The Disciple’s Convictions – Christ and the Law
Focus: Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law; surpassing Pharisaic righteousness
Why this section: A hinge that protects from legalism and sets the stage for heart-level obedience. For those accustomed to regulations, it clarifies the difference between rule-keeping and Spirit-empowered righteousness (c/o https://www.cmfhq.org/)
Matthew’s commentary by Douglas R. A. Hare, (www.pts.edu, my M.Div. school)
“This is perhaps the most difficult passage to be found anywhere in the Gospel. The difficulty pertains not only to ambiguity in certain key words such as “destroy” and “fulfill” . . . it seems likely that verse 19 was aimed by Matthew at radical Christians who challenged the authority of Scripture . . . A few decades before the writing of the First gospel, Marcion shocked the church by denouncing the Old Testament as the product of demons unfit for Christian use . . . his spirit still haunts the Gentile church.” P. 46-50
Matthew, per Marilyn Hickey Ministries’ Bible Encounter, was written over a 34-year period in 4 B.C.
Chapters 1-2 are the Virgin birth, genealogy, and childhood, based in Bethlehem.
Chapters 3- 13 are Christ’s early ministry in Galilee, about the Kingdom at hand.
“Before the call of Matthew to his apostolic office, his name was Levi. He was a customs officer in the territory of Herod Antipas . . . The themes of Matthew are: 1. The Messiah, 2. Israel, 3. the law, 4. the kingdom, and 5. prophecy . . . The genealogy shows His royal descent. The magi were looking for a king. Matthew shows Jesus’ prophetic ministry, His atoning death as a priest (His sacrifice), and His kingly anointing.
Chapters 5-7 are The Laws of the Kingdom (Principles of living)” P. 284
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. CHRIST DID NOT WANT TO GET RID OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. HE AND THE NEW TESTAMENT FULFILLS IT. MESSIANIC CHRISTIANS TEND TO TRY TO FOLLOW BOTH.
18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not [h]the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. THIS REMINDS ME OF https://sightlineministry.org/scribes-faithfully-transmit-old-testament/
"Historical Documentation Resoundingly Says, “Yes!” In a previous blog post in this series, we saw that the New Testament can rightly claim to be more reliable and accurate than another other ancient document in history. Can we also trust the authenticity of the Old Testament?
Fortunately, we have really old biblical manuscripts to help us answer that. Too, we have documented proof of how meticulously Jewish scribes — even long before Jesus — faithfully transmitted and preserved these biblical texts.
First, the Back Story
We forget that the Bible did not come to us as one book. Rather, Scripture is a collection of books, written primarily in Hebrew, over a span of more than a thousand years. We can list among the authors of the Old Testament kings, prophets, generals, and even shepherds. Included genres — categories of writing — range from history, narrative, poetry, wisdom, lament, and apocalyptic literature.
It would be so much neater, when trying to answer the question, “Are we reading the Bible God intended?” if each book of the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) came into existence at one time, and if each book was considered complete at the time it was composed. Evidence, however, suggests this was not always the case.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, just one of five important Hebrew manuscripts that we’ll look at in next week’s blog post, are fragments of the oldest known Hebrew Bible text. Fragments aren’t enough to go on. So modern scholars point us to the Aleppo Codex and the Leningrad Codex (housed in the National Library of Russia), written in the 10th and 11th centuries by scribes called the Masoretes, as authoritative copies of the Hebrew Bible.
The Leningrad Codex has been used as the basis for most modern printed editions of the Hebrew Bible. Comparing it to modern Hebrew Old Testaments shows us just how accurately God’s Word has been preserved over the centuries.
The Bible Manuscript Society puts it this way: the Leningrad Codex provides irrefutable proof that the Hebrew Old Testament has remained unchanged down through more than one thousand years, copied faithfully from manuscripts one thousand years earlier. It adds:
Think about the implications of that for a moment. Down through more than two thousand years, though world empires have come and gone, across cities, counties, and continents, the Hebrew Old Testament has been miraculously and meticulously preserved. Wars have ravished. Cities have been plundered. Rulers have come and gone. Empires have long since arisen, died, and disappeared into the history books. Yet amazingly, miraculously, the Hebrew Old Testament has been preserved intact down through all those intervening centuries, remaining as free from corruption and variation as mortal man is capable of.
Scribes Faithfully Transcribed
Old Testament scripture itself doesn’t give us a clear idea of when the books were assembled into the Bible we use today. But scholars believe the Old Testament canon was closed earlier than 200 BC. Too, they believe the earliest biblical manuscripts were transmitted in the oral tradition. At some point, however, it was deemed critical that Scripture be written down to ensure its accuracy.
The Scriptures were so important to the nation of Israel, that a special class of scholars called Soferim developed during the Second Temple period. From about 500 BC to 100 AD, the primary task of these scribes was to preserve Israel’s sacred traditions, which served as the foundation of the Jewish nation.
Scholars believe these Jewish men were possibly of priestly descent, as most sofer whose genealogy is known were priests. As such, the Soferim were intimately acquainted with Scripture and other sacred documents. They likely specialized in the biblical manuscripts they transcribed and the topics they wrote about.
As noted in the Encyclopedia Britannica:
Historically, the Soferim are of great importance, not only for having initiated rabbinic studies but also for having fixed the canon of Old Testament Scriptures and, as copyists and editors, for their energetic efforts to safeguard the purity of the original text. The Talmud (the collection of traditions on Jewish religious laws) records 18 changes (tiqqune soferim) that they introduced to preclude misunderstanding of the Scriptures.
The Soferim were followed by a second group of scribes called Tannaim, “repeaters,” who began copying the Soferim tradition. From about 200 to 500 AD, a third group of scribes called the Amoraim began to preserve Hebrew text. At some point in this period, meticulous rules were developed to preserve Old Testament text in the synagogue scrolls.
Finally, about the 8th century AD, we come to the group of scribes, the Masoretes, which we mentioned earlier. Their diligent efforts help to preserve the Hebrew text we have today, which is called the Masoretic Text. The Masoretic Text is a very good and faithful text of the Hebrew Bible, yet not perfect.
The Masoretes, themselves recognized the inherent possibility of human error when copying the Hebrew Bible. They attempted to combat errors by adding innumerable notes — masorah — in the margins of manuscripts to safeguard the text. Where they found differences between texts, they determined which opinion was correct.
These decisions related not only to verses and words, but to every single letter. Too, these scribes attempted to gain consistency by establishing rules on how to articulate the words when reading the text aloud. We know the proper pronunciation because of the system of chanting symbols and vowel placement established by the Masoretes.
Explains the Encyclopedia Britannica:
If the Masoretes hadn’t devised their systems of vowel notation, the most important Hebrew texts would have been translated and possibly preserved, but the rest of it, as well as the Hebrew language at large, would have gone the way of the dodo. We wouldn’t have had the Bible as we know it, if it wasn’t for the Masoretic efforts.
Establishing Transmission Standards
When you’re copying the Word of God, standardization becomes an important consideration.
We know that various rabbinic rules — including the selection of writing materials, the preparation of leather (parchment), error correction, transcribing of divine names, the storage and reading of scrolls, and measurements of sheets, columns, and margins — all point to the reverence that rabbinic scribes had for biblical text.
Again, the scribes revered Scripture so highly that, through the ages, they took meticulous care in their work. One example: scribes may have known their biblical texts from memory, but they were forbidden from copying Scripture without a vorlage (the manuscript being copied) in front of them. While this did not ensure a flawless transmission of the text, it did provide a structural safeguard.
Paul D. Wegner, professor of Old Testament studies at Gateway Seminary in Ontario, California, shares further safeguards and protocols that aided scribes in their copying and storage of biblical texts:
~ Jewish writings mention that the temple employed correctors (meggihim) who scrutinized the scrolls to safeguard their precision.
~ At some point during the talmudic period (100 BC to AD 400), meticulous rules were developed to preserve the Old Testament text in synagogue scrolls. These included only using parchment made from clean animals, using only black ink, lining the page before adding letters, and establishing a set column width and word spacing (the space of a hair between each consonant, and the space of a consonant between each word). Too, the scribe had to be freshly bathed and in full Jewish dress before beginning to copy the scroll.
Writes Wagner, in an article titled “How Did We Get the Old Testament?“ for Credo Magazine:
“These scribes made meticulous notes regarding the text, from recording the number of letters used in a book, to indicating the middle letter of a book. They also made careful notations along the sides of the Hebrew text in multiple other volumes concerning the reading and pointing of these texts.”
Later, an entire treatise was created to guide scribes on the proper procedure for preparing a sacred scroll and producing an accurate text. It seems that the various communities of scribes began to unify at the end of the first century AD. This ultimately led to a standardization of authoritative biblical text that, albeit not intentionally orchestrated, was an inevitable result of historical circumstances.
Materials and Equipment Used by Scribes
Scholars can ascertain, with a high degree of confidence, which materials and equipment these ancient scribes used to faithfully transmit the biblical narratives.
They used pens and ink, though not the ballpoints that you and I are familiar with. These scribes used inks typically compounded from charcoal, gum, and water. Typically, their pens were fashioned from reeds and quills. As these scribes also lacked the processed pulp that our paper is made with today, they used what was on hand to record writings: papyrus (water reeds), parchment (animal skins), broken pottery, and wooden tablets. Our earlier blog post dives into writing materials much deeper.
Archeologists have even discovered proof that copper was used, at least once, by an ancient scribe as a writing surface. The Copper Scroll found in a cave at Qumran, in Israel, is made from thin sheets of copper. When discovered by archeologists, the heavily oxidized manuscript was far too brittle to unroll. It took scholars a while to devise a tactic for examining the ancient text. (Archeology sounds like a really cool career, right?) After the text of the scroll was translated, the world learned that it was basically a treasure map. Its listed treasures, as of yet, have remained unfound.
The Leningrad Codex, mentioned earlier, is called a “codex” because it is in book form, rather than a scroll. Scrolls were very heavy, if large, which made them difficult to handle. The codex format is easier to read, protect, and store.
Historic Texts Validate the Bible’s Old Testament
Clearly, many hands have been involved in the creation of the books included in the Old Testament. Human error, specific to mistakes made in the act of physically adding ink to scroll, have been made. But they also have been diligently chased by scribes committed to authenticity.
With more than 300 ancient Hebrew manuscripts now available to scholars for review and study, and new biblical manuscripts continually being discovered, scholars remain unwavering in their belief that the Old Testament, which you and I have the luxury of perusing any time we decide to open our Bible, is God’s Word.
So the next time you hear someone say that the Bible is a bunch of books that “someone threw together” that “can’t be vetted for accuracy” and “couldn’t possibly be correct in its entirety,” you’ll have some proven facts to share with them. This blog post highlights Josh and Sean McDowell’s recently revised apologetics classic, Evidence That Demands a Verdict. "
19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches [i]others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever [j]keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE HUMBLE. THE LORD WILL LIFT US UP. JAMES 4: 10 "Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."
20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." THIS IS A STRONG STATEMENT RE: RIGHTEOUSNESS. THIS IS GETTING AT
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
`The Word In Life Study Bible (Nelson, 1993) has the following to say about this passage. “Jesus’ critics claimed that His teaching encouraged people to violate the Mosaic Law, allowing them to get away with sin. Actually, He warned people to avoid the hypocrisies of the rabbis. While making an outward show of righteousness, they took ethical shortcuts and carried out wicked schemes. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus turned the tables on his opponents by appealing to the Law as the basis for His moral code-not the Law as they taught it, but as God intended it. Jesus’ words are crucial for Christians today. While God does not require us to live by the specific regulations of the Old Testament Law. He still expects us to honor Old Testament morality. What might that look like in today's ethically complicated marketplace.
JAMES 3:8-13
8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both [a]fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce [b]fresh.
Wisdom from Above
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
Footnotes
James 3:11 Lit sweet
James 3:12 V 11, note 1
Richard A. Edwards was an Associate Professor at Marquette University in 1985. He wrote on p. 21, 22 of Matthew’s Story of Jesus (Fortress Press) “Jesus’ next statement comes as a surprise. We are told not to think that he has come to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them (5:17). We have to assume that someone has made such an accusation, but why they might do so has not been narrated. In fact, the narrator has, to this point in the story, reported (1) repeated references that show how events in Jesus’ life have fulfilled the sayings of the prophets, (2) how this place of birth was predicted by them, and (3) that he vanquished the devil, using a judicious series of quotations form the law. Thus, the reader can appreciate the truth of the denial and look forward to its verification. The next sentence (5:18), affirms and reinforces his respect for the Scripture. Its force is heightened by the formal introduction (“For truly, I say to you”); the reader is thereby reminded of the basis of his authority and his reliability. Notice the future dimension of the promise: “Until all is accomplished.” The reader is being reminded of the way the fulfillment quotations align present events with statements from the past. The only cluses the reader has for anticipating exactly what this accomplishment will be are (1) the name given to Jesus in Matt 1:21 (“for He will save His people”) and (2) the predominant use of the kingdom of heaven, both as an element of the future and aspect of the will of God GEORGE ELDON LADD AND JOHN WIMBER WROTE A LOT ABOUT THIS.
Jesus next warns His audience of the danger of neglecting these commands (5:19-20). The focus is still on the kingdom of heaven; one’s status within it will depend on one’s fulfillment of the commands. In fact, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees” (5:20). At this point in the narrative, the reader’s evaluation of the Pharisees and Sadducees is dependent upon John the Baptist’s earlier criticism (3:7-12). We know they are enemies or opponents of some sort. This statement is a backhanded compliment, which implies that they are somewhat righteous; they have not reached the full limits of righteousness. Since we already know that Joseph was “just” and that John acceded to Jesus’ request to “fulfill all righteousness,” the meaning of the word “righteousness” is being developed. It should be noted that the focus of the opening portions of the speech (Beatitudes and two analogies of salt and light) is upon the kingdom of heaven, while this paragraph focuses on Jesus Himself. The arrangement is significant; it establishes a correlation between the two.”
