ACC ~ Matthew 5 v17

JESUS’ PASSION FULFILLED THE LAW

CHROMATIUS: The Son of God, who is the author of the law and the prophets, did not come to abolish the law or the prophets. He gave the people the law that was to be handed down through Moses, and he imbued the prophets with the Holy Spirit for the preaching of the things to come. Therefore he said, “I have come not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them.”

He fulfilled the law and the prophets in this way: He brought to pass those things that had been written about him in the law and the prophets. Hence, when he drank the vinegar offered him on the cross, he said, “It is finished,” [1] evidently to show that everything written about him in the law and the prophets had been completed, even including the drinking of vinegar. He fulfilled the law at any rate when he completed by the sacrament of his passion the once prefigured mystery of the paschal meal. Consequently the apostle says, “For Christ our paschal lamb has been sacrificed.” [2] TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 20.1.1-2. [3]

[1] Jn 19:30.

[2] 1 Cor 5:7.

[3] CCL 9a:291.

FULFILLING EVEN THE LEAST OF THE COMMANDMENTS

CHROMATIUS: While it is sinful to abolish the least of the commandments, all the more so the great and most important ones. Hence the Holy Spirit affirms through Solomon: “Whoever despises the little things shall gradually die.” [1]

Consequently nothing in the divine commandments must be abolished, nothing altered. Everything must be preserved and taught faithfully and devotedly that the glory of the heavenly kingdom may not be lost. Indeed, those things considered least important and small by the unfaithful or by worldly people are not small before God but necessary. For the Lord taught the commandments and did them. [2]

Even small things point to the great future of the kingdom of heaven. For this reason, not only words but also deeds are important; and you should not only teach, but what you teach, you should do. TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 20.2.1-3. [3]

[1] Sir 19:1.

[2] Cf. Mt 5:19.

[3] CCL 9a:292.

NOT TO ABOLISH

ANONYMOUS: For two reasons Christ says that he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. First, so he might persuade his disciples, whom he had instructed to excel in all good works, to follow his own example. Even as he fulfilled every law, they too must eagerly fulfill even the least part of the law. Second, because Jesus worked on the sabbath and touched lepers, other Jews accused him of attempting to abolish the law. Or at least so it seemed. He needed to respond to these false accusations. He said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish but to fulfill.” The Law and the Prophets are both in force. They prophesy concerning Christ and constitute the law of living. Christ fulfilled them both. INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 10. [1]

[1] PG 56:687.