Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

- Matthew 5:17-20

We are reading from Matthew's chapter 5, the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. We started with The Beatitudes. In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued, teaching us, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." He taught that His disciples are the salt of the earth. They must take care to guard their potency, else how will it be salted? They are also the light of the world, a light that is like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, a lamp that must be placed high on a lampstand to shine its light to all in the house. He said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." See You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. " Jesus continues to speak about the righteousness of the Kingdom, and discipleship in that kingdom. His is one of fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. He is here in the same spirit in which the Law was given, and the Prophets spoke. His light will fulfill what was told through the history of Israel. He is in fact giving us a fuller picture of the law, teaching what must be taught in order to fulfill it more fully. Through this Sermon, which will continue through the next chapters of Matthew, He will give us His fulfillment of the law, and grant righteousness to His disciples. In His Person is both fulfillment of the Law and also the prophecies in Scripture.

"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." He is preparing them for what is to be given. Through His Sermon, His teaching, He will set out what it is to live a righteous life, to be righteous. His commandments are those which fulfill the law. This is a solemn oath, a prophetic pronouncement, speaking in an apocalyptic vein about what He is here to give. The teachings that He will teach are those of the law that must be written on the heart -- but none of it is negligible. "The whole of the law," says my study bible, "is the foundation of the new teaching." Discipleship is the doing and the teaching of righteousness.

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." As His disciples, they will set an example, they will be the carriers of the righteousness of the kingdom into the world. They must carry His image to others in their lives, their righteousness. My study bible says, "Righteousness is more than proper behavior, such as the scribes and Pharisees were advocating, and holy thoughts. It centers upon our relationship with God." Jesus will go on to teach what it is to live a righteous life, avoiding the pitfalls of hypocrisy, appearances, empty works. He tells His disciples here they must be prepared to follow Him thoroughly in this righteousness.

Today we have a sort of preface to the passages to come in which Jesus teaches about the Law, and His fulfillment of it. His commands will "exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees." He will call on His disciples to deepen their relationship to the Giver of the Law by teaching us what it is to have this law inscribed in our hearts, the impulse to righteousness deep within ourselves. All tells us that we enter into relationship with His Person, we deepen within ourselves the commitment to this vision of living, doing, teaching, being that city on a hill and the light of the world, the salt of the earth. How will this come about? First we will have the teaching, and the Comforter or Counselor will bring us the grace to live this life in its fullness as He has taught. How do you find your relationship to Christ deepening a sense of righteousness or "justness" within yourself? What are the costs of discipleship, and its rigor? Have you found yourself changed in this relationship, deepening a sense of loyalty, duty to love and truth, to righteousness in the inward parts? Let us remember what it is to be disciples, His grace which is alive and active within us. The commands written on the heart are active and living, and continue to make us grow.