Biblical commentary on the New Testament - The Christian ...

Matthew V. 17-19. 303
with," "to repeal." (John x. 35.) But TrXrjpCJoai does not seem
to be in contrast with that meaning ; Kvpovv— to establish, to con-
firm^ should rather have been used. It is better therefore to regard
the figure as taken from a building whose foundations can be loos-
ened, but which can still be completed on them. Accordingly, the
Old Testament is the foundation on which the structure of the New
Testament is to be placed, in order to complete it. In this com-
parison the Old Testament contains the outline (jiop^coaig, Kom. ii.
20''-"), and the New its tilling up ; the two are in organic connexion,
like bud and blossom. The fulfilment is therefore to be regarded
as a com])rehensive one ; Christ fulfils not only the prophecies and
tj-pes of the Old Testament, but the moral law also he fulfils per-
fectly in himself and his people.
Ver. 18.—With strong emphasis the Saviour represents the im-
possibility of destroying (KaraXveiv) the law from its very nature.
{'Afii'jv = -,ttN, verily, is always used in our Lord's words, to direct
attention to a thought, and to give it emphasis.) The Old Testament,
as God's word, is eternal and unchangeable (1 Peter i. 25)
hence it stands in contrast to created things. Ovpavhq ical yij, heaven
and earth (Gen. i. 1) are put for the universe, creation in general.
While this latter vanishes altogether, the former remains, even
in its apparently unessential parts. ('Iwra, the smallest letter
of the Hebrew alphabet. Kepaia, "apex," points, by
which particular letters, e. g., f and n, are distinguished).f More-
over, as the first tog dv, until, fixes a limit to the universe, so
the second does to the law itself. (In the j^hrase t'w^- dv irdv-a
ytvrjrai, scil. rd h rio vojxo) ye)'pafxnha, the yiveoOai is = -nArjpoiJoOai.
See Luke xxi. 32.)
This thought involves no difliculty relatively to
the typical character of the Old Testament. In the universality in
which it is here laid down, it must, however, be applied to the law
in all points. And yet it would seem that its moral features must
be conceived as eternal, and, of course, can have no limit assigned
to them. True ; but in the world of perfection the law will be done
away, in so far as it will have become the inmost life of all beings ;
there is no longer need of law, for every one himself ordains what is
right. As, then, there is no law for God, so there is none for the
perfected world ;
for, like God, it also is law unto itself.
Ver. 19.—The following words point, perhaps, to some particular
occurrences ; as some of the disciples, under a false conception of
* The Apostle Paul explains himself in the same way, In regard to the relation of the
Old Testament to the New, as the Epistle to the Galatians, in particular shows. In GaL
ii. 18, the contrast of KaTa?.vciv and oUochfteh' is also found. It is only in appearance
that such passages as Ephes. ii. 15, contain a different view of the law.
f In like manner the Rabbins say: Si quis Daleih in Deut. vi. 4, mutaret, concuierei
tolum mundum. It would change nnx into "ihN—the true God into an idol. See WeU
stein on the
;