“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”
Matthew 5:17-20
- What, according to Jesus in this passage, is the purpose of “the law and the prophets”?
- Who is called “great”, and who is called “least” in the Kingdom of Heaven?
- What do people risk when they misunderstand the purpose of a thing?
- What might we miss if we misunderstand the purpose of the person of Jesus?
- What do you think Jesus means by a “better righteousness”?
Food for Thought 