Interpretation of the Bible / Matthew 5:18

The Gospel of Matthew is one of the synoptic gospels that describes the life and teachings of Jesus. In chapter 5 of this gospel, we find the famous Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus gives the Beatitudes and teaches on various topics. Verse 18 of this chapter is key because it speaks of the importance of the Law for Christians.

Context of the verse

To better understand the meaning of Matthew 5:18, it is important to look at the context. In this same chapter, Jesus says that He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. He also teaches that whoever breaks one of the least of the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be counted least in the kingdom of heaven.

Meaning of the verse

Jesus is saying that the Law is sacred and must be kept in its entirety. To understand this, we must remember that the Law refers to the commandments that God gave to Moses in the Old Testament. These commandments include prohibitions against such actions as murder, theft, and adultery, as well as the duty to honor parents and worship only God.

Jesus means that every letter of the Law is important and that none of them can be ignored or eliminated. In fact, the word "yot" refers to the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet, while "tittle" means the tip of one of the letters. In other words, every letter and every detail of the Law is fundamental to its fulfillment.