“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”
—Matthew 5:17 (NABRE)
Most of us understand that legalistic fundamentalism is antithetical to the teachings of Jesus. But what do we do with his statement in the opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) about coming to fulfill the law?
Perhaps some context might be helpful. According to Rob Bell in his best-selling 2005 book Velvet Elvis, Jesus’ statement in Matt. 5:17-20 follows a recognized pattern of rabbinical teaching in First Century Judaism. For a student to “abolish the law (Torah)” meant to misunderstand a rabbi’s teaching or “yoke.” To fulfill Torah meant to grasp the teacher’s meaning.
In that case, what Jesus is saying in that passage has less to do with a legalistic approach to scripture and faith, and more to do with a declaration of how he understands the law’s meaning.
This week at New Wineskins, we’ll continue our early 2025 dive into the Sermon on the Mount with a discussion about what it means to abolish or fulfill the law…and just what the “law” actually is. Our discussion video this week is Derek Webb’s iconic 2005 hit “A New Law” from his debut solo album, Mockingbird.
Please join us this Sunday, Jan. 19 in the New Wineskins Virtual Theology Pub powered by Zoom for what promises to be a fascinating conversation on how Jesus viewed the law and how he expects his followers to understand it.
6:00pm ET: Happy Half-Hour (informal meet & greet time)
6:30pm ET: Presentation & conversation begin
Check out this week’s discussion video
Click here to view this week’s discussion video on YouTube
Drawing from the inspiration of Fr. Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation, we’re starting 2025 with a dive into the Sermon on the Mount and its implications for today’s world. You may wish to subscribe to the CAC’s Daily Meditation email as a daily guide for our journey during this series.
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