SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS ANSWERED VERSE BY VERSE: MATTHEW 5:17-18 "NOT AN IOTA, NOT A DOT WILL PASS AWAY FROM THE LAW."

My Dear Seventh-Day Adventist Friends,

Greetings in the powerful name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I invite you to study and discuss through this article as part of my forthcoming book titled "Seventh-day Adventists Answered Verse by Verse." Our goal here is not to debate but to understand each other's interpretations of Bible verses. I plan to start with the verses you use to justify whether Christians under the New Covenant should still follow the Ten Commandments. I want to understand why you use these verses to defend the Ten Commandments. I began with a focus on Matthew 5:17-18, which I know, from your perspective, is one of the strong pieces of evidence that Christians should still follow the Ten Commandments today. I'm not saying my discussion here is perfect to criticize your interpretation of Matthew 5:17-18 with an open mind. As I continue to consider your comments, I will also revise this article.

Feel free to criticize this article. I am open if you find any errors in my points or arguments. I am willing to edit any mistakes you see until we reach a point where we agree on our views. I already thank you, my Seventh-day Adventist friends, especially the SDA debaters. If possible, please comment here on social media where this article is posted. Your comments will be open to the public. I kindly request that we accompany our comments with respect and love and avoid ridicule or personal insults. We are doing this for the sake of truth, not for the sake of debate. Thank you very much. God bless us all! Let us pray that each of us may be enlightened with the help of the Holy Spirit! Let's begin our study.

Matthew 5:17-18 (ESV)

“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. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished."

SDA ARGUMENT:

"Why do you say that the Ten Commandments are no longer valid when Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them" and "not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law"?

HOW TO RESPOND?

#1. SHOW THE FALLACY: "Non Sequitur" = Begging the question

Non-Sequitur is a Latin phrase that means “it doesn’t follow." It is a statement (such as a response) that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said. [1]

The SDA argument made two fallacies or mistakes in their reasoning:

a.) "It doesn't follow" that Matthew 5:17-18 does not necessarily talk about the Ten Commandments.

b.) "It doesn't follow" that the statement "not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law" necessarily means "we keep the Ten Commandments."

#2. QUESTIONS TO ASK:

• Did Jesus say in Matthew 5:17-18 that the Ten Commandments will not pass away?
• What do you understand by "Law or the Prophets"that will not pass away?
• What does Jesus mean when he says "to fulfill"?

ANSWER:

Jesus didn't say in Matthew 5:17-18 that the 10 commandments won't pass. He wasn't talking about the law or the 10 commandments, but about the "Law or the Prophets," which is a technical term used by Jews to refer to the 39 books of the entire Old Testament. This is the term Jesus used when he explained to his disciples that everything that happened in his life, death, and resurrection fulfilled what was said in the Old Testament books or the "Law and the Prophets":

Luke 24:27 (TLB)

"Then Jesus quoted them passage after passage from the writings of the prophets, beginning with the book of Genesis and going right on through the Scriptures, explaining what the passages meant and what they said about himself."

Luke 24:44 (ERV)
Jesus said to them, “Remember when I was with you before? I said that everything written about me must happen—everything written in the Law of Moses, the books of the prophets, and the Psalms.”

The Andrews Study Bible[2], published by the Seventh-Day Adventist church, also agrees that in Matthew 5:17, "Law or the Prophets" does not refer to ceremonial, civil, or moral laws but to the entirety of the Old Testament books.

"(Matthew) 5:17 Law ... Prophets. The first five books of the OT and all the rest of the ancient Scripture. Jesus is not here making a distinction between ceremonial, civil, or moral laws. He is affirming all of God’s will as recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, and showing its continuity."

Even the standard reference of the SDA church, the Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary Vol. 5 p.331, supports the explanation that "Law or the Prophets" refers only to the books that make up the Old Testament Scriptures.

"The expression “the law and the prophets” represents a twofold division of the OT Scriptures (see (see Matt. 7:12; 11:13; 22:40; Luke 16:16; John 1:45; Rom. 3:21)."

What Jesus said is true: he didn't come to abolish the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures but to fulfill them.

Jesus denied the Pharisees' accusation that he was nullifying the law. The word "fulfill" (Grk. pleroo) means to "complete" or "bring to completion."[3] This doesn't mean he will end the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures while they are still in force and valid. He explained this in verse 18, saying, "not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." Everything written in the Scripture must first be fulfilled before it loses its authority.

Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets in different ways: 

(1) He followed it perfectly and explained its true meaning (verses 19, 20); 

(2) He will eventually fulfill all Old Testament symbols and prophecies; and 

(3) He offers the way to salvation that satisfies all the requirements of the law.

Only Jesus can "perfectly" fulfill(Gr;. pleroo) and bring it into "completion," However, the term "fulfill" (plēroō) goes beyond mere obedience. Jesus doesn't just fulfill anticipated roles; his interpretation and application of the Old Testament Scriptures bring completion and clarity to God's intent and meaning through them. Everything that the Old Testament aimed to convey about God's will and hopes for humanity finds its full significance and achievement in Jesus' teachings and ministry.

It's alarming to hear the claims made by SDA debaters on social media boasting that they have perfected adherence to the 10 commandments, knowing that only Christ has truly "fulfilled" it based on Matthew 5:17. Surely, these SDA debaters on social media know within themselves that they are lying. They may find it more acceptable to lie in public to win debates than to speak the truth to win God's approval. With His sinless life and sacrificial death, Christ perfectly kept both the letter “and” the spirit of the law. Christ’s life and death met the requirements of Old Testament law. At the same time, Christ’s death and resurrection removed the law as an obstacle to coming to God, replacing it with salvation by faith in Christ’s finished work.

Supporting Bible passages:

Romans 10:4 (Int'l English ERV)
"The law ended when Christ completed its purpose. Now everyone who believes in him is made right with God."

The statement "The law ended when Christ completed its purpose" corresponds to Jesus' words in Matthew 5:18: "not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." The word "until" indicates that something has a termination or endpoint when its purpose is fulfilled.

Romans 5:20-21 (TLB)

"The Ten Commandments were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to obey God’s laws. But the more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God’s abounding grace forgiving us.  Before, sin ruled over all men and brought them to death, but now God’s kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

This truth contrasts with the boasting of SDA debaters and the majority of its members.

Romans 5:20-21 highlights the truth that:

a.) The Ten Commandments were given to unveil the extent of humanity's failure to obey God's laws and to perceive humanity's sinfulness.

Seventh-Day Adventists boast that:

                                                                                         

a.) The Ten Commandments were given to demonstrate to sinful people that they can achieve perfect obedience to them, thus demonstrating the holiness of the Seventh-Day Adventists.

Romans 5:20-21 highlights the truth that:

b.) The more we obey the Ten Commandments, the more we acknowledge our sinfulness, and the more we value God's abundant grace and forgiveness.

Seventh-Day Adventists boast that:

b.) As Seventh-day Adventists adhere more to the Ten Commandments, they feel less inclined to seek God's grace and forgiveness since they believe they have already perfectly followed the commandments.

Paul also clarified the temporary nature of the Old Testament Scriptures, including the ceremonial rituals and all types of Sabbaths, including the weekly Sabbath, which he called mere shadows that we can only find fulfillment in Christ.

Colossians 2:14, 16-17 (TLB)
"And blotted out the charges proved against you, the list of his commandments which you had not obeyed. He took this list of sins and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross. So don’t let anyone criticize you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating Jewish holidays and feasts or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.   For these were only temporary rules that ended when Christ came. They were only shadows of the real thing—of Christ himself."

Galatians 3:23-26 (TLB)
"Until Christ came we were guarded by the law, kept in protective custody, so to speak, until we could believe in the coming Savior. Let me put it another way. The Jewish laws were our teacher and guide until Christ came to give us right standing with God through our faith.  But now that Christ has come, we don’t need those laws any longer to guard us and lead us to him.  For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ,

#3. CONSIDER THE CONTEXT:

Jesus shows in context that it's not really referring specifically to the Ten Commandments as many SDAs say, but to the entirety of the teachings in the OT books. It can be noticed that the Ten Commandments and other parts of Moses' law were combined here with laws that are not found in the Ten Commandments.

The SDA Bible Commentary also acknowledges this fact:

"In Matt. 5:21–47 Jesus selects certain precepts from the Ten Commandments (see vs. 21, 27) and from the laws of Moses (see vs. 33, 38, 43)" (Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary Vol. 5 p.331)

It is clear, therefore, that the "Law or the Prophets" in Matthew 5:17 refers to the entirety of the Old Testament Scriptures, not just the Ten Commandments as commonly heard from SDA debaters on social media.

Let's demonstrate below the context of Matthew 5:17-18 to show that "Law or the Prophets" refers to the entire Old Testament books and not just the Ten Commandments. The following verses are traditionally called six antitheses or contrasting statements that prove that God gave only "one law" to Moses for Israel, not two (1.) "Moral and 2.) "Ceremonial" laws) as wrongly taught by the SDA church.

The 6th of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17)

Matthew 5:21-22 (ESV)
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ​‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire."

The 7th of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18)

Matthew 5:27-28 (ESV)
“You have heard that it was said, ​‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Not in the Ten Commandments (Deut. 24:1)

Matthew 5:31-32 (ESV)
“It was also said, ​‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the grounds of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Not in the Ten Commandments (Lev. 19:12)

Matthew 5:33-34 (ESV)
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ​‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God."

Not in the Ten Commandments (Exo. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21)

Matthew 5:38-39 (ESV)
“You have heard that it was said, ​‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Not in the Ten Commandments (Lev. 19:18)

Matthew 5:43-44 (ESV)
“You have heard that it was said, ​‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." 

So, the common arguments of many SDAs on social media and SDA debaters without a background in theology are really far from the truth. Often, what they say contradicts their standard references. We learned from considering the context of Matthew 5:17-18 and from the standard references of the SDA church that even their professional and trained scholars and theologians cannot avoid the truth that "Law or the Prophets" refers to the Old Testament books and instead of the Ten Commandments.

Indeed, many things mentioned in the Old Testament haven't happened yet. Some prophecies, like the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of believers, the final judgment day, and the New Heavens and New Earth where sin, death, and the Devil will end, are still waiting to be fulfilled.

And this agrees with Jesus' statement in Matthew 5:17-18 that:

Matthew 5:17-18 (ESV)
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets [Old Testament Scriptures]; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished."

CONCLUSION:

Jesus believed in the literal inspiration of the Bible, even in what might seem small unimportant details. Nothing in Scripture, even the smallest stroke, is without significance. Jesus himself is the realization of all that both the Prophets and the Law taught and expected. Now that Christ, the fulfillment, has come, the OT must be understood in light of him (Luke 24:26, 44).

ANSWERS TO OBJECTIONS:

#1. If Christ was referring to Old Testament Scriptures that He would fulfill and not abolish, then Christians under the New Covenant still need to obey the Ten Commandments because they are still written in the Old Testament Scriptures particularly in in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, right?

Answer:

Although the Ten Commandments are written in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, they don't hold power over Christians today who are guided by the grace  and the law of the Holy Spirit. This is stated in 2 Corinthians 3:6:

2 Corinthians 3:6 (Int'l English ERV)
"He made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to his people. It is not an agreement of written laws, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life."

The Living Bible presented the essence of 2 Corinthians 3:6 as follows:

2 Corinthians 3:6 (TLB)
"He is the one who has helped us tell others about his new agreement to save them. We do not tell them that they must obey every law of God or die; but we tell them there is life for them from the Holy Spirit. The old way, trying to be saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, ends in death; in the new way, the Holy Spirit gives them life."

Notice in the passage that the Ten Commandments are referred to as "the old way" indicating that it's not relevant anymore to teach them to Christians today. The "old way" teaches that "they must obey every law of God or die" or "the written law brings death" by "trying to be saved by keeping the Ten Commandments."

Meanwhile, the "new way" is no longer based on the letters of the Ten Commandments carved in stone but on the Holy Spirit who gives life. So, Christians today, like Apostle Paul, serve through the new way of the Holy Spirit in their lives and not by the letter of the law or the Ten Commandments anymore.

Romans 7:6 (Int'l English ERV)
In the past, the law held us as prisoners, but our old selves died, and we were made free from the law. So we no longer serve God in the old way, with the written rules. Now we serve God in the new way, with the Spirit.

Therefore, just because we still read the Ten Commandments in our copies of the Bible in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 doesn't mean we are still obligated to follow them. Suppose the Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) argument is correct that we should still follow the Ten Commandments because it is written in our Bibles, in that case, we should also still follow the "ceremonial laws" such as animal sacrifices in the Temple because this ritual is also written in the Bible, which the SDAs surely would not agree with.

Footnote:

[1] Non sequitur Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster | https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non%20sequitur

[2] The Andrews Study Bible is affiliated with Andrews University, which is the flagship educational institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The commentary within the Andrews Study Bible is written by 60 leading SDA biblical scholars from around the world.

[3] Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary note: 2. pleroo (πληρόω, 4137), “to fulfill, to complete, carry out to the full” (as well as to fill), is translated “perfect” in Rev. 3:2, KJV; RV, “I have found no works of thine fulfilled before My God”; “accomplish” in Luke 9:31. See complete, end, expire, fill, fulfill, full, preach.