How will the law not pass away with Jesus?
Matthew 5:17–20 “Truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” ( v. 18 ). We come today to one of Jesus ’ most complex teachings as it discusses the life and role of the old covenant Law. This is a much-debated topic, and thus we will carefully draw conclusions that accord well with the entirety of Scripture. Jesus discusses the Mosaic law at this point in the Sermon on the Mount to prevent His disciples from misunderstanding the teaching that follows. Our Lord is about to correct the interpretations of the Pharisees ( Matt. 5:21–48 ), who are beloved by the common man. The people equate these traditions with the Law itself, and to correct them is to violate God’s Word in the eyes of the people unless Christ makes His intention clear beforehand. Verses 17–20 tell us that breaking our Father’s commands is far from Jesus’ mind. His work is not “to abolish the Law or the Prophets…but to fulfill them...
