Law of Love

Matthew 5:17–19

Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Our text from Matthew’s gospel today may be only three verses but they reflect a significant part of the Sermon on the Mount. We remember that Jesus delivers this sermon to his disciples on a mountainside. This detail on location is not just for our imagination but serves a particular purpose. Matthew is portraying Jesus as a new Moses, who is the new giver of the law. As Moses received the ten commandments from God on Mount Sinai, now Jesus is teaching the full nature of the law, laying out the ethics and behavior for the members of God’s kingdom.

Following the Beatitudes and teachings on the impact that his disciples are to have upon this world, we begin our text for today. Jesus speaks directly about his relationship to the law. We notice that Jesus is not talking about the law itself, but about what he does in relationship to it, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” Jesus wants to make sure that his followers understand that he isn’t starting a new thing by reflecting his great respect for the Jewish tradition. Jesus is not throwing out the holiness of God expressed in the Law of Moses and he is not throwing out the promises, expectations, and hopes of the prophets. Rather Jesus is the fulfillment of them.

Jesus is also clear that keeping the commandments is essential as they provide the framework for faithful living as God’s people. He warns his disciples that whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. He then tells his disciples that everyone who obeys and teaches the commandments will be called the “greatest” in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus’ life, his ministry, and his teachings serve as an example of how we are to live by creating a community that follows the way and will of God. He teaches the disciples that understanding the law has less to do with the head and more to do with the heart. It is the original intention of the law to show us as God’s people how much God loves us and how we should demonstrate that love with others. The heart of God’s law is love. Love is the law we are called to live and share. May this Lenten season be a time of growth in the law of love for God and for one another.

Faithfully,
Rose+

prayer

Give ear to our prayers, O Lord, and direct the way of your servants in safety under your protection, that, amid all the changes of our earthly pilgrimage, we may be guarded by your mighty aid; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Lesser Feasts & Fasts, 2006, p. 46)

Daily Lenten meditations each have a companion morning prayer video offered by the same clergy.  View the YouTube playlist to find this meditation’s companion video, or to watch others.