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Disciples: Bible Followers Or Bible Fulfillers
Brian Mashburn
January 22, 2006
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Disciples: Bible Followers Or Bible Fulfillers
Jesus' approach to Scripture was so much different than that of the teachers of the law, that he was constantly condemned as a "lawbreaker". The Pharisees were convinced that he was thumbing his nose at Scripture and trying to abolish the law.
But Jesus said "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them...Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 5:17,19)
I bet the Pharisees felt comforted by these words at first, being the ones who "practiced and taught" the law, until he dropped this bomb..."For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 5:20)
Now read these next 2 sentences slowly: The Pharisees thought that the way they followed Scripture was what made them right in God's eyes. But Jesus said that the way they followed Scripture was not what God was looking for.
What was wrong? He points out their false approach as concisely as possible in John 5:39-40 "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."
They were Bible Followers, not Jesus Followers. Rather than using the Bible for its intended purpose of getting to Christ, they used it to extract rules to follow.
There is a big, gigantic, life-jeopardizing difference. Jesus read the Scripture as something to be fulfilled, not merely followed. And if you're a disciple, you'll do the same thing.