The True Demands of the Law

Article by:
Mike Mazzalongo
  AI Enhanced
Topic
New Testament Commentary
3 of 3
Bookmark Mark as Completed Print

The opinion that Jesus, in Matthew 5, is re-establishing the true demands of the Law—in contrast to the diluted interpretations of the Jewish religious leaders—is well-supported by both textual and theological evidence in Scripture. This interpretation has strong biblical merit for the following reasons:

1. Jesus' Formula:
"You have heard… but I say to you"

In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus repeatedly contrasts the popular (and often Pharisaic) understanding of the Law with His own authoritative teaching. The phrase:

"You have heard that it was said… But I say to you…"

(cf. Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28, 31-32, 33-34, 38-39, 43-44)

…is not a rejection of the Law itself (cf. Matthew 5:17), but rather a rejection of superficial interpretations that reduced the Law to external compliance.

  • For example, murder (Matthew 5:21) was narrowly defined by the scribes as a physical act. Jesus exposes that anger is equally culpable.
  • Adultery (Matthew 5:27) was narrowly tied to the physical act, but Jesus extends it to lustful intention.

This shows Jesus restoring the Law to its original moral depth, rooted in the heart, not just the hands.

2. The Purpose of the Law Was Always Heart-Level Righteousness

Numerous Old Testament texts confirm that God always desired internal, heart-driven righteousness, not just ritual or outward observance:

  • Deuteronomy 6:5 – "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…"
  • Psalm 51:6 – "Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being…"
  • Isaiah 29:13 – "…this people draw near with words… but their hearts are far from Me…"

Jesus' teaching, therefore, is not new in essence, but a recovery of the Law's intended depth. The Pharisees had turned the Law into a manageable checklist.

3. Matthew 5:20 as the Key Thesis

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 5:20

This verse is a turning point in the Sermon. The Pharisees were known for scrupulous legalism, so for Jesus to say that their righteousness is not enough was shocking. But Jesus goes on to show that real righteousness isn't more rules—it's a different kind: heart righteousness.

This paves the way for understanding that such righteousness cannot come by mere law-keeping but requires a transformation of the heart, something the Law exposes but cannot accomplish (cf. Romans 3:20).

4. Law as Tutor, Grace as Fulfillment

Paul articulates a similar concept when he says:

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
- Galatians 3:24

Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5 magnifies the Law's demands to show that true kingdom life requires more than moral effort, it requires grace.

He exposes that:

  • No one can live up to God's standard by their own effort.
  • Therefore, entrance into the Kingdom and life within it must be by grace, not compliance.

5. Jesus' Fulfillment of the Law

In Matthew 5:17, Jesus declares:

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

This means Jesus:

Thus, the Law's true intention—internal righteousness—is fulfilled in those who walk by the Spirit, not by external rule-keeping.

Conclusion: Kingdom Living by Grace, Not Compliance

Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5 does more than expose sin, it reveals that the Kingdom standard is impossible without grace. This leads to:

Ultimately, Jesus' expansion of the Law's demands drives the listener not to self-reliance, but to seek righteousness through Him, the only one who fulfills the Law, and the one who gives the grace to live kingdom life (Romans 5:17; Titus 2:11-14).

The idea that many Christians approach the Sermon on the Mount through a compliance-based lens, much like the Jews did with the Law of Moses, is rooted in a misunderstanding of both the purpose of the Law and the intent of Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5-7. Rather than seeing the Sermon as a grace-driven description of Kingdom life, some reduce it to a new legal code, a checklist of behaviors to achieve righteousness.

This misunderstanding repeats a pattern of self-righteous religiosity seen throughout Scripture.

I. The Compliance Approach: A Shared Misstep

A. The Jewish Approach to the Law of Moses

Over time, the Jewish religious leaders developed a system of external compliance to God's Law that:

  • Minimized internal transformation and emphasized visible behaviors.
  • Substituted the traditions of the elders (Mark 7:6-9) for the heart of God's commands.
  • Created a measurable standard of righteousness (e.g., tithing mint, dill, and cumin – Matthew 23:23).

Examples:

  • A man could divorce his wife with a written certificate (Deuteronomy 24:1) and still claim obedience, though his heart may be calloused and unjust (cf. Matthew 19:8).
  • "Loving neighbor but hating enemy" (Matthew 5:43) was accepted, despite the Law never commanding hatred, this was a tradition added for simplicity.

In essence, religion became a form of control and self-justification, reducing God's holy standard to something attainable without inner change.

B. The Christian Compliance Mentality

In a similar way, many Christians treat the Sermon on the Mount as a new law code, forming doctrines and expectations like:

  • "If I refrain from murder, adultery, and swearing oaths, then I'm righteous."
  • "If I turn the other cheek and give to the poor, I've fulfilled my duty."
  • "If I love my enemies outwardly, even if I secretly resent them, I've done what God asks."

Examples of this thinking today:

  • Checklist Christianity: Attending services, giving 10%, avoiding scandalous sins—seen as sufficient proof of faith.
  • Self-righteous separation: Judging others for their failures while ignoring inner sin (cf. Matthew 7:1-5).
  • Moral performance: Using the Sermon as a way to earn God's favor or prove salvation, instead of responding to grace.

II. The Consequences of Compliance-Based Religion

Whether under the Law of Moses or the teachings of Christ, a compliance mindset results in:

  • Pride or despair: Pride if one believes he is meeting the standard; despair if he sees he can't.
  • Hypocrisy: Maintaining appearances while hearts remain untransformed (cf. Matthew 6:1-6).
  • Distorted gospel: Making Christianity about behavior modification rather than heart regeneration (Titus 3:5).

III. Breaking Free: Returning to the Purpose of the Sermon

A. Recognize the Sermon's Intent

The Sermon on the Mount is not a rulebook, it is a portrait of the transformed heart that lives under the reign of God. It reveals what life looks like when:

Jesus is not giving a ladder to heaven – He is describing what the Spirit-filled, grace-dependent life looks like (cf. Ezekiel 36:26-27).

B. Understand the Law's Function

Paul wrote:

"Through the Law comes knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20)

"The Law is our tutor to lead us to Christ" (Galatians 3:24)

Jesus' intensification of the Law in Matthew 5 exposes our inability to meet God's standard, and drives us to grace.

C. Live by the Spirit, Not the Letter

Paul reminds us that:

"The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (II Corinthians 3:6)

Transformation comes through the indwelling Spirit, not by tightening moral discipline. The Kingdom life is lived not by striving for compliance, but by abiding in Christ (John 15:5).

D. Embrace Grace-Fueled Obedience

Grace does not lower the standard, it empowers obedience from the heart:

"For the grace of God has appeared… instructing us to deny ungodliness…" (Titus 2:11-12)

  • Grace transforms motivation: we obey not to earn righteousness, but because we've been made righteous.
  • Grace shapes character: over time, Christ is formed in us (Galatians 4:19).

IV. Conclusion: The Sermon as Mirror, Not Rulebook

Like the Law, the Sermon on the Mount is a mirror that exposes the depth of God's righteousness and the shallowness of our own. But unlike the Pharisaic approach, which sought to manage obedience, Jesus calls us to be transformed by grace into those who naturally bear the fruit of Kingdom living.

By rejecting a compliance-based mindset, and embracing the Spirit-led life, believers can live out the Sermon not as a burden, but as the beautiful result of God's work within them.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- Matthew 5:8
Bookmark Mark as Completed Print