Jesus and the Law
Matthew 5:17-20
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Matt.5.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Μη: PART
- νομισητε: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- ηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- καταλυσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- νομον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- προφητας·ουκ: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- ηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- καταλυσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- αλλα: CONJ
- πληρωσαι·: VERB,aor,act,inf
Parallels
- Matt.5.18 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same argument: insists not even the smallest letter of the Law will pass away, reinforcing that Jesus came to fulfill, not abolish, the Law.
- Luke 16:17 (verbal): Comparable language about it being easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke/letter of the Law to become void, echoing Matthew's emphasis on the Law's enduring validity.
- Rom.3:31 (thematic): Paul insists that faith does not nullify the law but upholds it, resonating with Jesus' claim that he fulfills rather than abolishes the Law.
- Rom.10:4 (thematic): Declares Christ the 'end' (telos) of the law for righteousness, a Pauline articulation of how Christ completes or brings to fulfillment the law's purpose, parallel to Matthew's language of fulfillment.
- John 1:17 (allusion): Contrasts the Law given through Moses with grace and truth through Jesus, implying Jesus' ministry as the fulfillment/completion of earlier revelation rather than its negation.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not suppose that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
- Do not suppose that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish but to fulfill.
Matt.5.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αμην: PART
- γαρ: PART
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- εως: PREP
- αν: PART
- παρελθη: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ουρανος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- γη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ιωτα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- μια: NUM,nom,sg,f
- κεραια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ου: PART,neg
- μη: PART
- παρελθη: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
- απο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- νομου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εως: PREP
- αν: PART
- παντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- γενηται: VERB,aor,mid,subj,3,sg
Parallels
- Luke 16:17 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language about heaven and earth passing and the smallest letter/stroke of the law not passing, a close verbal parallel to Matthew 5:18.
- Matthew 5:17 (structural): Immediate context: Jesus affirms he has not come to abolish the Law and Prophets, providing the contextual thrust for 5:18’s claim about the law’s enduring validity.
- Mark 13:31 (thematic): Shares the motif that heaven and earth will pass away while Jesus’ (or God’s) words endure, underscoring the permanence of divine revelation compared with creation's transience.
- Psalm 119:89 (thematic): Affirms the enduring, established nature of God's word/torah (‘Your word is firmly fixed in the heavens’), resonating with Matthew’s emphasis on the law’s permanence.
- Deuteronomy 4:2 (allusion): The biblical injunction not to add or take away from God’s command (cf. Deut 4:2/12:32) undergirds Jesus’ insistence that the law remains intact until its purpose is fulfilled.
Alternative generated candidates
- For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter nor the tiniest stroke will pass from the Law until all things are accomplished.
- For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota nor the smallest stroke shall pass from the Law until all things are accomplished.
Matt.5.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εαν: CONJ
- ουν: PART
- λυση: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,sg
- μιαν: NUM,acc,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- εντολων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- τουτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ελαχιστων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- διδαξη: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,sg
- ουτως: ADV
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- ανθρωπους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- ελαχιστος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- κληθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- βασιλεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ουρανων·ος: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- δ᾽αν: PART
- ποιηση: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- διδαξη: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,sg
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- μεγας: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- κληθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- βασιλεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ουρανων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 5:17-18 (structural): Immediate context: Jesus affirms the Torah’s ongoing authority and sets up the contrast between keeping/teaching the commandments (leading into v.19’s reward) and abolishing them.
- Matthew 11:11 (verbal): Uses the same key phrase 'the least in the kingdom of heaven' to make a contrast about status in God's kingdom, echoing Matthew 5:19’s language about 'least' and greatness in the kingdom.
- Romans 2:21-23 (verbal): Paul confronts teachers of the law—'you who teach others, do you not teach yourself?'—highlighting the accountability of those who instruct others in commandments, parallel to v.19’s reward/punishment for teaching obedience or disobedience.
- James 3:1 (thematic): Warns that not many should become teachers because they will incur stricter judgment—echoing Matthew 5:19’s theme that teaching others about commandments carries moral consequences.
- Luke 16:10 (thematic): Affirms the principle that faithfulness in little things leads to greater responsibility—parallels Matthew 5:19’s reversal of status (least vs. great) tied to how one handles commandments and teaching.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore whoever sets aside one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
- Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt.5.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- γαρ: PART
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- οτι: CONJ
- εαν: CONJ
- μη: PART
- περισσευση: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,sg
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δικαιοσυνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- πλειον: ADV
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- γραμματεων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- Φαρισαιων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- ου: PART,neg
- μη: PART
- εισελθητε: VERB,aor,pass,subj,2,pl
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- βασιλειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ουρανων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Luke 18:9-14 (thematic): Parable contrasts a self‑righteous Pharisee with a humble tax collector; Jesus teaches that self‑justifying, outward righteousness does not secure standing before God or entry into God's kingdom.
- Matthew 23:27-28 (verbal): Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for outward righteousness and inner hypocrisy—directly related to Matthew 5:20’s critique that their kind of righteousness is insufficient for the kingdom.
- Romans 10:3 (thematic): Paul criticizes those who pursue a righteousness based on the law rather than submit to God’s righteousness, echoing Matthew’s contrast between Pharisaic legal righteousness and the higher righteousness required for the kingdom.
- Philippians 3:9 (thematic): Paul’s longing for ‘the righteousness that comes from God through faith’ contrasts with reliance on law‑based righteousness, paralleling Matthew’s demand that disciples’ righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees.
Alternative generated candidates
- For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
- For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish but to fulfill.
Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter nor the tiniest stroke will pass from the Law until all is fulfilled.
Therefore whoever sets aside one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever obeys and teaches will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.