Matthew:5:17-20

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rwp @Matthew:5:17 @{I came not to destroy , but to fulfil } (\ouk ˆlthon katalusai alla pl ˆr “sai \). The verb "destroy " means to "loosen down " as of a house or tent (2Corinthians: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 ). rwp @Matthew:5:18 @{One jot or one tittle } (\i “ta hen ˆ mia kerea \). "Not an iota , not a comma " (Moffatt ), "not the smallest letter , not a particle " (Weymouth ). The iota is the smallest Greek vowel , which Matthew here uses to represent the Hebrew _yod_ (jot ), the smallest Hebrew letter . "Tittle " is from the Latin _titulus_ which came to mean the stroke above an abbreviated word , then any small mark . It is not certain here whether \kerea \ means a little horn , the mere point which distinguishes some Hebrew letters from others or the "hook " letter _Vav_ . Sometimes _yod_ and _vav_ were hardly distinguishable . "In _Vay_ . R . 19 the guilt of altering one of them is pronounced so great that if it were done the world would be destroyed " (McNeile ). rwp @Matthew:5:19 @{Shall do and teach } (\poi ˆs ˆi kai didax ˆi \). Jesus puts practice before preaching . The teacher must apply the doctrine to himself before he is qualified to teach others . The scribes and Pharisees were men who "say and do not " (Matthew:23:3 |), who preach but do not perform . This is Christ 's test of greatness . rwp @Matthew:5:20 @{Shall exceed } (\perisseus ˆi pleion \). Overflow like a river out of its banks and then Jesus adds "more " followed by an unexpressed ablative (\t ˆs dikaiosun ˆs \), brachylogy . A daring statement on Christ 's part that they had to be better than the rabbis . They must excel the scribes , the small number of regular teachers (5:21-48 |), and the Pharisees in the Pharisaic life (6:1-18 |) who were the separated ones , the orthodox pietists .

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