This Sunday we took a journey of discovery of the revealed word of God as Jesus taught us to read and review the old laws.

5.4 The Bible is to be understood in the light
of the revelation of God's work in Christ.
The writing of the Bible was conditioned
by the language, thought,
and setting of its time.
The Bible must be read in its historical context.
We interpret Scripture
as we compare passages,
seeing the two Testaments in light of each other,
and listening to commentators past and present.
Relying on the Holy Spirit,
we seek the application of God's word for our time.

We have known and read the old laws and have sought to understand the context and the perceived differences between the old and new Testaments. Jesus came to clarify where the teachers of the time had gone astray.

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).

The Greek word pleroo, translated “fulfill” in Matthew 5:17, means “to make full, to fill, to fill up,…to fill to the full” or “to render full, i.e. to complete” ( Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2002, Strong’s number 4137). In other words, Jesus said He came to complete the law and make it perfect. How? By showing the spiritual intent and application of God’s law. His meaning is clear from the remainder of the chapter, where He showed the spiritual intent of specific commandments.

Our reading today shows this process.

Mathew 5:38-48

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[a] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

So we are learning today that Jesus came to make the laws full by ensuring the true understanding of God’s promise. We are Christian and thus the word of Jesus the great teacher helps us to understand where, why and how the word need to be seen and understood.

 We must then ensure we do not forget to whom we must look for interpretation and clarity.

John 3:2
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”

Honour the word of the Lord.

Noral R.