Not a Law-destroyer But a Law-fulfiller

In a world of kings and emperors and governors and rulers, how  can someone get access to the “big man at the top?” He has many guards. He lives in a mighty palace. You have to know the right people even to get a glimpse of him. Ordinary folks just cannot get  access to the “Boss.” 

In the same way, the Israelites revered God, the Holy One, as  unapproachable, mighty, pure, and majestic, the “biggest (boss) at  the top.” They believed that you would die if you saw God. Their reverence was rich and deep. Even Moses, who was the greatest of prophets, only saw where God had passed by. Thus they wondered,  how do we get access to the Divine?

How did they solve that “access” question? If you wanted to get to Jerusalem, you followed the road to Jerusalem. If you wanted to get to the God of purity, you followed the road that led you to become pure, for the Most Holy could not look upon sin. How do you become pure? By following the laws of purity. What we may not understand from our vantage point is that observing the law meant everything to the religious people of Jesus’ day—not for the sake of “the law” itself, but because they wanted to be able to approach  God. They wanted to come to God with a clean heart. The law was their way to get access to the Most High God. 

Jesus understood that theology. When Jesus said that he didn’t come to destroy the law but to fulfill it, he understood their longing:  they wanted access to God. That was admirable. Jesus honored that.  Moving forward from the written law, he offered himself as the road  to the Father: “I am the way.” 

Consider/Discuss 

• St. Paul got into many arguments about the law. He also understood the theology that following the law granted access to the Father. After his conversion, he understood that Jesus was now the way to the Father. The law may not have passed away, but how often do we try to gain access to  God’s favor through adherence to law? What does it mean to you for Jesus to be “the Way”? 
• Reverence for God seems to be on the wane in our culture. Purity is not reverenced much either. How does that cultural attitude affect your own spiritual and moral life? Where do you hold yourself accountable? Where do you feel that you can let yourself slack off? 

Living and Praying with the Word 

Jesus, you have promised us that you are the way of access to the  Father. We live in that hope. Help us not to be presumptuous about  purity, thinking that we can live any way we choose and you will  blithely forgive us. Help us to be perfect as you are perfect, pure as  you are pure. We cannot do this on our own. We come through you  who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Lead us to the One who is  Unapproachable Radiance!