’s wrath will flare up against you, and He will close the heavens so that there will be no rain and the earth will not yield its produce, and you will swiftly perish from the good land which the L-rd gives you. Therefore, place these words of Mine upon your heart and upon your soul, and bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, to speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates – so that your days and the days of your children may be prolonged on the land which the L-rd swore to your fathers to give to them for as long as the heavens are above the earth.

The L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to attach a thread of blue on the fringe of each corner. They shall be to you as tzizit, and you shall look upon them and remember all the commandments of the L-rd and fulfill them, and you will not follow after your heart and after your eyes by which you go astray – so that you may remember and fulfill all My commandments and be holy to your G‑d. I am the L-rd your G‑d who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your G‑d; I, the L-rd, am your G‑d. True.