Matthew 5:17-20
Suggested further reading: Hebrews 10:1-18
The relationship between our Lord’s “Words and Works” and the Old Testament is cleared up here in His remarkable sentences. Here is His testimony of a profound relationship between the two testaments of continuity and discontinuity, i.e., some things in the Old Testament pointed to and were fulfilled in the New Testament (the Gospel) while others were discontinued (e.g., Sabbath worship and circumcision) and replaced with newer revelation.
The Gospel was promised in the Old Testament through the ministry of the written prophets. In defining the Gospel, whether in Acts 2 or 1 Corinthians 15, an appeal is continually made to the Old Testament as proof of the validity of our Lord’s Person and Work. The sacrifices of the Old Testament symbolized and illustrated the meaning of Jesus substitutionary death on the Cross. His perfect life fulfilled the demands of its moral commandments.
Let us beware of all shallow views of the Old Testament. Remember, it is the Word of God, too. True, not all of the Old Testament’s prophecies have been fulfilled. Some still await Christ’s Second Coming. Also true is the fact that we do not understand fully everything in either Testaments. But by faith we accept the proposition that what has been fulfilled is a guarantee that the rest of it will be fulfilled.
Also, let us beware of assuming that the grace of the Gospel has lowered the standard of personal holiness for us from that demanded of the Jew. There are more commandments in the New than in the Old Testament! The more knowledge we have, the more we ought to love God, the more our responsibility increases. Let us meditate on the whole counsel of God.
Lanny Tanton is the Pastor at The Bible Church of the Lakes in Horseshoe Bay, Texas – just outside of Marble Falls. Pastor Tanton welcomes you to our website and hopes that you’ll enjoy reading these insightful blog posts. Please contact us if you have further questions!!
