Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 5:17-18
The law and the prophets are a revelation of our Lord and Saviour. Which is why changing one jot or tittle is bad, it destroys the prophecy or revelation.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Luke 24:25-27 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Christ came to fulfill all the prophecies and revelations of himself, part of which was to be the real sacrifice that the ones commanded by the law were but a similitude of.
Matthew 5:19-20 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The commandments he is speaking of are explained by example in verses 21 through the rest of the chapter, specifically commandments 4–10 of the Ten Commandments. However, he expands them by adding a spiritual aspect: the desires of the heart. This concludes in verse 43–48 as love all as yourself.
It will be noticed that there are three classes of people described: least in the kingdom of heaven, great in the kingdom of heaven, and those who don’t get into the kingdom of heaven. This suggests that the kingdom of heaven will be established in the future. What the future holds is Christ’s return and setting up his physical reign over all the earth, which is what the Jews were waiting for, the restoration of the kingdom.
It also shows that even if you have the right heart attitude and your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you can still get your doctrine messed up and teach the wrong thing. Having good intentions does not make up for diligent study.
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