How Yeshua teaches Torah on the Sermon on the Mount

#Sermon_on_the_Mount #Torah

Created: Fri 13-June-2025 - 13:33

Uncomfortable Truth: Yeshua's Torah teachings in the Sermon on the Mount

What if the most famous sermon Yeshua ever preached was intentionally Torah-centered—and the Church has ignored it for 2,000 years?

In this short article, we will see that Yeshua did not abolish the Torah—but affirmed, intensified, and exemplified it in His Sermon on the Mount.

In this sermon, Yeshua doesn't just reference the Ten Commandments. He affirms the entire Torah. He doesn’t loosen the Law—He sharpens it. He doesn’t abolish it—He fulfills it.

Yeshua begins His teaching with a profound statement:

Note

Matt 5.17
"Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill.

He continues to say that the Torah (Law) will not pass away at all, not even the tiniest bit of it

Note

Matt 5.18
For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.

What's even more significant is the next verse. A passage which is rarely taught and preached at church, perhaps because it sits uncomfortably with certain theological traditions.

Note

Matt 5.19
Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The ESV translation goes even further and says "whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments".

Did Yeshua (or Paul) Ever Relax God's Law (Torah) & Commandments?

If relaxing the Torah makes one “least in the Kingdom,” then Yeshua could never have done so. Nor could Paul. In fact, Yeshua did the opposite: He exalted the Torah, exposing not only outward sin but also inward rebellion. He illuminated its deeper intent. His teachings sharpened the Law’s demands for Spirit-driven obedience.

Breaking the Torah would have made Yeshua a sinner

If Yeshua’s words are true (and they are), then neither He nor Paul could have taught people to relax the Torah. Paul, often misrepresented, declared the Law “holy, righteous, and good” (Rom. 7:12), even while navigating the Gentile covenantal context.

Let's continue in the teachings of Yeshua about God's law. He continues in chapter 5 (even 6 and 7) by giving exemplary teachings on the Torah.

He begins by reinforcing the Decalogue—starting with the commandments against murder and adultery. But Yeshua doesn't stop there…

From the Ten Commandments to Torah Totality

He then continues in verse 31 teaching about divorce. Is divorce part of the ten commandments apart from adultery? It is not. Divorce is a teaching coming straight out of Torah. Yeshua now teaches Torah. Does he relax the commandment? No, he makes it even stricter.

In verse 33, Yeshua teaches to not swear an oath or make vows. This also is Torah teaching (Numbers 30:2, Deut. 23:21-23). You won't find this in the ten commandments. Now, by saying not to swear an oath, does He relax the Torah? God forbid. He says don't swear at all. Rather let your Yes mean Yes, and your No mean No.

Significance for Marriage & Engagements (Betrothal)

Is it not remarkable that Yeshua teaches about vows right after marriage/divorce? Christian tradition says that a couple shall exchange marriage vows. What does Yeshua say? Don't make vows at all, just let your Yes mean Yes.

When does marriage begin then?

This raises a challenging question: if Yeshua forbids vow-making, could this imply that covenantal commitment in marriage begins way earlier than we thought?

Christian tradition upholds marriage vows as a sacred moment. Yet Yeshua says: “Don’t swear at all.” Could this suggest that covenantal marriage begins at the Yes (Will you marry me? Yes!)—not the ceremony? In Jewish tradition (kiddushin), the betrothal was the moment of covenant creation, not merely the wedding feast. The groom's Yes is formed by wanting to spend the rest of his life with her. Therefore, he proposes. The bride's Yes is formed in her response which, hopefully, is another Yes.

Conclusion

If the Torah was abolished, why would Yeshua teach it—not just once, but extensively—in His most well-known sermon?

And if the Law was abolished, as traditional Christian doctrine proclaims, would it not nullify Yeshua's sermon on the mount in totality or partly?

If Yeshua explicitly taught Torah, shouldn't we take His words seriously? It's time to revisit our assumptions and return to the teachings of the Master—fully, faithfully, without dilution.

The Church must wrestle with this: if we claim to follow the Messiah, should we not also follow His teaching—fully, faithfully, and without dilution?

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