“Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.”
Mt. 5:17
God’s moral and ceremonial laws were given to help people love God with all their hearts and minds. Throughout Israel’s history, however, these laws had often been misquoted and misapplied. We are all guilty occasionally of misquoting laws to suit a particular occasion. Shakespeare said that even the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose! By Jesus’ time, religious leaders had turned the laws into a confusing mass of rules – 613 rules!
When Jesus talked about a new way to understand God’s law, he was actually trying to bring people back to its original purpose. Jesus did not speak against the law itself, but against the abuses and excesses to which it had been subjected.
Eventually, Jesus would reduce all the Laws and the Prophets to two – love of God and love of neighbour. If our love for God is genuine, then we will be concerned about observing his commands and if we love our neighbour, we will avoid harming him/her.
Prayer
May the Law of the Lord be our joy! (Ps.1:2)