We begin with the foundation of the early relations of Christians and their faith and practices to Judaism as laid in the relations of their Lord and Head to the Law. For our purpose it will not be necessary to examine all the passages of the Gospels which have a direct or indirect bearing on this subject; or again to consider every detail and every attendant difficulty in those passages which will come before us. It will be enough to consider the most salient points in so far as they throw light on the subsequent history.

At the outset we may pass over with a bare mention those events bringing our Lord in contact with the Jewish Law, in which others than Himself were the agents. They are the Circumcision, the Presentation in the Temple, the keeping the Passover at Jerusalem when He was twelve years old:—all three related by St Luke, and by him alone.

The authority of the Law.

The Sermon on the Mount

It will be best to begin with that portion of our Lord's teaching which deals the most explicitly with this subject, the second section of the Sermon on the Mount as given by St Matthew.

The principle of Christ's relation to the Law Mt v 17–20

“Think not that I came to destroy the law or the Prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass the away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven : but whosoever shall do and teach them,he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.”