In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus cites six laws and precepts from the Old Testament. After each, Jesus says, “But I tell you.” He then teaches an even stricter moral principle. Is Jesus contradicting the Old Testament? Is He correcting the Pharisees’ interpretation? Is He giving a higher law for Christians?
There are many opinions, but I want to show you from the Bible the plain and simple answer to why Jesus said, “But I tell you.”
[This article was revised in January 2019: Further information.] [Edits for clarity, structure, and adding a picture were made in 2024]
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is the subject of many volumes. It has been called the epitome of Jesus’ ethical teaching, His manifesto, and the key of the whole Bible. To understand the Sermon on the Mount and its relevance for you, you need to know who was Jesus’ intended audience. You also need to know whether Jesus was correcting the misunderstandings of the scribes and Pharisees, whether He was fulfilling the role of the new Lawgiver by giving a new law, or whether He had an entirely different aim. In this relatively brief article, I want to show you that Jesus revealed His purpose early on in the sermon and that it was foundational for the rest of His ministry.
[This article was revised in January 2019: Further information.]
New Covenant Theology teaches that Jesus Christ fulfilled the law, and that by fulfilling it, He ended it. But some within New Covenant Theology have also taught that Jesus instituted a new law that we must obey. Is there a new law with new commands that Jesus has given us under the New Covenant? If so, must we obey these commands?
