Hermeneutical Keys To Jesus’ Interpretation of The Law in Some Statements of Matthew 5

Abstract

Jesus did not come to dissolve or abolish 
(καταλυσαι) the Law but to complete 
(πληρωσαι) it. This fulfilling process is 
illustrated by six examples. However, while 
fulfilling the Law, Jesus did not lower the norm 
level; instead, he raised it to a much higher level.
The analyzed sentences of Jesus set 
unrealizable expectations. He does not at all 
provide a more effective method of keeping 
the Torah but paralyzes the person in order to 
realize the futility of his efforts and that the 
only way to God is through the grace of Christ. 
Through the last three cases, the method of 
non-violent resistance is introduced. Hostile 
reactions lead to an escalation of violence, 
whereas evil can be stopped by wisely applied 
non-violent opposition. Interpreting the text 
with appropriate hermeneutic keys, the words 
of Jesus analyzed here no longer seem very 
radical, and the feasibility of following him is 
also much more realistic.