Righteous Kingdom Living (Matthew 5:17-26)
1. Fulfilling God’s Will (vs. 17-20)
 a) Charges against Christ: Religious leaders charged Jesus with seeking to abolish/do away with their 
     Scriptures (Law & Prophets). One prime example in their minds was that He violated the Sabbath by 
     healing & thus working on that day.
 b) Jesus countered these charges:
  -His purpose in coming as it relates to the Law: He did not come to abolish the Scriptures but fulfill 
   them. p?????- BAG- carry it out; show its true meaning OR complete. Thayer “to cause God’s will (as 
   made known in the Law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) 
   to receive fulfillment.” To complete what it pointed towards. The Law & Prophets point to Him.
  -Jesus beliefs about the Law: absolute confidence in its fulfillment. “truly I say…”- great authority. 
   “until heaven & earth pass away”- new creation, “smallest letter”- ? “stroke” ? ? / ? ?  (small projection). 
   He has absolute confidence down to slight distinctions among letters that what was written would come 
   to pass/happen. If He is your Lord/God, you should have the same approach to the Scriptures.
 c) Jesus warned others who annul the Law (in a teaching role): There are lighter & weightier 
     commandments in the Scriptures (23:23). Those who annul/repeal/break one of the least of these 
     commandments & teach others (in their place) shall be (“called”= actually are) least in the kingdom of 
     God. By contrast, those who keep (do what you teach) & teach them shall be great in the Kingdom. 
     This indicates there will be varying degrees of rewards in the kingdom.
 d) Jesus charges religious leaders (vs. 20, double negative + subj. strong negation): this would have 
     stunned the crowd. Scribes were Bible scholars & Pharisees were meticulous about keeping the Law. 
     The problem was it was an outward righteousness rather than a heart righteousness.
2. Fulfilling God’s Will concerning murder (vs. 21-26)
 a) traditional understanding of the 6th commandment about murder: “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13). 
     Whoever violates this was liable to the local town court (Deut. 16:18). They understand it as a 
     prohibition against wrongly taking someone’s life (Gen. 9:6 gives authority for the death penalty).
 b) Jesus elaborated that there was a much fuller intent with this command than just a physical restriction. 
     It includes angry attitudes & speech.
  -Attitude: “angry with his brother” (KJV “without a cause” gives right intent, since Jesus spoke of 
   appropriate anger (18:34) & became angry (Mark 3:5). This person shall be liable to the court: this is 
   the heavenly court since no human court can try someone for anger.
  -Speech: “Raca”: a term of contempt like empty-head or idiot. This person shall be guilty before the 
   heavenly supreme court (12:37). “fool”- in Hebrew thought it suggests moral apostasy or rebellion, an 
   attack on their character. Someone who lives as though there is no God. Jesus used this term of others 
   (7:26, 23:17), so is not a categorical comment. This person is guilty enough to go into fiery hell 
   (Gehenna was a rubbish heap valley south of Jerusalem with shouldering fires that was proverbial of 
   eternal punishment). His point was not to establish varying degrees of guilt, but make clear the fuller 
   intent of the 6th commandment includes bad attitudes & destructive speech.
 c) Temple setting (vs. 23-24): One is offering an animal sacrifice (a scared act) & remember your brother 
     (broader than family) has something against you. You have sinned against him & need to make it 
     right. Being reconciled to that person is more urgent to God than finishing the sacrificial offering. The 
     broader intent of the 6th commandment includes inappropriately expressed anger against someone or 
     my sin causing them to be angry at me & sin. Apply this to a worship service, praying or Bible study.
 d) Legal setting (vs. 26): Your opponent is taking you to court with a legitimate issue against you. Make 
     friends quickly- resolve the issue out of court. Once there, it will be too late & you will receive strict 
     justice. A heart commitment to the 6th commandment calls us to settle accounts with others quickly. 
 e) We need forgiveness!