First, in 5:1-16, Jesus addresses both the multitudes and the disciples in a manner that would demonstrate to them the major characteristics of God and the love of God toward human-kind. His words point out a system of "religion" that, seemingly, is quite alien to Judaism. That system put strong emphasis upon the individual and the attitudes of his heart.

We must remember that Jesus' audience was one made up of first century Jews. These Jews were steeped in the "letter of the Law." Their religion was one that made innumerable demands upon the keeping of specific laws, and not upon the spirit of the intentions of the original mosaic laws. Their religion had evolved from one of seeking to please one's god to one of seeking obedience to a multitude of human made laws, many of which were instituted so that some could benefit from the "loopholes." Thou shalt not commit adultery, was understood in terms of Thou shalt do anything you please to another, (someone who was not your wife or husband), as long as it does not include sexual intercourse. Thus a man or woman could carry on a seemly affair with another and not have to worry about the "law" that forbad adultery.

The words of Jesus in these verses were alien to these Jews. Jesus was seemingly espousing that it was the individual that was blessed, and not just the nation. His words said that an individual could be blessed by his attitudes rather than by his performance, or lack of performance, of the Law.

By the time Jesus gets to verse :16, He must have become aware of the voices of awe and the murmuring in his audience. For in verse :17 He must state: "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets ...." You see, his audience was astounded that Jesus seemed to be teaching that the Law was no longer the standard by which they were to be measured by God.

Let us now join Jesus on the Mount of Olives.

Matthew 5:1, 2
[Jesus saw the multitudes]
[Jesus went to the hill]
[The disciples came to Him]

"And seeing the crowds he went up to the mountain; and when He sat down, His disciples approached Him. And Opening His mouth He taught them, saying,

MATTHEW 5:3-5
(MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO ARE LOST AND KNOW IT)
[The Poor in Spirit]
[Those Who Mourn]
[Those Who are Gentle or Meek]

MESSAGE TO THOSE CONFUSED ABOUT THE LAW
Matthew 5:17-48

Jesus goes to great length to explain, in several examples, the nature of the Character of God and His demands for righteousness. This righteousness was a matter of the heart and performance according to a standard, not a matter of just performance to a standard (the Law) alone.

The way of salvation is hinted at in verses 5:3-5, but only in a hidden manner. We must remember that Jesus was still in the process of offering the Kingdom of God to the nation of Israel, including the call to repentance, and they had not yet corporately rejected Him as their messiah (23:1-39).

5:17-20
[Jesus came not to abolish the Law]
[Jesus came to fulfill the Law]
 

5:17  "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill."  5:18  "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, neither one iota or one point shall pass away from the Law until all things come to pass."  5:19  "Whoever therefore breaks the least of one of these commandments, and so teaches thus men, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens."  5:20  "For I tell you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not by any means enter the kingdom of the heavens."

Jesus goes to great length to explain, in several examples, the nature of the Character of God and His demands for righteousness. This righteousness was a matter of the heart and performance according to a standard, not a matter of just performance to a standard (the Law) alone.

The way of salvation is hinted at in verses 5:3-5, but only in a hidden manner. We must remember that Jesus was still in the process of offering the Kingdom of God to the nation of Israel, including the call to repentance, and they had not yet corporately rejected Him as their messiah (23:1-39).

The Law of Moses

A rule divinely given through Moses to govern Israel in the land of promise. It was commended to them because they were a covenant people. Thus it defined the manner of their daily life. It was itself a covenant of works (Exodus 19:5-6). It will be yet superseded by the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8-13). This agreement will include the former Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 30:8).

The Law of Moses is recorded in three parts:

1.     The Commandments
        They embrace the moral government of Israel (Exodus 20:1-17). They are condensed and summarized in Matthew 22:36-40; fulfilled by love (Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8); proved to be Law in character (Romans 7:7-14).

2.     The Judgments
        They embrace the social requirements (Exodus 21:23-33).

3.     The Ordinances
        They regulate worship (Exodus 25:1-3-31:18).

These three forms of law satisfied all of Israel's requirements before God. But the entire system, including the commandments as a rule of life, ceased with the death of Christ (John 1:17; Romans 10:4). The Law of Moses, to be sure, was an ad-interim dealing in effect only until Christ should come. For the time being it gave to sin the character of transgression (Romans 5:13; Galatians 3:19). It was preceded (Exodus 19:4) and followed (John 1:17) by grace.

Deliverance from Bondage

Romans 8:1-8

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

These verses demonstrate that (in this context) the law stands as the representation of the merit system -- that divine arrangement which, according to the New Testament, is held as being in direct opposition (Positionally) to God's plan of salvation by grace. Beyond the one truth that both systems are ordained of God for application in such ages as He may elect, they set up contrasts at every point. The fact that, under the new order, the law principle is done away as having nothing to contribute to the outworking of the principle of grace (Romans 11:6; 4:4-5; Galatians 5:4), should not create the impression that the law did not originate with God; that it is not holy, just, and good; or that it has not had His sanction. On this point the Apostle Paul is most emphatic (Romans 7:7-14).

Though holy, just, and good, the law undertook no more than to serve as a rule of life to people already rightly related to God by His covenants with them. However, as for its holy demands, it is in no way to be compared with that manner of life which is set before the Christian under grace. Over against this, the heaven high system of conduct under grace, while demanding a super-natural manner of life (John 13:34; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 4:30) does provide divine enablement; that is, by the presence of the indwelling Spirit the believer is able to do that which these high standards demand. Therefore, this truth is to be observed that, while requiring far less, the law system failed; yet, while presenting that heaven-high requirement in daily life which belongs to the grace relationship, there is expectation that these standards will be realized.

The Emphasis is on the Eternal Work of Christ in Salvation

It is well to contemplate the glorious truth that, so far as the believer's standing in Christ is concerned, the heavenly ideals are reached to infinite perfection. Only in the sphere of the believer's daily conflicts is the grace ideal at times realized. It is too often supposed that the outworking of grace is restricted to the Christian's walk and conversation, and the real triumph of grace - the perfecting of the child of God forever - is unrecognized. It must be remembered that to walk worthy of the heavenly calling - though of great importance - is not to be compared for a moment with the heavenly calling itself. The believer may often fail in his conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil; but this should not blind one to those immeasurable, divine achievements which have already united the believer to Christ and thereby constituted him as perfect in the sight of God as His Savior. It is this faultless standing in sight of God as his Savior. It is this faultless standing in Christ which conditions the believer's walk; never does the believer's walk condition his standing. The conclusion of this matter is that "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus," because of the fact that they are delivered from the law, or merit, system through Christ.

Matthew 5:17-20
Jesus and The Law of Moses

5:17  "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill."  5:18  "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, neither one iota or one point shall pass away from the Law until all things come to pass."  5:19  "Whoever therefore breaks the least of one of these commandments, and so teaches thus men, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens."  5:20  "For I tell you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not by any means enter the kingdom of the heavens."

 Christ was showing them that they are not only lacking in what it takes to get into God's kingdom - but that they are eternally unable to qualify without the grace and mercy of God.

 The Timing of Messiah's Coming

Daniel the prophet of Judah who wrote from Babylon during the Babylonian captivity. During a time of confession (for himself and the nation of Israel) the Angel Gabriel brought the following message, with the admonition, "so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision."

 Daniel 9:24-27

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

 Without going into deep detail Daniel, while still in captivity, speaks concerning 70 periods of time, each period consisting of 7 years (Heb. shabua), or a total of 490 years. The 490 years are then divided into three divisions.

 All these years must be completed before the ushering in of The Kingdom of Heaven - that promised Kingdom of Israel, with Her King [the promised Messiah] on the throne - on earth.

 The first division is for 7 weeks of years or 49 years. During this time the Temple will be rebuilt (from the decree to build the temple, Nissan 1st, March 14, 445 bc [Nehemiah 2:1]).

 The second division is for 62 weeks of years or 434 years. During this time the Nation of Israel will continue to rebuild itself. "After the 62 weeks," Messiah will be cut off. (Palm Sunday, April 6, 32 ad).

 The third division is not introduced, but begins after the cutting off of Messiah and marks the beginning of that period of time (7 years) we now know as the Tribulation.

 While we know the duration of this event we do not know when it is to begin. We do know what that 7 years will be filled with - much tribulation that is led by "the prince of the people," the Anti-Christ. This time period will end with the complete destruction of all that (and those) that are not consecrated to God through the Messiah.

The revealed message has six listed purposes for a period of 70 weeks:

1.     To finish the transgression

        The transgression is the breaking of the Mosiac covenant by the people of the nation of Israel. They have continually rejected God and His messiah.

Hebrews 11:32-39

"And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,"

 2.     To make an end of sins

        The reference is understood to be the end of the Mosaic Law. God used the law as a school teacher to teach the Nation of Israel (and all others who would listen) concerning the character and nature of God. However, due to the nature of law, a great burden came about through the breaking of that law, and sin brought with it the penalty of death. Gabriel's words look forward to a time when the Law would no longer have any effect - upon the Nation of Israel.

 3.     To make restitution for Iniquity

        Man is held responsible for his actions against God. Unless the individual turns away from idolatry and sin - to Messiah, then death shall reign as the method of restitution, the repayment to God for such iniquity.

 4.     To bring everlasting righteousness

        The end result of the time of tribulation is the complete removal of those who have absolutely refused God and His Messiah. The Nation of Israel will then be inhabited with only those who have given their lives over (totally and completely) to the Messiah. The remaining members of the Gentile world will have also been purged of unbelief. At that time the whole world will enjoy personal righteousness and righteous living under the righteousness of God through the Messiah.

 5.     To seal up the vision and prophecy

        The end result of this tribulation period will put the seal of closure upon all that God has promised through His prophets. The events that will be yet still to come, will come to pass based upon the power of God expressed through the tribulation.

 6.     To anoint the Most Holy

        God has His most holy city. It is Jerusalem. All events of the Old and New Testaments of God's Word center around Jerusalem. The righteous children of Adam moved into the land of Canaan. God brought Abram to the land of Canaan, God demonstrated His presence among the Nations through His High Priest Melchizedek - who was from Jerusalem. The time is coming when Jerusalem will be free from all pagan faiths, it will once again house the Great Holy Temple of God - anointed for all time as the most favored place on earth by God.

 But, what happens between the cutting off of Messiah and the Tribulation?

 The Mystery of the Church, the Body of Christ

Romans 1:25
Romans 16:25
1 Corinthians 2:7
Ephesians 3:3-9
Colossians 1:26-27
Colossians 4:3

The story that is told in the Bible concerns, largely, the Hebrew people and their relationship to the One God.

The Bible starts out with God and His human creation and the nations who that came from them. "Adam through Noah" shows us that man, without God indwelling them, will turn away from Him and to themselves and other gods. God chooses Abram from one of the nations and blesses him and his generations through a covenant that makes them "God's people." And yet, even in that covenant relationship His people turn away from Him and seek themselves and other gods. Many have remained faithful, but very many have not. God even delivers His own Son into their hands - in order to bring in His promised Holy Kingdom on earth - and they kill him in the attempt.

How then is God to bring salvation to His people? Hidden from view from the prophets and seers of the Old Testament was the plan of God to use the Nations to bring salvation to the world when His covenanted people would not. In that plan God would deliver the Gospel to the world and in the process "call-out" a people for Himself that is distinct from the covenanted Nation of Israel. This new group would also have a different eternal destination (to be with Christ forever) than the Nation of Israel (A covenanted Kingdom on earth). This new assembly of people would be called "The Church," and "The Body of Christ."

When the last person who has been appointed to be in "The Body of Christ" is "saved" and brought into the body - the plan for this Mystery age will come to an end and God will resume His program for the Nation of Israel and the 70th week of Daniel will begin.

The Coming of Messiah

Daniel only speaks of "When Messiah is cut off." We also need to look into the promises of the arrival of Messiah.

In the Old Testament there is a definite, clear and continuous teaching that "Messiah will come." Dozens of times we read such promises as "Behold Thy King Cometh unto these," (Zechariah 9:9); "The Lord God will come," (Isaiah 40:10); "The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple," (Malachi 3:1); "The Lord they God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee," (Deuteronomy 18:15-19) who will be the Lord's "Fellow" (Equal) (Zechariah 13:7).

Daniel predicted the coming of "Messiah the Prince" at a set time (Daniel 9:25, 26), and Isaiah foretold of the "Rod out of the stem of Jessee" (Isaiah 11:1) on whom the Lord would "lay the iniquity of us all," (Isaiah 53:6)

Prophets and Seers of old often spoke of the time when "the Desire of all nations" would come (Haggai 2:7); "Behold, your God will come" (Isaiah 35:4); "Until Shiloh comes" (Genesis 49:10); "A star shall come forth from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel" (Numbers 24:17);  "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord" (Psalms 118:26); "5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, 6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain” (Psalms 2:5-6); " Lo, your salvation comes" (Isaiah 62:11); "He [Messiah] shall bruise you [Satan] on the head, and you [Satan] shall bruise Him [Messiah] on the heel" (Genesis 3:15).[1]

Matthew 5:17

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill."

Since the Law represents the very character of God, then only Jesus can bring complete definition to it. It is through Christ that we can understand the meaning and place of the Law. It defines God - but since we are mere mortals we can not attain to it. However... Jesus calls men and women to Himself, and when they do that freely and willingly, He grants them immunity from the guilt and penalty of the Law.

The role of the law was to teach the covenant people concerning God. They were supposed to love God and give themselves freely and willingly to Him. When they sinned He would grant them forgiveness through participating in the sacrifice of Christ through the elements of Jewish ritual sacrifice. But, they did not give themselves wholly and freely to Him. They chose other gods and / or their own wicked hearts and fell away from the God who loved them.

With the sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross came the completion of the sacrificial system. The REAL sacrifice was made and the symbolic sacrifices contained in the Law came to an end. Jesus fulfilled the Law - He brought perfection and completion to it.

Matthew 5:18

"For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, neither one iota or one point shall pass away from the Law until all things come to pass."

Jesus tells His disciples of the continuing nature of the Law as temporal - having to do with time and space. The law defines God as we relate to Him in both time and space in our physical form. At the time when all things have come to pass, and there is to be made a new creation we will know Him as He know us and the purposes of law come to a close. But until then, the Law defines God and brings penalty to those who do not willingly and freely choose Him - even in His yet to be established earthly kingdom.

Until Christ, the Law was incomplete. The law was set up as a school teacher to the Jews that they might understand the character of God through it. The Jews, instead, worshipped the Law instead of the Law Giver and choose to miss the blessings of a personal relationship with God.

Revelation 21:1-4 says that All (not just the law) will be fulfilled and accomplished and "our salvation will be complete," when Christ puts an end to the things that are and begins the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Matthew 5:19

"Whoever therefore breaks the least of one of these commandments, and so teaches thus men, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens."

Now it becomes important to understand that Jesus is teaching concerning the people who are qualified to live in His earthly Kingdom. He is not teaching about what one has to do to get into the earthly Kingdom, but what the people who will be already there are like.

So, according to this verse it is possible to break the law of Moses and to teach the breaking of the law - while in His earthly kingdom - and conversely it is possible to keep the law of Moses and teach the keeping of the law - while in His earthy kingdom (the Millennium).

In doing so there is a merit system for life in the earthly kingdom.

We should also see that the earthly kingdom of God is not the kingdom of God as it is expressed in Heaven. There is a clear distinction between the Heavenly kingdom ON EARTH, and the Heavenly kingdom IN HEAVEN. Almost always the term "Kingdom of God" in the Bible has to do with the Promised Earthly Kingdom of God where Jesus reigns as king (the Millennium).

 Prophecy tells us that this earthly kingdom will start clean and pure. All those who enter into it through the Tribulation will be born-from-above ("saved"). However, during the 1000 years that follow, many who will be born will reject Jesus (and God), violate the Law of Moses (the character of God), remain lost in their sin and sins, and face eternal punishment.

 Matthew 5:20

"For I tell you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not by any means enter the kingdom of the heavens."

 Jesus turns away from His message and looks His disciples right into their eyes and tells them the qualification for entry into that earthly kingdom. There also seems to be a little humor in His message. He tells them that unless their righteousness exceeds the righteousness of those horrible, idolatrous, self seeking, corrupt, perverted, hate mongering scribes and Pharisees - the won't enter the Kingdom. But perhaps the disciples did not see that the scribes and Pharisees were.

Matthew 5:21-26 Examples of the Fulfillment of the Law

[1. Murder VS Forgiveness]
5:21  You have heard that it was said to the ancients: 'thou shalt not commit murder;' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the judgement.'  5:22  "but I say to you, that every one who is angry with his brother, shall be liable to the judgement; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca' (Lit., "empty headed", or "good for nothing"), shall be liable before the Sanhedrin; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go to the Gehenna of fire.  5:23  "If therefore you are presenting your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  5:24  leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your gift."  5:25  "Make friends quickly with your opponent while you are with him on the way; in order that your opponent may not deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison."  5:26  "Truly I say to you, you shall not come out of there, until you have paid up the last cent (Lit., quadrans, or 1/64 denarius)."

5:27-32
"Mental Attitude Sins"
[2. Adultery VS Bodily Control]
5:27  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;'  5:28  but I say to you, that every one who looks on a woman and desires her has committed adultery with her already in his heart."  5:29  "So if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is expedient for you that one of the parts of your body perish, and not your whole body to be thrown into Gehenna."  5:30  "and if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is expedient for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go away into Gehenna."  5:31  "And it was said, 'Whoever dismisses his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce;'  5:32  "But I say to you that every one who dismisses his wife, except for the cause of fornication, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a dismissed woman commits adultery."

Matthew 5:33-37
[3. Vows VS Plain Talk]
5:33  "Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'You shall not break your vows, but shall fulfill your oaths to the Lord.'  5:34  "But I say to you, make no oath at all; either by heaven, for it is the throne of God;  5:35  or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; or toward Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.  5:36  Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black."  5:37  "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no;' and anything beyond these is from the evil one."

Matthew 5:38-6:1
[4. Revenge VS Selflessness]
5:38  "You have heard that it was said, "An eye in the stead of an eye, and a tooth in the stead of a tooth.'  5:39  "But I say to you, not to oppose the one who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.  5:40  and if any one wants to judge you, and take your tunic, (inner garment), let him have your coat (outer garment) also.  5:41  And whoever shall impress you to go one mile, go with him two."  5:42  "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you."

Matthew 5:43-48
[5. Humanism VS Godliness]
5:43  "You have heard that it is said, "You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy."  5:44  "But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute your;  5:45  in order that you may show yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in the heavens; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  5:46  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax gatherers do the same?  5:47  And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  5:48  "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."  6:1  "And take heed of practicing your righteousness before men with a view toward being seen by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens.