“HE WILL MAGNIFY, THE LAW.”
By O. E. JONES
The prophet Isaiah, in foretelling Christ’s attitude toward the law, says: “The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable.” Isa. 42:21. As we study Christ’s life, we see this prophecy fulfilled in his daily walk, also in all his teachings. In his sermon on the mount he says: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Matt. 5:17. Other scriptures show that to fulfill means to do. For example, in Col. 4:17 are these words: “Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.” Thus we see that to fulfill means to do; not to do away with, or put an end to. In Matthew 5, Jesus also says: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven [not that he will enter heaven as a transgressor, but in the sight of heaven he is looked upon as the least of the people of earth]; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” In verse 21 and onward Jesus says, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” Jesus did not set aside the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” but magnified it in the sight of the people by showing that not only the outward deed is a violation of the commandment, but that even the thoughts, the intents of the heart, can be a violation. The same is true of his explanation of the seventh commandment. In verses 27 and 28 he says, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” He did not set aside the commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” by this saying. He magnified it by showing that it means more than people had supposed it meant, that it covers the very thoughts of the heart. Again: in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew, Jesus defends his Father’s commandments, saying, “God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. . . . In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Verses 4–9. And in Luke 16:17 Jesus says, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” On one occasion when asked, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Jesus said, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:16, 17. In the last chapter in the Bible, Jesus says, “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man accordingly as his work shall be.” And in the fourteenth verse he says, “Blessed are they that do his [his Father’s] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”