Continuing with our look at some of the statements of Jesus made in the sermon on the mount, we come this week to the words recorded in Matthew 5:18, "...till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." These are perhaps among the most misunderstood words in this entire discourse of Jesus. Let us consider them now.

Some, having read these words conclude that Jesus said the law would continue until the heavens and earth pass away. May I suggest that such is not the case. The Lord's use of the heaven and earth is not to reveal the time when the law would cease, but to provide surety for His next words. In Luke's parallel, we read, "...it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail." (Luke 16:17). A jot and a tittle were the smallest markings in the Hebrew language.

What is He providing surety about? That "...one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." Most, reading this leave off, at least in their understanding, the last 4 words. Our Lord did not say that the law would never cease, but instead, that it would not cease until all of it had been fulfilled.

Consider an illustration:
A union leader declares to the management team, "Till heaven and earth pass away, not one employee will be back to work till all our demands are fulfilled." When will the employees return to work? Never, or once their demands have been met? Do you see that the first clause "...till heaven and earth pass away..." does not express the duration of their absence from work, but emphasizes the surety of it. It is the final clause, "...till all our demands are fulfilled," which tells us when the employees will return – when their demands are met.

Returning to our Lord's statement, when will the law pass away? Never, or once it has been fulfilled? Just as in our illustration, the first clause does not express the duration of the law, but emphasizes the surety of it. Again, it is the final clause, "...till all is fulfilled," which tells us when the law will pass away – when it has been fulfilled.

Christ was the fulfilment of the law. Prior to His coming, none had kept the Law perfectly (Galatians 2:16). But, Jesus came that He might redeem those who were under the Law (Galatians 4:4-5), freeing them from the Law (Galatians 5:1-6). After His resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples, "...all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me." (Luke 24:44). Having accomplished all that was written concerning Him, He "...wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." (Colossians 2:14). The law has been fulfilled, and thus has passed away (Hebrews 8:6-13).

Friend, we are no longer subject to the Law of Moses, for it has been "...nailed to the cross..." (Colossians 2:14), it has been made "...obsolete..." and to "...vanish away..." (Hebrews 8:13). We are not under the law now, but under faith (Galatians 3:23-25), amenable to the Christ's law (Romans 1:16; Galatians 6:2).