Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uupsi!njin!paul.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tblake@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu (Thomas Blake) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: "Laws that are not Good" (Ezekiel 20) Message-ID: Date: 17 May 91 06:28:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: State University of New York at Binghamton Lines: 97 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article math1h3@jetson.uh.edu writes: >See Matthew 5: 17-20. Jesus discusses the same thing with a little more >context. > >" 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) I tell you the truth, 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) Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments >and teaches others to do the same 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." But if we read the rest of the chapter, he then proceeds (apparantly) to change the law. In verses 21-26, Jesus' teaching extends the law. "Do not commit murder" gets extended to don't even get angry unjustly at your brother. (Don't just avoid murder, avoid the thoughts/attitudes that lead to murder.) In verses 27-30, Jesus extends the law again. "Do not commit adultery." gets extended to don't even lust after a woman and desire to possess her. (Don't just avoid adultery, avoid the thoughts/attitudes that lead to adultery.) In verses 31-32, Jesus extends or perhaps clarifies the law. "Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce." get's extended to don't divorce your wife unless she is unfaithful. (The first instance requires that a man have the decency to give the woman notice, the second requires that a man have the decency not to divorce the woman without just cause. (Unless she has committed adultery, then by divorcing her, the man *makes* her commit adultery, so the sin is *his*.)) In verses 33-37 Jesus extends the Law once again. "Don't take the Lord's name in vain." get's extended to don't swear by anything, just say "Yes" or "No". Rather than making up rules about what oaths you were allowed to break or not, Jesus says, don't make oaths, just be honest. (Don't just avoid being dishonest when you swear by the Lord's name, avoid being dishonest at all.) In verses 38-42, Jesus I believe is not reversing the law, but extending it again. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." I believe originally was intended to mean, "keep things in proportion, don't kill another just because you have been injured." This get's extended to turning the other cheek. (Don't just avoid disproportionate revenge, avoid the thoughts/attitudes that lead to revenge.) Verses 43-48 apparantly come from the book of Sirach. Once again, Jesus is extending the law. "Love your friends, hate your enemies" becomes love everyone, don't stop at just your friends. (Don't just avoid hating your friends, avoid hating anyone.) In chapter 6, Jesus shows that even acts which the Law calls for can be made wrong if done with the wrong attitude. The people must seek not only to satisfy the law, but to be in accord with the attitudes behind the law. These attitudes are the Laws of God. > 1. Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets by living a life of perfect > obedience, and by fulfilling the prophecies made concerning his death > and resurrection, his atonement for the sins of the people. I would say that the above examples show that Jesus was working to complete the law. That the rules and regulations about behaviour was not the law, but the underlying motivations behind the behaviour was what the law of God was meant to govern. > 2. We might say that 'everything was accomplished' when Jesus spoke the > words 'It is finished' on the cross. Matthew wrote that at the moment > Jesus gave up his spirit, 'the curtain of the temple was torn in two > from top to bottom.' This signified the end of the Old covenant; its > purpose was fulfilled, and it was no longer needed. But what is the old covenant? The Law of Moses, and the teachings of the prophets? If the Law was ending so soon, why did Jesus work so hard to adjust the Jew's understandings of The Law? >From this I conclude that the Law still stands for use in judging those whose >names are not written in the book of life through faith in Jesus. So, you would agree that God will still honor his covenant with those Jews who did not choose to follow Jesus. (Yes?) >Further comment on Matthew 5: > 4. How does our righteousness exceed 'that of the Pharisees and the > teachers of the Law?' Our righteousness comes from God (Romans 3:21) > It is Christ's perfect righteousness, imputed to us by God's grace > through faith. I believe that our righteousness can exceed theirs through honoring the law as Jesus revealed it. We must seek not to just be in accord with the letter of the laws, but with the spirit behind them. Tom Blake SUNY-Binghamton