The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 164

Observe that the third part of &he Hebrew not to abrogate the Law or the Prophets, but Bcl'iptures, "the(Hol,Y) Writings"-of which to se.tisry them-to bring about in his own 'Psalms! (Luke xuv. 44) form the most Person, and ultimately in the persons of his oharBCteristic portion-is omitted in this followers, th&t righteousness of life which, summ11ry reference t.o the Old Testament. however limited by the historical conditions The reuon may be either that of the three under which the Divine oracles had been parts it was used less than the other two delivered, was the sum 11.nd substance of their ae 11, basis for dootrine 11,nd for rule of life, teaching. The fulfilment of the Law and or that it was practically included in the the Prophets" is the perfect development of Prophets (Acts ii. 30). The essential teach- their idea.I reality out of the positive form, ing of the Law may be distinguished from in which the same is hlst.orically appre- that of the Prophets by saying that, while hended and limited" (Meyer). Martensen the Law was the direct revelation of God's puts the matter thus : "How can he say will as law for the people's daily life-- that not a tittle shall pa.<>s from the Law, personal, social, and national-the Prophete since the development of the Church shows (including the historical books and the us that the ceremonial law, that the whole prophets proper) were rather the indirect Mosaic dispensation, has been annihilated revelation of his will for them under the by the influences proceeding from Christ? fresh circumstances into which they came; We answer: He bas fulfilled the Law, whilst this indirect revelation being seen more he has rele8Bed it from the temporary forms especially in God's providential guidance in which its eternal validity was confined; of the nation, and in his explanation of he has unfolded its spiritual essence, its principles of worship, as well as is occa- inward perfection. Not even a tittle of the sional predictions of the future. It is to his oeremonial law has passed a.way, if we re- relation t.o. the Prophets in this connexion, gard the Mosaic Law as a whole; for tho as an indirect revelation of God's will ideas which form its basis, as the distinct:on under changing circumstances (cf. Weiss) between the unclean and the clean, arc con- that our Lord here chiefly refers. For he firmed by Christ, and contained in the law is led to speak of his own relation to them of holiness which he teaches men" (' Chria- from the bearing that this has on the con- tian Ethics: General,' § 125); cf. ver. 18, duct of his disciples. Many, however (e.g. notes, "till heaven and earth pass," "till all Ohrysostom), consider that he is thinking of be fulfilled." his relation t.o them as containing predictions Ver. 18.-Cf. Luke xvi. 17, "But it is concerning himself. In answer t.o this it is easier for heaveu and earth to pass away, not sufficient to say (Meyer, Weiss, Alford) thnn for one tittle of the Law to fail" (Re- that it was imposeible that Messiah could vised Version). The words e.re so similo.r th11t be thought t.o abrogate the Prophets; for, in the two enngelists probably record the snmc fact, to many J ewe during his ministry ( even utterance, the difference in the form of the if not 11,t this euly stage of it), and much sentence pointing rather to an oral tha.n a more to Jews 11,t the time when the evan- written common source. St. Luke places it gelist recorded the words, our Lord must in an attack on the Pharisees, who had have seemed to contradict the predictions scoffed at our Lord for his parable of the about himself 11.e they were then under- dishonest steward. Verily; lr.µ,fv (JON, lite- stood. It is indeed true that the prima faoie rally, "established," " sure"). It has ground that existed for thinking that our hardly been sufficiently noticed by com- Lord's teaching was opposed, not merely to mentators tha.t the New Testament usnge of the religion of the day RB dependent on the the word "Amen" often slightly differs Law a.ntl the Prophets, but 11,lso to the pre- from that found in tho Old Testnment. dictions of Messiah contained in them, is "Amen" in the Old Testament alwnys in- enough to give a certain plausibility to ibis volves the persona.I ncceplance of the st,ite- interpretation. Dut that is all. The absence ment to which it refers (" so bo it"), in the context of any hint that he refers to whether this be 11, stnteruent upon ontl.i his relation to p1·edictions as _such quite for- (Numb. v. 22, perhnps), or 11. statement of bids our accepting it. It was probably de- penalties incurred under cel'lnin circuru- rived solely from a misinterpretntiou of" ful- stauces (Numb. v. 22, probably; Deut. fil" (vide infra), no regard being pnid to xxvii. 15-26; N eh. v. 13); or a state- the train of thought by which our Lord wns ment expressing I\ pious hope uttered led to speak of the subject at nll. Our Lord either by nnother (1 Kings i. 36; Jer enys that he is not oome to "destroy" the xxviii. 6; xi. 5 (?); cf. Nch. viii. 6; cf. Prophets as ezponentB of tlie will of God. I also 1 Cor. xiv. 16); or by one's self (Ps. :s:li. am not oome to destroy; emphasizing his 13). Hence the LXX. either leaves it un- statement by repetition. llut to fulfil. Dy trnnslated or, with hut one exception, trans- establishing the absolute and final moaning lates it by -,ivon·o. In Hellenistic Greek, of the Low BDd the Prophets. Oh1ist came however, it became, often used as little morn  156 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. Lett. v. 1-41t