Jesus Expects You to Teach

One of the most ignored and/or misinterpreted verse in the Bible is Matt. 5:17. Jesus tells His disciples not to think He has come to destroy the law or the prophets. He declared that He did not come to destroy, but to fulfill the law.

Sadly, many have been persuaded that Jesus’ work was to nail the law to the cross. This is a gross misinterpretation of the Col. 2:13-14. Unfortunately, many teachers fail to read the context of the previously cited verses which includes verses 15 through 23. Please read them for yourself. Be sure to note verse 22 which shows that some were teaching things “after the commandments and doctrines of men.” Paul was not talking about God’s law. He was talking about the commandments and doctrines of men.

Keep in mind that Paul is writing to gentiles who lived by very different laws and doctrines than he did. This passage is explaining that the Colossians should be dead to the rudiments (the order) of this world instead of being subject to it (reread verses 20-22). This is in context of letting no man judge them about God’s ordinances which point to things to come (verses 16-17).

For further proof that Paul did not teach against the laws given to Moses, read Acts 21:17-26, Acts 23:6, and Acts 24:10-21 (emphasis on verse 14). If you read these passages carefully, you will notice that Paul was accused of teaching contrary to the law and the prophets, but the real issue was the belief in the resurrection of the dead. Paul purified himself before going into the temple and kept the sabbath with gentiles (Acts 13:42-44; Acts 18:1-4). Someone who taught the law was nailed to the cross would not do these things. Paul taught against doctrines of men as Jesus did (Mark 7:6-9; Titus 1:10-16).

To Fulfill

Jesus said He came to fulfill the law. He did not come to do away with or destroy it. What does it mean to fulfill something? It means to make replete, to cram, level up, to furnish, satisfy, execute, and verify. In other words, it means to carry out fully. This is what Jesus did in regards to the law of God. To do these things does not mean that He invalidated the law. It means Jesus magnified the law by fulfilling it as an example for us (Isa. 41:21; I John 2:6).

Read Rom. 8:1-7, then reread verse 4. The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God. The carnal mind cannot fulfill the law of God, but those who walk after the Spirit of God can do it with God’s help.

Read Matt. 5:18. Jesus declares no one piece of the law shall pass away until all be fulfilled. Notice that this is in context of heaven and earth passing away. Please see Rev. 21:1. The first heaven and the first earth pass away after the millennium as described in Rev. 20. This is how important the law and the prophets are to God!

The Least of the Commandments

Matt. 5:19 shows us that God expects us to teach the least of the commandments and keep them. Those who break the least of the commandments and teach others to do so will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. This does not mean such a person will be in the kingdom of heaven. Read verse 20. This verse shows that there in no entry to God’s kingdom for those who are less righteous than the scribes and Pharisees.

If you read Matt. 23, then you will get a better understanding of the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Pay close attention to verses 27-28. The scribes and Pharisees appeared to be righteous on the outside, but they were filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness (read Matt. 23:1-4). These men did not teach the least of the commandments. They taught their own laws and traditions as if they were the law of God (see Matt. 15:1-9).

You can meet the expectation of Jesus Christ by studying the laws of God. Recognize that Jesus showed us how to keep the spirit of the law (John 4:23-24). You must begin to submit yourself as a servant of righteousness and servant of God (Rom. 6:15-22). This includes striving to obey the very least of the commandments. Study every command of God and teach your household daily (Deut. 6:1-2,6-7; Josh. 24:14-15). Then you can teach others outside of your house by living by what you’re learning. Pray that God reveals the blessing of His way of life to all you come in contact with! Amen.