Based on your reading of Matthew’s Gospel, especially chapters 5-7 (i.e., the Sermon on the Mount), what is Matthew’s attitude toward the Jewish Law? How do the standards established by the Law of Moses differ from the expectations Jesus has for his followers?
In Matthew 5-7, the Jewish Law is respected and upheld. In Matthew 5, Jesus says. ““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.” Matthew is widely considered to be very knowledgeable in the Jewish tradition, and the Gospel of Matthew reflects this understanding of Jewish faith and Law. In fact, almost all of Jesus’ laws in Matthew 5 are built upon the existing Jewish Laws. Jesus says that his followers must exceed the scribes and Pharisees in their righteousness (Matthew 5:20). He concludes by warning his followers that anyone who judges others would themselves be judged, and comparing those who hear his words to those builders who are wise enough to build on a solid foundation.
The Laws given in Matthew 5-7 differ from the Jewish Laws in several ways. First, in Matthew 5, Jesus restates that adultery is a sin, but redefines it to include lust as a form of adultery. Jesus also extends the commandment forbidding murder to include anger at a brother or sister, or any other individual. He also forbids divorce, which Jewish Law merely required to be stated in writing to be legitimate. Finally, Jesus said that one was to love their enemy, not hate them, as Jewish law stated.
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I really liked how you set the following blog up. First of all, your clearly presented the fact that Matthew did not set out to attack the Jewish Law. Instead, he was a supporter of the law, knew the law well, and wanted to fulfill its meaning. I also like how you analyzed the difference between Jesus’ interpretation of Jewish and Moses’ law. The two seem to relate very closely to each other, and Jesus’ interpretation builds on Moses’ law.
Good observations re: Jesus’ approach to the Jewish law in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew 5:17 (“I have come not to abolish [the Law] but to fulfill.”) is really key here. Far from ditching the core requirements of the Jewish Law, the Jewish Jesus of Matthew’s Gospel encourages his followers to keep the Law even better than the scribes and the Pharisees–focusing not just on not transgressing its superficial requirements, but on the deeper intentions behind those requirements which, if followed in the way Jesus advises, will lead to loving and respecting God and others.
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