Ratzlaff Struggles Again With Matthew 5:17-19

In the March/April 2008 issue of Proclamation! Magazine we find Mr. Ratzlaff struggling again with the text of Matthew 5:17-19, as had been the case in the January/February 2007 issue. His dominant preoccupation is to “prove” that this text doesn’t refer solely to the 10 Commandments, leaving the impression that Seventh-day Adventists think so. But I never learned as an SDA that this passage is limited to the Decalogue, nor is what one can see reading the SDA Bible Commentary about it. In fact, it’s so clear that Jesus refers also to the ceremonial aspects of the Torah, in vs. 23, 24 as He mentions the offer taken to the altar, which shows how this Mr. Ratzlaff’s straw man is one more futile attempt to denigrate the image of Adventist theology on his part.

Noticing this preoccupation of Mr. Ratzlaff to get rid of any impression that the 10 Commandments would be the main point in Jesus’ discourse in these texts, I addressed him some questions, as you can see in my initial discussions, that can be found through the following link:

http://www.maritime-sda-online.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=97748&fpart=1 (see 2nd thread from top)

He never gave me any answer to these questions (he receives personally all the material published here).

Now, since he returns to this subject, through another questionnaire whose final result would be the admission that Matt. 5:17-19 doesn’t refer solely to the 10 Commandments, how about examining what other important and highly reputed theologians and Bible commentary authors have to say regarding these texts? But before doing that, it would be interesting to point out two things:

a – Jesus admittedly is not referring SOLELY to the 10 Commandments in these texts, but these 10 Commandments are not EXCLUDED from them, either.

b – The context of this passage emphasizes, not “abolition” of laws, but, on the contrary, an attitude of obeisance to God reflected in performing good works, which attract man’s praise to Him (see vs. 16: “Let you light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.) So, instead of the INTENTION of Jesus’ words having to do with freeing men from any of God’s laws, they highlight the importance of practicing what is contained in God’s laws faithfully in a way that even “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees” (vs. 20). That is the framework of vs. 17-19 that Mr. Ratzlaff and other anti-Sabbatarians generally don’t take into account.

Now, let’s see what different Bible specialists have to say regarding the text under consideration, (their comments concentrate mostly in the clause, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law”):

Albert Barnes:

Our Saviour was just entering on his work. It was important for him to state what he came to do. By his setting up to be a teacher in opposition to the scribes and Pharisees, some might charge him with an intention to destroy their law, and to abolish the customs of the nation. He therefore told them that he did not come for that end, but really to fulfill or accomplish what was in the law and the prophets.

Adam Clarke:

Do not imagine that I am come to violate the law . . ., I loose, violate, or dissolve - I am not come to make the law of none effect - to dissolve the connection which subsists between its several parts, or the obligation men are under to have their lives regulated by its moral precepts; nor am I come to dissolve the connecting reference it has to the good things promised. But I am come, . . . to complete - to perfect its connection and reference, to accomplish every thing shadowed forth in the Mosaic ritual, to fill up its great design; and to give grace to all my followers, . . . to fill up, or complete, every moral duty. In a word, Christ completed the law:

1st. In itself, it was only the shadow, the typical representation, of good things to come; and he added to it that which was necessary to make it perfect, His Own Sacrifice, without which it could neither satisfy God, nor sanctify men.

2dly. He completed it in himself by submitting to its types with an exact obedience, and verifying them by his death upon the cross.

3dly. He completes this law, and the sayings of his prophets, in his members, by giving them grace to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and their neighbor as themselves; for this is all the law and the prophets.

It is worthy of observation, that the word . . . gamar, among the rabbins, signifies not only to fulfill, but also to teach; and, consequently, we may infer that our Lord intimated, that the law and the prophets were still to be taught or inculcated by him and his disciples; and this he and they have done in the most pointed manner. See the Gospels and epistles; and see especially this sermon on the mount, the Epistle of James, and the Epistle to the Hebrews. And this meaning of the word gives the clear sense of the apostle’s words, Col_1:25. Whereof I am made a minister, . . . to fulfill the word of God, i.e. to teach the doctrine of God.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes:

Christ did not come to bring any new way of righteousness and salvation into the world, but indeed to fulfill that which was shadowed by the figures of the Law, by delivering men through grace from the curse of the Law: and moreover to teach the true use of obedience which the Law appointed, and to engrave in our hearts the power for obedience.

Robertson Word Picture:

. . . The verb “destroy” means to “loosen down” as of a house or tent (2Co_5:1). Fulfil is to fill full. This Jesus did to the ceremonial law which pointed to him and the moral law he kept. “He came to fill the law, to reveal the full depth of meaning that it was intended to hold” (McNeile).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown:

Not to subvert, abrogate, or annul, but to establish the law and the prophets - to unfold them, to embody them in living form, and to enshrine them in the reverence, affection, and character of men, am I come.

Matthew Henry:

Let none suppose that Christ allows his people to trifle with any commands of God's holy law. No sinner partakes of Christ's justifying righteousness, till he repents of his evil deeds. The mercy revealed in the gospel leads the believer to still deeper self-abhorrence. The law is the Christian's rule of duty, and he delights therein. If a man, pretending to be Christ's disciple, encourages himself in any allowed disobedience to the holy law of God, or teaches others to do the same, whatever his station or reputation among men may be, he can be no true disciple. Christ's righteousness, imputed to us by faith alone, is needed by every one that enters the kingdom of grace or of glory; but the new creation of the heart to holiness, produces a thorough change in a man's temper and conduct.

John Calvin:

God had, indeed, promised a new covenant at the coming of Christ; but had, at the same time, showed, that it would not be different from the first, but that, on the contrary, its design was, to give a perpetual sanction to the covenant, which he had made from the beginning, with his own people.

“I will write my law, (says he,) in their hearts,
and I will remember their iniquities no more,”
(Jeremiah 31:33, 34.)

By these words he is so far from departing from the former covenant, that, on the contrary, he declares, that it will be confirmed and ratified, when it shall be succeeded by the new. This is also the meaning of Christ’s words, when he says, that he came to fulfill the law: for he actually fulfilled it, by quickening, with his Spirit, the dead letter, and then exhibiting, in reality, what had hitherto appeared only in figures.

With respect to doctrine, we must not imagine that the coming of Christ has freed us from the authority of the law: for it is the eternal rule of a devout and holy life, and must, therefore, be as unchangeable, as the justice of God, which it embraced, is constant and uniform. With respect to ceremonies, there is some appearance of a change having taken place; but it was only the use of them that was abolished, for their meaning was more fully confirmed. The coming of Christ has taken nothing away even from ceremonies, but, on the contrary, confirms them by exhibiting the truth of shadows: for, when we see their full effect, we acknowledge that they are not vain or useless. Let us therefore learn to maintain inviolable this sacred tie between the law and the Gospel, which many improperly attempt to break. For it contributes not a little to confirm the authority of the Gospel, when we learn, that it is nothing else than a fulfillment of the law; so that both, with one consent, declare God to be their Author.

18. Till heaven and earth pass. Luke expresses it a little differently, but to the same import, that it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for one point of the law to fail The design of Christ, in both passages, was to teach, that the truth of the law and of every part of it, is secure, and that nothing so durable is to be found in the whole frame of the world.

Source: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom31.ix.xliii.html

John Wesley:

Think not - Do not imagine, fear, hope, that I am come - Like your teachers, to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy - The moral law, but to fulfill - To establish, illustrate, and explain its highest meaning, both by my life and doctrine.

Dr. James D. Kennedy:

“We live in a time when the institution of the Sabbath has come under great attack from several different points of view. There are those who declare that it was abolished by Christ and is no longer in effect today. But what do the Scriptures teach? The Scriptures do not teach that Christ ever annulled, abrogated, or abolished the Sabbath or any of the Commandments. On the contrary, the Scripture very plainly teach that the Commandments remain in effect today and have been strengthened by Christ who declared that not only the deed but the thought and the word are part of that which God has given us. He clearly states that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. . . .

“Even as late as the Book of Revelation we read that here is the patience of the saints of God, those who have the faith of Jesus and keep the commandments of God. In the very last chapter of the Bible we read of those who keep the commandments of God and have the right to the tree of life.” – Sermon by Dr. James Kennedy, “The Gift of Rest,” quoted by Elder Samuele Bacchiocchi in his Endtimes Issues Newsletter, # 79

(http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/eti_79.html)

Notes: Dr. Kennedy’s sermon was broadcast nationwide on November 4, 2001 through the Coral Ridge TV Network. He passed away in September 2007].

The “. . .” in some of the quotations above was put because, for some reason, this forum format doesn't accept the Greek and Hebrew characters that we were able to reproduce in other forums, even the Martitime SDA Forum, which has the same format as this. Those who would like to have the complete transcriptions, with the original Greek and Hebrew words, can address me a confirmation of interest through an MP or write to otabrito@aol.com.