Matthew 5:17-20

Think not that I am come to destroy, &c.— Because the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning happiness was contrary to that which the Jews were accustomed to hear, and which their preachers pretended to derive from the prophets, whose descriptions of the glory of the Messiah's kingdom they understood in a literal sense; also because he was about to give explications of the moral precepts, of very different tenor from those which the Scribes and Pharisees commonlygave, but which his disciples, as instructors of mankind, were to inculcate: he ended this branch of his discourse, and introduced that which followed, with declaring that he was by no means come to destroy the law or the prophets; that is to say, the moral precepts contained in them; for he came to destroy the whole ceremonial precepts of the law, the hand-writing of ordinances, which he blotted out and nailed to his cross, that its abolition might be known to all. See Colossians 2:14. Besides, we find the phrase law and prophets made use of elsewhere, to signify the moral precepts contained in them. See chap. Matthew 7:12 Matthew 22:40. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil;— πληρωμαι, to confirm, for so the word is used, 1 Kings 1:14. See the margin of our bibles on that passage. Accordingly it follows, Matthew 5:18. Verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth, &c. Eternity and immutability are by no means the attributes of any ceremonial precept whatever. They are the distinguishing characters of the precepts of holiness and morality enjoined in the law and the prophets. None of them shall pass, or be abrogated, till all be fulfilled: εως αν παντα γενηται : "till all the things mentioned be done;" that is, till the heavens and the earth pass, or are destroyed. Our Lord's meaning therefore is, that there is nothing in the universe so stable as the eternal truths of morality: the heavens may fall, the whole frame of nature be unhinged; nay, every part of it be dissolved; but the rules of righteousness shall remain immutable and immortal: wherefore he ordered his disciples, on the severest penalties, both by their doctrine and example, to enforce the strict observation of all the moral precepts contained in the sacred writings, and that to their utmost extent.

Matthew 5:19. Whosoever therefore shall break, that is, destroy (the original word λυση being here put for καταλυση, as it is likewise John 2:19.) one these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called, that is, shall be—the least in the kingdom of heaven. Since the moral precepts of the law are eternal and immutable, whatever weakens their obligation shall never enter intoheaven: for there is in the text a figure which the rhetoricians call meiosis (diminution), often elegantly used to convey a strong idea. Thus, Galatians 5:21. They that do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God; that is, shall be severely punished. Our divine teacher adds, Matthew 5:20., Except your righteousness,—the righteousness which you experience and practise yourselves, and enjoin upon others,—shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees,—the Jewish doctors of the strictest sects,—ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven; for ye, like them, will be corrupters of others, and consequently monsters of the blackest kind. But because this was a subject of great importance, our Lord goes on to specify various particulars, wherein theirs should excel the doctrine and practice of the Jewish teachers. This appears to be the true and proper explanation of this passage; and, from the whole of what follows, it is manifest that Christ refers to the moral, and not the ceremonial law; for he does not give a single instance from the latter. The original word ιωτα, which we render jot, Matthew 5:18 undoubtedly answers to the Hebrew letter י jod, whence the English word here used seems to be derived; and which, being the least letter of their alphabet, might properly be used proverbially on this occasion. The original word Κεραια, which we render tittle, properly signifies one of those little ornamental curlatures or flourishes, which, when Hebrew is elegantly written, are generally used at the beginning and end of a letter, and sometimes at the corners. The clause might have been rendered, Not the least letter or stroke. The latter part of the 20th verse must have greatly surprised Christ's hearers, if the proverb which has since prevailed were of so ancient a date: for it has been commonly said by the Jews, "That if but two men were to enter into the kingdom of heaven, one of them would be a Pharisee, and the other a Scribe." See Chemnitz, Calmet, and Macknight. Dr. Heylin observes very well, nearly in these words,* that it clearly appears from these verses, that our Lord certainly foresaw the great abuses which would be made of the Christian religion; how some would think that they might compensate for the neglect of moral duties, by deeds of superstition and will-worship; and how others, glorying in their presumptuous assurances, would insist upon a faith destitute of morality; and by taking away the moral law, and consequently all holiness and love, leave Christianity a mere castle in the air, an enthusiastic system of absurdities. Christ therefore solemnly, and with great emphasis, asserts the perpetual obligation of the moral law, till nature itself should be so changed, as to render its dictates useless. In the present course of things the law is so far from abating, or being abrogated in any essential point of duty, that, on the contrary, all who faithfully practise the law through the power of almighty grace, find by experience that it increases, and spreads its jurisdiction farther, in proportion to the progress that they make; for the moral sense greatly improves by exercise, and as men advance in their obedience to the law, they also advance in the knowledge of it; so as to discover new duties, and stricter obligations, whereof they had not before been sensible. But Dr. Campbell translates the 19th verse, Whosoever shall violate, or teach others to violate, were it the least of these commandments, shall be in no esteem in the reign of heaven; but whosoever shall practise and teach them, shall be highly esteemed in the reign of heaven. And he observes, that to be called great and to be called little, for to be esteemed and to be disesteemed, is so obvious a figure, of the effect for the cause, that it naturally suggests itself to every discerning reader. By rendering, therefore, the Greek phrase, Βασιλεια των ουρανων, agreeably to its meaning in most places, the reign of heaven, that is, the Gospel dispensation, there is not the smallest difficulty in the passage. But if this phrase be rendered the kingdom of heaven, as referring to the state of the blessed, and if he shall be called the least in that kingdom mean, as some explain it, he shall never be admitted into it, a most unnatural figure of speech is introduced, whereof I do not recollect to have seen an example in any author, sacred or prophane.

* When I quote writers who are not perfectly evangelical, I make such alterations as I judge necessary, giving intimation to the reader of the liberty I take, if the alteration be of any importance, and referring him to the original work; as my intention is, in this Commentary, to present to the congregation of the Lord a work which shall, to the best of my judgment, be perfectly consistent with the whole analogy of faith.