LESSON XIII

Questions to Lesson 13^{*What do we inquire in this lesson? What was Jesus? Whom shall we hear? What does he say in Matthew 5:17? In verse 18? In verse 19? What was our Lord’s object in coming to earth? What says Campbell’s translation? What does that mean? What is confirmed in verse 18? What did be say of the commandments? What is a jot? What is a tittle? From the use of this expression of our Saviour, how many things do we learn? What is the first The second? In what language was it written With what was it written? Exodus 31:18.}

We have seen [Lesson 3] that the New Testament teaches the keeping of the whole law of God; a law which existed before that volume was written. We have found by the Old Testament that God spoke and wrote his law himself, and that it consisted of ten commandments; also, that it should not be abolished, but last for ever. We come again to the New Testament to see whether Christ made a new law, or taught that the old one was everlasting. Jesus was the Prophet foretold by Moses, [Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Acts 3:22,] to whom all should hearken. And when he was transfigured before some of his disciples, [Mark 9:2,] there came a voice out of the cloud that overshadowed them saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. We will hear his testimony, therefore, concerning the law of God.BIC 31.1

Matthew 5:17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.BIC 32.1

Verse 18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.BIC 32.2

Verse 19. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.BIC 32.3

The seventeenth verse teaches us the object of our Lord in coming to the earth. It was not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill. Campbell’s translation says, “not to subvert, but to ratify;” which means, not to overthrow, but to confirm.BIC 32.4

In verse 18, he says, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law. This confirms what the prophet David said in Psalm 111:8, “They stand fast for ever and ever.”BIC 32.5

A jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew language, which, was the language of the Jews. A tittle is a little mark which distinguishes some of their letters from others. By the use of this expression, our Saviour teaches us two things. 1. That the smallest particle of the law could not pass away. 2. That he was talking about a written law, and not only so, but one that was written in the Hebrew language. There are no jots or tittles-no letters or marks in a law that is not written; and the disciples to whom he spoke were familiar with it, for it was written in their own language. It was written with the finger of God, and it is no wonder it should endure for ever.BIC 32.6