Matthew 5:17-20 (Four Contexts) – An Academic Lecture

Abstract: Matthew 5:17–20 is a passage of particular interest because it serves as a proof text for the theology of Torahism (aka Hebrew Roots, Torah-keepers.) So correctly understanding this passage will shed valuable light on that discussion. Because this text stands alone and is not explicitly connected to the text that precedes or follows it, we’re going to exegete its meaning through an analysis of four ever–widening contexts. First, in its immediate literary context; second, in the broader context of the Sermon on the Mount; third, within the gospel of Matthew; and lastly, within the metanarrative of Scripture.

DONATE TO OUR MINISTRY

OUR LINKS

00:00 Introduction
00:40 The Immediate Context
08:04 The Context of the Sermon on the Mount
10:48 The Context of the Gospel of Matthew (and Beyond)
22:02 Matthew 5:17
26:37 Matthew 5:18
33:20 Matthew 5:19
38:01 Matthew 5:20
40:06 Conclusion

[lExperiment]

Brother Solberg, I'm no scholar, but what I could understand, I really enjoyed. Thank you for this lecture, truly you are a Professor... 👍😁😎💯

Shalom Professor Solberg...

[jonuvark]

Oh my... now you've done it.. With intellect, respect and the authority of Scripture, you blew up an HR core tenet.

Well done and thank you.

One day as I was pondering this verse, I felt the HS prompting me to look at Hebrew idioms. I found in their idioms that "Heaven and earth" can be a reference to the physical Temple, which did pass away in 70ad. Understabding this idiom clarified YESHUA'S meaning and matches your interpretation, but from an Hebraic perspective.

YESHUA is the Temple and those who believe and are indwelt with the HS are HIS Temple.

My opinion is based on asking GOD to reveal HIS meaning to me.

[cynthiahunter]

Wow! I’m going to have to listen to this again more intently! 😂
I believe Jesus was teaching, as he did with the rich young ruler, that we cannot keep the Law. All the requirements that are demanded of us are impossible to keep. Jesus kept them on our behalf.

[sundownsam]

Robert Solberg, though I haven't yet listened to this video, you did put a smile on my face. I see you posted this video on Shabbat. Maybe God is gradually dealing with you, and I have to throw in the following with humor, not being sarcastic, maybe the taste of grass is getting to you (I am laughing on this one).

In all seriousness, if I can recommend something to you, this is what I would say: on Shabbat, put aside your view on the law and teach how to walk with God in Yeshua, which is more important because as we walk after the Spirit, the Spirit of God will fulfill the righteousness of the law in us.

I really commend you for sending out a teaching on Shabbat, just hoping that it is not against God's law. Maybe one day you will do what some are doing, taking their biblical diplomas and trashing them because God has opened their eyes to true scriptural teachings.

[pipinfresh]

Great video. Thanks. It's my personal conviction that the idiom "until heaven and earth pass away" is a reference to the temple. I believe this is why Jesus also uses that phrase in Matthew 24 and and in the other Gospels when He gives His prophecy about the destruction of the temple. In Hebrew thought the temple represented heaven and earth, the place where both heaven and earth meet together. Josephus talks about this.

According to Josephus, two parts of the tabernacle were "approachable and open to all“ but one was not. He explains that in so doing Moses "signifies the earth and the sea, since these two are accessible to all; but the third portion he reserved for God alone because heaven is inaccessible to men" (Ant. 3:181, cf. 3:123). The veil between’ the accessible and inaccessible parts of the Temple was designed to represent the entire material world during Jesus’ day. Josephus and Philo agree that the veil was composed of four materials representing the four elements—earth, water, air, and fire (War 5:212-213; Ant. 3:138-144; Quaestiones in Exodum 2:85, cf. Mos 2:88). Heaven was beyond this material world. It was behind the curtain.

Outside the Temple’s microcosm of “heaven and earth, ” the courts looked like the sea. Numbers Rabbah 13:19 records, "The court surrounds the temple just as the sea surrounds the world." In Talmudic tradition, Rabbis described how the inner walls of the Temple looked like waves of the sea (b. Sukk. 51b, b.B.Bat. 4a). From heaven and earth inside the temple, you looked out at the sea surrounding the world.

I believe this is also what Peter is referring to in 2 Peter 3:10. The elements passing away is not referring to to the physical cosmos but the temple being destroyed. John Owen and John Lightfoot both believed this was referring to the temple.

John Lightfoot says:

"The destruction of Jerusalem is phrased in Scripture as the destruction of the whole world; and Christ's coming to her in judgment, as his coming to the last judgment. Therefore, those dreadful things, spoken of in Matt. 24:29, 30 and 31, are but borrowed expressions, to set forth the terms of that judgment the more.. v.30 - "then shall they see" - not any visible appearance of Christ, or of the cross, in the clouds (as some have imagined); but, whereas Jews would not own Christ before for the Son of Man, or for the Messias, then by the vengeance that he should execute upon them, they and all the world should see an evident sign, and it was so. This, therefore, is called "his coming, " and his coming in his kingdom." [A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, ed. Rev. John Rogers Pitman (London: J.F. Dove, 1825), p.141]

"That the destruction of Jerusalem and the whole Jewish state is described as if the whole frame of the world were to be dissolved. Nor is it strange, when God destroyed his habitation and city, places once so dear to him, with so direful and sad an overthrow; his own people, whom he accounted of as much or more than the whole world beside, by so dreadful and amazing plagues. Matt. 24:29, 30, 'The sun shall be darkened &c. Then shall appear the 'sign of the Son of man, ' &c; which yet are said to fall out within that generation, ver. 34. 2 Pet. 3:10, 'The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, ' &c. Compare with this Deut. 32:22, Heb. 12:26: and observe that by elements are understood the Mosaic elements, Gal 4:9, Coloss. 2:20: and you will not doubt that St. Peter speaks only of the conflagration of Jerusalem, the destruction of the nation, and the abolishing the dispensation of Moses" (vol. 3, p. 452).

"(Peter, in the second epistle, ) sets forth the destruction of that cursed Nation and their City in those terms that Christ had done, Matt. 24. and that the Scripture doth elsewhere, Deut. 32.22, 23.24. Jer. 4.23. namely as the destruction of the whole world, The heavens passing away, the elements melting, and the earth burnt up, &c. And accordingly speaks of a new heaven and a new earth, from Isa. 65.17. a new state of the Church under the Gospel among the Gentiles, when this old world of the Jews state should be dissolved." (Works, Vol. I., p. 338.)

[leonaperdue]

Thank you so much. You must’ve hit a nerve because I’ve never seen so much criticism on any of your posts as I do today.
Take heart, many of us appreciate you and your understanding of the scriptures. So very much. 🙏

[kiruiandrew]

Professor, please read the verses as is written. YESHUA didn't do away with the Law of Mosheh neither did he do away with words of the Prophets.
He never brought another theology as claimed by Christianity

[veritasverus]

I am still confused.
Let say, someone asks, Hi Jesus, why did you came here?

If I have two sentences of his reply:

A) Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

B) I came to fulfill the law and the Prophets.

Between that 2 sentences, it leads you to a different conclusion right?

The answer A sounds to be warning, to keep our guards up, to let us know the rule is still there and still apply. It is like a teacher warning to the kids in classroom, I need to leave the class for a while, I want you to still behave good. And by fulfill means he is fulfilling his promise in the prophecy, meaning, if he said he will came in Christmas, and he did came in Christmas, than that is fulfilling his prophecy.

The answer B, may what should have happened if the he actually means the law of moses finished at the cross. And a new rule apply.

It's like the speeding ticket parable people have been using, You are caught speeding, you are guilty. But someone else paid your fines in hope you will repent speeding, hoping you will try not to speed again. Your punishment were gone, but the rules are still there not to speed.

The answer A explains well for (Matthew 5:18) "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished!". Meaning the rule is still there unless heaven and earth destroyed.

It also explain why (Matthew 7:23) "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness."
The word lawlessness, implying that those didn't do the law (tanakh/old testament/law of Moses as many as he can is considered living lawless.

Also fits well explaining (Matthew 5:19) Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. Because those who teach people that you do need to do the law of moses, are teaching or nullifies one of his commandments.


Are we trying to understand this by our own, or by the holy spirit?

I honestly don't know. Someone please share your thoughts, or better, what has the holy spirit reveals to you.

[TonyPinoYeshuasaves]

Robs video seems to be a great example of showing how one comes to a set of verses reading a preconceived idea into the text and not reading it from the proper historical and cultural context it gives. 🙂

The intention of the law of Moshe has not been finished (Jer 33:14-26). People are still sinning in this world including believers. It shows what is sin and how one is to love and repent according to the Covenant.

Yeshua was teaching the Law of Moshe in Matt 5, for it is the constitution/wedding contract of the covenant and is being written on the hearts of New Covenant believers. It was given to Israel for them to be a light to all nations on how the redeemed are to walk in covenant with him. For YaHwehs House is a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7).

He spoke using rabbinic idiomatic terms making sure everyone knew his teachings were not causing you to disobey (abolish/destroy) the law of Moshe in your life but how to obey (fulfill/accomplish) it correctly. Yeshua showed the fruit of what the Law of Moshe produces when one follows it correctly (Deutb6:24-25). He showed how the physical and spiritual working of the Law operates in a believers life. Yeshua commanded his disciple to teach all disciples what he commanded (Matt 28:20). Not all have been accomplished yet.


Tim Hegg does an excellent job on Matt 5:17-19

[Contemplate]

Ezekiel 36: 27 I will put my spirit within you and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.

In context (CAPITALIZATION emphasis is mine)

Ezekiel 36:24-30
24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

27 I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU AND MAKE YOU FOLLOW MY STATUTES AND BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE MY ORDINANCES.

28 Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

29 I will save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.

30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field abundant, so that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.

[MarkRod]

I mean this with the upmost respect, I like your face to face video teachings better, where you are facing the camera as opposed to this classroom setting style where you are looking left and right, feels like more impersonal and like we are not connecting as opposed to the other videos where you grab my attention and eye contact feels like we are both talking at a campfire. I recommend looking up Vinh Giang he's got some great tips for these kinds of things. Much love brother and thanks for the teaching!

[walkinginthegodgiven-jerem]

Very good effort. However, you stated a couple things that are very inaccurate, and must be reconciled. The first you said that this is a isolated teaching that has no precursor teachings leading up to. Number one, the subject on “you are the light of the world”, and the subject concerning “ the salt and its saver” are 100% metaphors and paralleling teachings about not doing away with shining the light and keeping the savor of the Torah strong in our lives. Second you are drowning out this entire chapter 5 by focusing on the entire book, stating a bunch of theological breakdowns. however, you have missed several very strong points in Matthew chapter 5 verses 17 through 20. If you study the parables, you will notice that Jesus very often teaches in threes, he also repeats what he says, multiple ways building upon one to the other, establishing a greater context and Clarity. If you understand that the kingdom of heaven did not start until after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and primarily with the date of Pentecost fully come, then you can completely understand that Jesus says anyone who keeps the law and the prophets, and teaches others to do the same shall have a status of the greatest amongst those who are in the kingdom of heaven (which started in the new covenant era). You said you take the position that it isn’t until heaven and earth have passed away, but rather till all things have been accomplished, which you believe clearly happened at the cross. However, you are negating the scripture that the Bible says when all things have been made subject to Jesus, he will then turn around and give all back to the father, so that he may be all in all in it’s glory. it is very clear that the work that Jesus did in order to bring the full redemption ability to mankind, was complete with the work of the cross, and the giving of the Holy Spirit. However, all things have not been accomplished with this work as the gospel had to circulate the globe, men had to learn to walk with God, and to learn to be redeemed, and finally end up in holiness, according to his all encumbrance plan from the beginning. So, if the first part of the chapter is talking about how GODS people were designed to be the light, and we know that the Pharisees, we’re not teaching the laws of Moses, in fact, they were teaching a completely new set of laws, and therefore negating, and bringing to ruin GODS commandments through drowning out and never teaching Moses, so Jesus was saying this light Must shine it’s not to be hidden, the next subject, as you are the salt of the Earth, what good is it if it loses its holiness, if it loses its ability to preserve and disinfect, and to make clean, we cannot loose our savor. He is not abolishing, nor doing away, but that he is going to come and make it stand or come to its fullest of intended purpose, what you are not seeing is that this intended purpose is in the life and hearts of men and ACTIONS in the new covenant era. all scripture must harmonize and just one powerful scripture that brings to light the subject is Ezekiel chapter 36, verse 26 and several more that clearly teach that the reason the new covenant would be instituted would be to give men a new heart, and to give him his Holy Spirit so that they could walk in his will, and his commandments, according to his standards You say that all of this was fulfilled, and therefore, now is completely void in our lives, because Jesus fulfilled everything on the cross however, his entire teaching in this chapter is talking about those who would live and operate in the kingdom of heaven I cannot believe that you cannot see that this message was intended for the subjects, or the citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and what his purposes for them would be in the new covenant era. What you have done is you have completely avoided Christ message for anyone in the new covenant era and now you’re saying the direct opposite that Jesus did away with the law as he clearly said he wouldn’t. Where everybody gets completely hanged up in this whole chapter is over one word, and because it satisfies their lustful hearts they become blind to everything. The word fulfill has no meaning at all in the way that it is understood in today’s world, just like the word replenish has no correct understanding in today’s world as it simply means to fill the earth not to re-fill. The same with fulfilled, when you understand in proper context, it literally is the Capstone of our GODS plan. Jesus literally is making a point that is so beautiful. We must understand this teaching correctly, here is a powerful example ; imagine a baker (GOD) who has taught how to bake bread (Tanakh), and he promises to send his top Chef later to finish the bread with you, when that chef arrives, he says I have not come to throw away this work that has been done but I have come to add the final ingredients so that this bread will bake properly and it will be a beautiful loaf of bread that is alive and healthy.

Jesus brought forth the final ingredients to add to the ingredients already mixed for us to become everything GOD intended for us to be from the beginning.

[mavrickglo]

Very good break down of the scripture. I was wondering if you have ever looked at this from the direction of what the purpose and what the sacrifices, law of Moses, and the kingdoms of Israel did through ritual participation to make it possible for Christ to come. I have found looking at the fulfillment of the law from this angle very satisfying. I don’t think it would convince Torah Observers but it definitely shines light as the the real reason the church stopped doing the Jewish festivals, and why eventually a canon of the church would say that to celebrate the Jewish festivals is to deny Christ.

[jonathanwiedenheft]

Hello! I was listening to a series on Calvinism by Steve Gregg, when I came across a concept he calls a “limited negative.” The idea is that when a Biblical author writes “not this, but that, ” he often doesn’t mean to entirely exclude the first one. The examples he gives is Matthew 10:34, and John 1:13 and 6:27. For your reference he talks about it in his Calvinism series Lecture 4 part 2, starting around minute 25.30. Idk if it will be anything useful or new to you but it seemed relevant 🤷‍♂️

[marcelopaulo]

Grace and peace could you send this report for me or where can I find it.

[BestIsntEasy]

Matthew 15:24 Living Bible
24 Then he said to the woman,  “I was sent to help the Jews—the lost sheep of Israel—not the Gentiles.”



Matthew 12:48-50 Living Bible
48 he remarked,  “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 He pointed to his disciples. “Look!” he said,  “these are my mother and brothers.” 50 Then he added,  “Anyone who obeys my Father in heaven is my brother, sister, and mother!”



Hebrews 7:23-24 Living Bible
23 Under the old arrangement there had to be many priests so that when the older ones died off, the system could still be carried on by others who took their places.
24 But Jesus lives forever and continues to be a Priest so that no one else is needed.



Matthew 23:7-10 Living Bible
7 How they enjoy the deference paid them on the streets and to be called ‘Rabbi’ and ‘Master’! 8 Don’t ever let anyone call you that. For only God is your Rabbi and all of you are on the same level, as brothers. 9 And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father, ’ for only God in heaven should be addressed like that. 10 And don’t be called ‘Master, ’ for only one is your master, even the Messiah.


🔥🔥🔥💩🐍💩🔥🔥🔥
Jeremiah 26-27 Like a thief, the only shame that Israel knows is getting caught. Kings, princes, priests, and prophets—all are alike in this. They call a carved-up wooden post their father, and for their mother they have an idol chiseled out from stone. Yet in time of trouble they cry to me to save them!


⚜ *Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.* ⚜ Matthew 5:3


John 8:44 Living Bible
44 For you are the children of your father the devil and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and a hater of truth—there is not an iota of truth in him. When he lies, it is perfectly normal; for he is the father of liars.



Galatians 3:13 Living Bible
13 But Christ has bought us out from under the doom of that impossible system by taking the curse for our wrongdoing upon himself. For it is written in the Scripture, “Anyone who is hanged on a tree is cursed” (as Jesus was hung upon a wooden cross).


John 3:6-7 Living Bible
6 Men can only reproduce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven; 7 so don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again!

[timlukens]

If Jesus did what you are teaching, wouldn’t that fulfill Deuteronomy 13:2 ? Thereby disqualification as Messiah?

[The_verb_of_love]

Please make a video or help me understand these passages!! Torah observers always point this out🤔😓Isaiah 2:1-5, micah 4:1-2, Ezekiel 44:23–24..

[t-time]

What Jesus said in those verses were not isolated comments but refers back to Heaven and Earth being witnesses to the covenant God was making with His people in Deuteronomy. It's not an idiom.

[deesteven]

Hey good Sir, appreciate the video. Hebrew roots can be problematic, so I appreciate your efforts. I would disagree that the Sermon on the Mount is mainly to present an impossible standard; as there are times in Paul's epistles where he says "the sexually immoral, jealous, and selfish will not inherit the kingdom" - Gal 5:19-21. This is in accordance with Jesus' standard set in the sermon on the Mount.

The seminal reason why I disagree with the Sermon being an impossible standard, is because of Jesus' words at the end of it. "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, ’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter." 3 verses after this statement, he says "“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock." The conjunction "therefor" clues us in, to know that the "workers of lawlessness" that were denied, errored by not putting his words in action. the words in the sermon, that is.
So 7:21-24 clears up a lot, in terms of the application of the Sermon.

Again, I'll lay out 21-24: Jesus says to do the will of God -> workers of lawlessness are denied -> "therefore" put my words into action. And I think it's best when exegeting what "the will of God" means in 7:21, that we don't jump to another gospel (John 6:29) to define it; but rather look to all of the scenarios that Jesus just laid out in his speech. Summed up as, as new creations in Christ, we put off the flesh, this is the will of God; this is also one of the most consistent themes in Paul's epistles.

Also something to note, is parallel statements from the Sermon on the Mount in other chapters. 5:30 is said again in Matt 18:9 "cut off your foot if it causes you to stumble, it is better to be lame than for whole body to go into hell". But the context of 18:9 is pretty clearly a post-atonement soteriological context, so we can't chalk up the warning to having no relevance today. 18:3 says "unless you become like children you will not enter the kingdom", still relevant today. Then he says "whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned."

But the key is to look at how he ends his address to these "little ones", he warns that it's better to cut off your hand than go to hell.
"And if your hand or your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed or without a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.
10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven."

The whole address of Jesus to his "little ones" is viewed in a post-atonement dynamic; nobody views it in the sense that Jesus was talking about his "little ones" in following him at the time he was speaking, pre-atonement..rather, he was foreshadowing 'little ones' who would believe in his great work on the cross - and even they must deny sin to avoid hell. So by looking at the parallel statement, Matt 5:30 isn't an impossible standard of denying sin that doesn't have salvific relevance post-atonement. The parable of the unforgiving servant is also in a post-atonement paradigm; the servant wasn't merciful after coming to Jesus for forgiveness and being granted forgiveness. Sermon on the mount says forgive and the Father will forgive you; but it's supposedly just to convey the impossibility of being righteous - but the unforgiving servant parable is a post-atonement dynamic and says the same thing! The unforgiving servant came to Jesus for forgivneess, this is clearly a post-atonement dynamic; he was forgiven then sent to the torturers.

The Sermon on the Mount does not convey an impossible standard at it's end; and it also has parallel statements that we view in a post-atonement soteriological context.