[From Wesley's Sermon XXVII, Discourse V on the Sermon on the Mount.]
II. Jot or Tittle.
1. “For verily I say unto you [a solemn preface which denotes both the importance and certainty of what is spoken], Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
ONE jot, it is literally not one iota, not the most inconsiderable vowel; or one tittle, one corner or point of a consonant. It is a proverbial expression which signifies that no one commandment contained in the moral law, nor the least part of any one, however inconsiderable it might seem, should ever be disannulled.
“Shall in nowise pass from the law.” The double negative here used strengthens the sense so as to admit of no contradiction. And the word “shall,” it may be observed, is not barely future, declaring what will be, but has likewise the force of an imperative, ordering what shall be. It is a word of authority, expressing the sovereign will and power of Him that spake,—of Him whose word is the law of heaven and earth, and stands fast forever and ever.
“One jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass,” “till heaven and earth pass,” or, as it is expressed immediately after, till all (or rather all things) be fulfilled, till the consummation of all things. Here is therefore no room for that poor evasion (with which some have delighted themselves greatly) that “no part of the law was to pass away till all the law was fulfilled; but it has been fulfilled in Christ; and therefore now must pass away for the Gospel to be established.” Not so; the word all does not mean all the law, but all things in the universe; as neither has the term fulfilled any reference to the law, but to all things in heaven and earth.
2. From all this we may learn that there is no contrariety at all between the law and the Gospel, that there is no need for the law to pass away in order to the establishing the Gospel. Indeed, neither of them supersedes the other, but they agree perfectly well together. Yea, the very same words considered in different respects are both parts of the law and the Gospel; if they are considered as commandments, they are parts of the law; if as promises, of the Gospel. Thus, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,” when considered as a commandment, is a branch of the law; when regarded as a promise, is an essential part of the Gospel, the Gospel being no other than the commands of the law, proposed by way of promises. Accordingly, poverty of spirit, purity of heart, and whatever else is enjoined in the holy law of God, are no other, when viewed in a Gospel light, than so many great and precious promises.
3. There is, therefore, the closest connection that can be conceived between the law and the Gospel. On the one hand the law continually makes way for, and points us to, the Gospel; on the other the Gospel continually leads us to a more exact fulfilling of the law. The law, for instance, requires us to love God, to love our neighbor, to be meek, humble, or lowly; we feel that we are not sufficient for these things, yea, that “with men this is impossible.” But we see a promise of God to give us that love and to make us humble, meek, and lowly. We lay hold on this Gospel, on these glad tidings; it is done unto us according to our faith, and “the righteousness of the law” is “fulfilled in us,” thru faith which is in Christ Jesus.
We may yet further observe that every command in Holy Writ is only a covered promise. For by that solemn declaration, “This is the covenant that I will make . . . after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts,” God hath engaged to give whatsoever He commands. Does He command us then to pray without ceasing? to rejoice evermore? to be holy as He is holy? It is enough. He will work in us this very thing. It shall be unto us according to His word.
4. But if these things are so, we can not be at a loss what to think of those who in all ages of the church have undertaken to change or supersede some commands of God, as they professed, by the peculiar direction of His Spirit. Christ has here given us an infallible rule whereby to judge of all such pretensions. Christianity, as it includes the whole moral law of God, both by way of injunction and of promise, if we will hear Him, is designed of God to be the last of all His dispensations. There is no other to come after this. This is to endure till the consummation of all things. Of consequence all such new revelations are of Satan and not of God and all pretenses to another more perfect dispensation fall to the ground of course. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but this word shall not pass away.