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The teaching and preaching concerning the kingdom of the heavens began with repentance (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). Repentance means a change of mind. Hence, the kingdom begins with our mind. From our mind, it proceeds to our spirit (Matt. 5:3). We need to repent in our mind and to be poor in our spirit. Following this, we must be pure in heart in order to see God (Matt. 5:8). The mind, the spirit, and the heart are the three major aspects of our inner being. If we put Matt. 4:17 together with Matt. 5:3-12, we see a number of items related to the kingdom of the heavens. The first three, as we have seen, are the mind, the spirit, and the heart. Next we need to have a normal, proper, uplifted emotion. This is seen in the matter of mourning (Matt. 5:4), which comes from our adjusted emotion. We also need to be meek, which requires a strong, normal, proper will. The hunger and thirst for righteousness spoken of in Matt. 5:6 is a matter of a pure and proper desire. We must desire this righteousness for the kingdom. Being merciful to others involves our attitude (Matt. 5:7). Our attitude toward others must be one of mercy. If we have a proper emotion, will, desire, and attitude, we shall be able to make peace with others. Thus, our whole being — our mind, spirit, heart, emotion, will, desire, and attitude — needs to be exercised for the kingdom life. When we have all these virtues, we are qualified to be persecuted. If you do not have these, you will not be able to withstand persecution. Eventually, those who are qualified by having all these virtues will be not only persecuted for righteousness, but reproached for Christ. This is the nature of the kingdom people.
Each of the nine blessings in 5:3-12 has a reward. For example, if you are poor in spirit, the kingdom of the heavens is yours. This is a reward. If you mourn, you will be comforted, and if you are meek, you will inherit the earth. Thus, comfort and the earth are also rewards. According to verse 12, the reward is great for those who are persecuted and reproached for the sake of Christ. It is difficult to give a name to this reward. If we are reproached, persecuted, evil-spoken of, for the sake of Christ, our reward in the heavens is great, so great that it is beyond our understanding. Heb. 13:13 and 1 Pet. 4:14 both speak of being reproached for the sake of Christ. Hebrews 13:13 says, “Let us therefore go forth unto Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” First Peter 4:14 says, “If you are reproached in the name of Christ, you are blessed.” This matter of reproach is also spoken of in Romans 15:3. There is a great reward awaiting those who are reproached for the sake of Christ. We need to be the kingdom people with the nature revealed in these verses. Then we shall be able to bear the reproach for Christ.
In this message we come to the third section of the King’s word on the mountain, Matt. 5:17-48, which concerns the law of the people of the kingdom of the heavens. The constitution of the heavenly kingdom must certainly cover the matter of law. Prior to the time of the Lord Jesus, the children of Israel had the law of Moses. They also had the prophets. Prophecy is always a help to the law. When the people are weak in fulfilling the law, there is the need for the prophets to come in to strengthen them to keep the law. Thus, the fulfillment of the law needs the strengthening through the prophets. Therefore, in the Old Testament there were the law and the prophets. This is the reason the Lord spoke of the law and the prophets in verse 17.
Verse 17 says, “Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” To fulfill the law here means three things: that Christ has kept the law on the positive side; that through His substitutionary death on the cross Christ has fulfilled the requirement of the law on the negative side; and that Christ complements the old law by His new law in this section, as continually expressed by the word, “But I say to you” (vv. 22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44).
Concerning the law, there are two aspects: the commandments of the law and the principle of the law. The commandments of the law are fulfilled and complemented by the Lord’s coming, whereas the principle of the law is replaced by the principle of faith according to God’s New Testament economy.
Before Christ came, there was the law with the strengthening through the prophets. Why then was there still the need for the law of the kingdom of the heavens? The reason is that the demands of the old law were not high enough. The requirements of the old law were not complete. Take the example of murder. The old law commanded us not to murder (Exo. 20:13), but it did not say a word about anger. If you killed someone, you would be condemned by the law of Moses. But no matter how angry you were with someone, as long as you did not murder, you would not be condemned by Moses’ law. Here we see the shortage, the incompleteness, of the old law. However the requirement of the law of the kingdom of the heavens is much higher than that of the law of Moses. According to the law of the kingdom of the heavens, we are forbidden to be angry with our brothers. In verses 21 and 22 the Lord said, “You have heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not murder, and whoever murders shall be liable to the judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the judgment.” Hence, the law of the kingdom of the heavens is higher than the law of the old dispensation.
Another illustration of this is the law concerning adultery. The old law forbade the committing of adultery, but the new law forbids looking at a woman to lust after her (vv. 27-28). Thus, the basic principle of the law of the kingdom of the heavens is that it is higher than the old law. We do not annul the old law; we complement it to make it higher. For this reason, the Lord Jesus said that He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.
Many Christians do not adequately understand the meaning of the word “fulfill” in verse 17. Through many years of study, observation, and experience, we have come to see that the word “fulfill” in this verse means three things.
Firstly, it means that Christ came to keep the law on the positive side. When He lived on earth, He kept every aspect of the old law. No one else has ever kept the ten commandments; the Lord Jesus kept them completely. He kept the law of the old dispensation in a very positive way.
Because Christ kept the law, He became the perfect One. His perfection qualified Him to die on the cross for us. This is the keeping of the law in a negative sense. This is the second way Christ has fulfilled the law. All of us have broken, transgressed, the law. But our transgressions have been dealt with through the Lord’s substitutionary death. On the cross He was our substitute, dying for us to fulfill the law’s requirement on the negative side.
To fulfill the law also means that Christ complements the old law by His new law. This is expressed by the word, “But I say to you” (vv. 22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44). Christ’s keeping of the law qualified Him to fulfill the requirement of the law through His substitutionary death on the cross. Christ’s fulfilling the requirement of the law through His substitutionary death on the cross brought in the resurrection life to complement the law, to fill the law to the full. The old law, the lower law, with its keeping-demand and punishing-requirement, is over. The kingdom people, as the children of the Father, only need now to fulfill the new law, the higher law, by the resurrection life, which is the eternal life of the Father.
Christ’s substitutionary death brought in the resurrection life. When this resurrection life comes into us, it is able to do the wonderful job of completing the law. It enables us to fulfill the higher law. By the resurrection life within us, we are able to be kept not only from murdering others, but even from being angry with them or hating them. This resurrection life is much higher than the natural life, for it is actually the divine life, the eternal life, the life on the highest plane. This highest life within us can fulfill the requirements of the highest law.
In the New Testament, Matthew, the book of the kingdom, comes first with the requirements. Then John, the book of life, comes with the life to fulfill these requirements. By our natural life, we are not able to fulfill the requirements given in Matthew 5. But in the Gospel of John we have the highest life that enables us to meet the highest requirements. All Christians love John, but not many love Matthew. I doubt if I have ever heard a Christian say that he loves Matthew. Some of you may say that the Gospel of Matthew is too troublesome and that John is very simple. It says that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God, and that the Word became flesh, full of grace and reality (John 1:1, 14). The Gospel of John has many golden verses, such as John 3:16. In this Gospel there are very few requirements and demands, but there is the rich life supply. However, in the New Testament, Matthew comes first, not John. We cannot afford to bypass Matthew. Nevertheless, many Christians have been instructed to do this. Thirty-five years ago I was taught that new believers should not read Matthew. I myself charged new believers not to read Matthew first. I said that if they read Matthew chapter one first, they would be frustrated in their reading of the Bible and think that it was too difficult to read. Hence, I told the new believers to begin their reading with the fourth book, the Gospel of John. Then I would tell them to read Romans or some other book, but not Matthew. But we need to come back to Matthew. Matthew needs John, and John is for Matthew. Matthew gives us the highest requirements of the kingdom, requirements that can be fulfilled only by the divine life revealed in John. In order to fulfill the requirements of the kingdom of the heavens unfolded in Matthew, we must receive the supply of life found in the Gospel of John.
Jesus, the new King, did not come to abolish the law of Moses. Rather, He came to uplift the standard of the old law. Now that the requirement has been so greatly uplifted, it is no longer the old law, but the new law of the kingdom of the heavens. Christ uplifted the standard of the old law in two ways: by complementing the old law and by changing it. In verses 17 through 30 we see the complementing of the old law. The change of the law begins with verse 31. In this message we can cover only the complementing of the old law.
Verse 18 says, “For truly I say to you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall by no means pass away from the law until all come to pass.” After the millennial kingdom, the old heaven and old earth will pass away and the new heaven and new earth come in (Rev. 21:1; Heb. 1:11-12; 2 Pet. 3:10-13). What the law covers extends only to the end of the millennial kingdom, whereas what the prophets cover extends to the new heaven and new earth (Isa. 65:17; 66:22). This is why both the law and the prophets are referred to in verse 17, but only the law, not the prophets, is mentioned in verse 18.
The fulfillment of the law will last until the end of the millennium, at which time the heavens and the earth will pass away. Before that takes place, not one iota or tittle of the old law will be annulled. However, what is covered by the prophets goes farther than the millennium, reaching into the new heaven and the new earth.
Christ fulfilled the law in three ways. He Himself kept the law. However, because we did not keep it, He died on the cross for our transgressions of the law. His substitutionary death brought in the resurrection life, which has been imparted into our being. By His resurrection life we are able to fulfill the requirements of the new, higher law. By these three steps Christ has more than fulfilled the old law. He kept it, He died for us, and His death brought into us the resurrection life to strengthen us for fulfilling the requirements of the new law. Today we are not trying to keep the lower law; rather, we are keeping the uplifted, higher law through the highest life that is in us. Now we are able to keep the highest law.
Verse 19 says, “Whoever therefore shall annul one of the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever practices and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.” The commandments here refer to the law in verse 18. The kingdom people not only fulfill the law, but complement the law. Actually, they do not annul any commandments of the law, not even one of the least. Whether we shall be great or small in the kingdom of the heavens depends upon whether or not we keep even the least of the commandments of the law. In this verse Christ stressed the fact that if we do not keep all of the least of the commandments of the law, but annul them and teach others to annul them, we shall become the least in the kingdom of the heavens. In other words, Christ seemed to be saying, “If you would be great in the kingdom of the heavens, you must have the highest standard of morality. If your standard of morality does not reach the standard of the new law, you will be the least in the kingdom of the heavens.” The morality of no other people is as high as that of the kingdom people. Never think that we care only for life and not for morality. Life must have its expression, and the highest life has the highest expression. Morality is simply the expression of life. Thus, if you have the highest life, you will certainly have the highest morality as the expression of this life. We need to pray, “Lord, grant me the highest expression of life. Grant me to have the highest level of morality. Lord, we are not only moral people, but kingdom people.”
Because the standard of the kingdom is higher than the standard of morality, we must do more than keep the standard of the old law. According to the standard of morality, we should not commit murder or adultery. If we abstain from murder and adultery, we are moral people. But such a standard is much lower than that of the kingdom. According to the standard of the kingdom of the heavens, we should not be angry with our brother or look at a woman to lust after her. This is not the standard of morality; it is the standard of the kingdom, which is much higher than that of morality. The standard of morality says, “Eye for eye, tooth for a tooth” (Exo. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21). But the standard of the kingdom tells us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and not to resist one who is evil (vv. 44, 39). If someone strikes us on our right cheek, we should turn to him the other also (v. 39). How much higher is this standard than the standard of morality!
The crucial point that Christ is stressing in these verses is that the kingdom people must have the highest standard of morality. If we see this matter, then we are able to understand 5:17-48. We have the highest law, the highest life, the highest standard. By the highest life we fulfill the highest law and have the highest standard.
In verse 20 the King said, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.” The surpassing righteousness is the condition of entering into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the millennium. By keeping the highest law to the highest standard we fulfill the condition for entering into the coming manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.
Righteousness in verse 20 does not refer to the objective righteousness, which is the Christ we receive when we believe in Him that we may be justified before God (Phil. 3:9; 1 Cor. 1:30; Rom. 3:26). It refers to the subjective righteousness, which is the indwelling Christ lived out of us as our righteousness that we may live in the reality of the kingdom today and enter into its manifestation in the future. This subjective righteousness is not obtained merely by fulfilling the old law, but by completing the old law through the fulfillment of the new law of the kingdom of the heavens, the law given by the new King here in this section of the Word. This righteousness of the kingdom people, according to the new law of the kingdom, surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees according to the old law. It is impossible for our natural life to gain this surpassing righteousness; it can be produced only by a higher life, the resurrection life of Christ. This righteousness, which is likened to the wedding garment (22:11-12), qualifies us to participate in the wedding of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-8) and inherit the kingdom of the heavens in its manifestation, that is, to enter into the kingdom of the heavens in the future.
To enter into the kingdom of God requires regeneration as a new beginning of our life (John 3:3, 5), but to enter into the kingdom of the heavens demands surpassing righteousness in our living after regeneration. To enter into the kingdom of the heavens means to live in its reality today and to participate in its manifestation in the future.
Verse 21 says, “You have heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not murder, and whoever murders shall be liable to the judgment.” The old law was the command not to murder. What “you have heard” in verses 21, 27, 33, 38, and 43 is the law of the old dispensation; whereas what “I say to you” in verses 22, 28, 32, 34, 39, and 44 is the new law of the kingdom, complementing the law of the old dispensation.
In verse 22 the King said, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever shall say, Moreh, shall be liable to the Gehenna of fire.” The law of the old dispensation deals with the act of murder, but the new law of the kingdom deals with anger, the motive of murder. Hence, the demand of the new law of the kingdom is deeper than the requirement of the law of the old dispensation. The word “brother” in verse 22 proves that the King’s word here is spoken to believers.
The most difficult thing for us to do is to control our anger. Some were supposed to be very gentle, but their anger was like a wild horse when they lost their temper. When our anger is released, no one can bridle us or control us. For a number of years I could not get through this chapter because of the problem of my anger.
It is also very difficult for us not to contemn or condemn others. In verse 22 the Lord speaks about saying to our brother, “Raca,” or “Moreh.” The word Raca is an expression of contempt meaning stupid, good-for-nothing. Moreh, that is, fool, is a Hebrew expression of condemnation indicating a rebel (Num. 20:10). This expression is more serious than the expression of contempt, Raca. How difficult it is neither to condemn a brother nor to hold him in contempt! Perhaps you cannot go for even a week without condemning or contemning someone. It seems that nearly every day we either contemn or condemn. Husbands and wives contemn and condemn one another. I do not believe there is one exception. Every wife has contemned and condemned her husband, and every husband has done the same to his wife. This is a real problem. When you read this, can you still say that you are the overcomers, the kingdom people? Do not be disappointed. Rather, be encouraged. Remember, we have an overcoming life. Do you not have the King within you? We are the kingdom people, and we have the King within us. This King is the kingly, overcoming life. Do not look at yourself. If you do, you will be fully discouraged. Forget yourself and look at the kingly life within you. It is this life that makes us the kingdom people. Forget your natural life and follow this kingly life.
In verse 22 there are three kinds of judgment. The first is the judgment at the gate of the city, which is the district judgment. The second is the judgment by the Sanhedrin, which is the higher judgment. The Sanhedrin is a council composed of the chief priests, the elders, the lawyers, and the scribes. It is the highest court of the Jews (Luke 22:66; Acts 4:5-6, 15; 5:27, 34, 41). The third is the judgment by God through the Gehenna of fire, which is the highest judgment. These three kinds of judgment were mentioned by the new King, using figures of the Jewish background, because all His audience was Jewish. However, concerning the kingdom people, the believers of the New Testament, all these judgments refer to the judgment of the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, as revealed in 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10, 12; 1 Corinthians 4:4-5; 3:13-15; Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12; and Hebrews 10:27, 30. This clearly reveals that the New Testament believers, although forgiven by God forever, are still liable to the Lord’s judgment, not for perdition, but for discipline, if they sin against the law of the kingdom as given here. However, when we sin against the new law of the kingdom, if we repent and confess our sins, we shall be forgiven and cleansed by the blood of the Lord Jesus (1 John 1:7, 9).
In verse 22 the new King speaks of the Gehenna of fire. The word Gehenna is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Ge Hinnom, valley of Hinnom. It was a deep and narrow valley near Jerusalem, the refuse-place of the city, where the bodies of criminals and all kinds of filth were cast. It was also called Tophet, or Topheth (2 Kings 23:10; Isa. 30:33; Jer. 19:13). Because of its continual fire, it became the symbol of the place of eternal punishment, the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). This word is also used in Matthew 5:29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5 and James 3:6.
Verses 23 and 24 say, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go away; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Sacrifice, as the sacrifice for sin, is for dealing with sin; whereas a gift is for fellowship with God. The altar spoken of in verse 23 was a piece of furniture (Exo. 27:1-8) in the outer court of the temple (1 Kings 8:64), on which all sacrifices and gifts were offered (Lev. 1:9, 12, 17). The King, in decreeing the new law of the kingdom, referred here to the gift and the altar of the old dispensation because, during the transitory period of His ministry on earth, the ritual law of the old dispensation had not yet ceased. In the four Gospels, before His death and resurrection, in things regarding circumstances, the Lord treated His disciples as Jews according to the old law; whereas in things concerning spirit and life, He considered them as believers who constitute the church according to the New Testament economy.
The words “anything against you” in verse 23 must refer to the anger or scolding in verse 22. According to verse 24, we must first be reconciled to our brother that our remembrance of offense may be removed and that our conscience may be void of offense. Then we may come and offer our gift to the Lord to fellowship with Him with a pure conscience. The King of the kingdom will never tolerate two brothers not reconciled one to another either sharing the kingdom in its reality or reigning in its manifestation. If, as you come to contact the Lord, you have the sense that a brother or sister has a complaint against you, you must stop your fellowship with the Lord and go to this one and be reconciled. Then you may come back to continue your fellowship with the Lord. Although this is a small thing, it is not easy to do. Nevertheless, we must do it.
Verses 25 and 26 say, “Be well disposed quickly with your opponent, while you are with him in the way, lest the opponent deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, You shall by no means come out from there until you have paid the last quadrans.” We need to be disposed quickly with our opponent lest we die, our opponent dies, or the Lord comes back, and thus there be no opportunity for us to be reconciled to our opponent. The words “in the way” signify that we are still living in this life. The matter of being delivered to the judge, to the officer, and thrown into prison will transpire at the judgment seat of Christ when He comes back (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10). The judge will be the Lord, the officer will be the angel, and the prison will be the place of discipline. To come out from there, that is, to come out from prison, is to be forgiven in the coming age, the millennium.
The Roman quadrans spoken of in verse 26 is a small brass coin equal to a quarter of an assarion, which is equal to one cent. The meaning here is that even with the smallest thing we need to make a thorough clearance. This shows the strictness of the new law.
We need to be reconciled to our opponent before we die, before he dies, or before the Lord comes back. If we do not take care of any matter now, we shall have to deal with it in the coming age. Do not wait for the next age, for the dealing then will be more troublesome. Take care of every problem now, before you die or before your opponent dies. While both of you are still living, you still have the opportunity to be reconciled to him. Furthermore, if you wait, the Lord may come back before you are reconciled. On the one hand, the Lord’s coming back will be marvelous. On the other hand, it will be rather serious, for it will close the opportunity to deal with the problems in this age and compel us to deal with them in the next age. Therefore, it is much better to solve every problem before the coming age. This means that we must take care of every problem before we die, before the other party dies, or before the Lord comes back.
Verse 27 says, “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.” This is the old law, the commandment not to commit adultery (Exo. 20:14; Deut. 5:18).
The new complementing law regarding adultery is found in verse 28: “But I say to you, that every one who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The law of the old dispensation deals with the outward act of adultery, whereas the new law of the kingdom deals with the inward motive of the heart.
We must consider the seriousness of such a sin in relation to the kingdom. The seriousness of this sin is indicated by the Lord’s word in verses 29 and 30 about plucking out our eye and casting it from us and cutting off our hand and casting it from us. In both of these verses the Lord said, “It is better for you that one of your members perish and not your whole body be cast into Gehenna.” This, however, should not be observed literally; it can only be carried out spiritually, as revealed in Romans 8:13 and Colossians 3:5. I know the cases of some who applied this word in a literal way. One of these cases was a gambler who literally cut off his hand after reading this portion of the Word. Eventually he discovered that, although his hand had been cut off, there was still within him an inner hand desiring to gamble. He learned that cutting off his physical hand did not work, for the problem was with the inner hand. Although this word is not to be taken literally, it reveals the seriousness of such a sin.
According to the Lord’s word in verses 29 and 30, it is possible for saved persons to be cast into Gehenna. This means that even the saved ones may be hurt by the second death. In Revelation 2:11 the Lord Jesus said, “He who overcomes shall by no means be hurt of the second death.” As we have pointed out, Gehenna is a symbol of the lake of fire, which is the second death (Rev. 20:15). The Lord’s word in Revelation 2:11 indicates that it is possible for believers to be hurt by the second death. The Lord’s word in Revelation 2:11 corresponds to His word in Matthew 5:29 and 30. As a saved one, if you are not serious in dealing with this kind of sin, you will some day be hurt by the second death. As the Lord Jesus says here, you will be cast into Gehenna. This does not mean that you will perish; it means that you will be disciplined. Furthermore, the Gehenna of fire does not refer to the purgatory of Catholicism. But this word on Gehenna warns you that if you are not serious in dealing with this sin today, when the Lord Jesus comes back, He will exercise His judgment over you. (For a further word on the matter of being hurt by the second death, see Life-Study of Revelation, message eleven, pp. 136-138).
As we have seen, the three kinds of judgment spoken of in verse 22 all refer to the judgment of Christ at His judgment seat. This judgment has nothing to do with the unsaved, who will be judged at the great white throne after the millennium (Rev. 20:12,15). No unsaved person will be qualified to stand before the judgment seat of Christ at His coming back. All those who appear before this judgment seat will be saved ones. The believers will be judged there, not for the matter of salvation or perdition, but for reward or punishment.
The word spoken by the Lord concerning judgment and being cast into the Gehenna of fire is a serious word. Such a word should make us sober and cause us not to be loose in dealing with this kind of sin. Never consider this sin as an insignificant matter. The situation today regarding fornication is deplorable. We must never be loose about this. The Lord’s own word shows us how serious it is. We must be sober and deal with this in a very serious manner. However, we do not deal with our members in a literal way. Rather, we must mortify our sinful members by the cross of Christ. As Romans 8:13 reveals, by the Spirit we must “put to death the practices of the body,” and, as Colossians 3:5 says, we must mortify our “members which are on the earth.” This is the proper way to deal with our sinful members.
Verses 29 and 30 also indicate that we must put away the motive of such a sin at any cost. The Lord’s intention here is to make us sober so that we would put away not only the action, but also the motive of this kind of sin. If we fail to do this, He will put us into the Gehenna of fire when He comes. This is a very sobering word.
