5:17-20 General Declaration5:17-20 General Declaration

1. Jesus Fulfills the Law (17-18)

2. Exceeding Righteousness Required (19-20)

Matt 5:17-48 StructureMatt 5:17-48 Structure

5:21 Particular(s)Particular(s) Specific contrasts between the traditional injunctions and the “exceeding righteousness” demanded by Jesus

1. Murder (5:21-26)2. Adultery (5:27-30)3. Divorce (5:31-32)4. Oaths (5:33-37)5. Lex Talionis (5:38-42)

5:48 6. Love (5:43-48)

ParticularizationParticularization5:17-20 - 5:17-20 - General DeclarationsGeneral Declarations

1.1. Christological – Jesus fulfills lawChristological – Jesus fulfills law

2.2. Ethical - Exceeding righteousness Ethical - Exceeding righteousness requiredrequired

3.3. Material - Law and prophetsMaterial - Law and prophets

5:21-48 - 5:21-48 - ParticularsParticulars

Specific process of Jesus’ fulfilling the law Specific process of Jesus’ fulfilling the law by explicating the character and necessity by explicating the character and necessity of the exceeding of the exceeding righteousness with six righteousness with six examples - and in the examples - and in the process he process he supports the general christological and supports the general christological and ethical claims of 5:17-20.ethical claims of 5:17-20.

QuestionsQuestions

1. What is the meaning of the 1. What is the meaning of the general claims re. the law in general claims re. the law in 5:17-20, and how does 5:17-5:17-20, and how does 5:17-20 provide specific content 20 provide specific content and clarification to each? and clarification to each? How does 5:21-48 provide How does 5:21-48 provide support for these claims support for these claims made in 5:17-20?made in 5:17-20?

2. Why did the Jesus make these 2. Why did the Jesus make these claims re. the law in 5:17-20, claims re. the law in 5:17-20, and why did he spell them out and why did he spell them out and support them by this and support them by this discussion about these six discussion about these six specific examples?specific examples?

Implications?Implications?

Strategic Passage: 5:17-20 Strategic Passage: 5:17-20

Recurrence of ContrastRecurrence of Contrast

Traditional Law vs. Demands of Traditional Law vs. Demands of Jesus Jesus

““You have heard...”You have heard...” “But I say “But I say or or “it was said”“it was said” to you” to you”

1. Murder (5:21)1. Murder (5:21)

2. Adultery (5:27)2. Adultery (5:27)

3. Divorce (5:31)3. Divorce (5:31)

4. Oaths (5:33)4. Oaths (5:33)

5. 5. Lex TalionisLex Talionis (5:38) (5:38)

6. Love (5:43)6. Love (5:43)

QuestionsQuestions

1. What are the specific differences 1. What are the specific differences between the traditional injunctions between the traditional injunctions and Jesus’ demands, and what is and Jesus’ demands, and what is the meaning of each of these the meaning of each of these differences? How are these differences? How are these antitheses related to each other, antitheses related to each other, and how do they illumine each and how do they illumine each other?other?

2. Why did the Matthean Jesus thus set 2. Why did the Matthean Jesus thus set his demands over against these his demands over against these traditional injunctions?traditional injunctions?

Implications?Implications?

Strategic Passage: 5:43-48Strategic Passage: 5:43-48

ClimaxClimax

5:21-42:5:21-42:

- Various behavioral demands - Various behavioral demands stemming from motive of relational stemming from motive of relational redemptive-ness (and submission to redemptive-ness (and submission to sovereign Lordship of God [esp. 33-37])sovereign Lordship of God [esp. 33-37])

5:43-48:5:43-48:

Explicit demand Explicit demand for all-inclusive for all-inclusive love, love,

esp. a God-like esp. a God-like perfection, perfection,

the ultimate the ultimate ethical ethical submission to submission to character of character of God.God.

QuestionsQuestions

1. How does 5:43-48 climax 1. How does 5:43-48 climax 5:21-42, and how does this 5:21-42, and how does this climactic development climactic development illumine both the discussion illumine both the discussion of love (43-48) and the of love (43-48) and the preceding antitheses?preceding antitheses?

2. Why did the Jesus move this 2. Why did the Jesus move this discussion of the commands discussion of the commands toward this culmination in the toward this culmination in the love command, with its love command, with its demand for God-like demand for God-like perfection?perfection?

Implications?Implications?

Strategic Passage: 5:43-48Strategic Passage: 5:43-48