If Christians are under grace, why does Jesus say that not even a "jot or tittle" of the law will pass away (Matthew 5:18)?

I. Understanding the Meaning of “Jot or Tittle”

Matthew 5:18 states, “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

In ancient Hebrew writing, the “jot” is often understood as the smallest letter (yod), and the “tittle” is a tiny stroke or small marking in a Hebrew character. By evoking these minuscule details, the statement underscores how thoroughly God values every element of His revealed instruction.

When Jesus speaks of the law in this way, He emphasizes that nothing God has declared will be casually set aside or deemed irrelevant. Instead, His words show that the Law and the Prophets (the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures) have lasting divine authority.

II. The Law Under Grace: A Harmonious Perspective

While Christians affirm they are “not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14), Jesus’ statement in Matthew 5:18 must be understood in the broader context of Scripture. Grace does not abolish moral truth or divine standards. Rather, grace makes possible the fulfillment of those standards by transforming the believer’s heart and enabling obedience.

The new covenant does not erase God’s moral pronouncements; instead, it ensures that “the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us” (Romans 8:4). In other words, the moral framework remains, but the believer’s capacity to live it out is radically changed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

III. Christ’s Fulfillment of the Law

In the very next verse, Jesus declares, “I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). The ceremonial and sacrificial aspects of the Law pointed forward to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1–10). Christ’s life and atoning work on the cross fulfill all the sacrifices and symbolic rituals given in the Old Testament.

At the same time, the moral dimension of the Law—principles such as love for God and love for neighbor (cf. Matthew 22:37–40)—endures, because it reflects the unchanging character of God. Christ’s teaching and example affirm these moral guidelines, but He empowers His followers to live them through grace and the work of the Holy Spirit.

IV. The Law’s Purpose in the Life of the Believer

1. Guiding Moral Conduct

Though believers are justified by faith in Christ and not by their own works (Ephesians 2:8–9), the moral law continues to define right and wrong, reflecting God’s righteous nature. The Law guides believers toward sanctified living, urging them to forsake sin and pursue holiness “in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

2. Exposing Sin

The Law also serves to expose our inability to meet God’s standards by our own strength (Romans 3:20). By highlighting the discrepancy between God’s holiness and human weakness, the Law drives us toward dependence on Christ’s atoning sacrifice and the Spirit’s power.

3. Revealing God’s Character

Every command reveals something about the Lawgiver—His justice, compassion, holiness, and love. By seeking to align one’s life with biblical truth, the believer mirrors these divine qualities.

V. Balancing Paul’s Teachings with Jesus’ Words

In passages such as Romans 7:6, Paul states that believers have been “released from the law.” Some have mistakenly interpreted this to mean the Old Testament has no relevance. However, Paul’s meaning is that Christians are no longer subject to the Law as a means of achieving righteousness or favor with God.

Jesus and Paul agree that justification (being declared righteous before God) comes through faith in Christ alone (Galatians 2:16). Yet, as Jesus insists in Matthew 5:18, the Law’s correctness and truth endure, fulfilled in Him. Believers who walk in the Spirit fulfill the righteous requirement of the Law from a transformed heart, not from legalistic obligation (Romans 8:3–4).

VI. Historical and Archaeological Corroboration

Ancient manuscripts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered in the mid-20th century near Qumran) show the remarkable preservation and consistency of the Hebrew texts. These findings align with Jesus’ affirmation that God’s truth stands firm through the ages.

Additionally, early Christian writings confirm that the moral aspects of the Jewish law were consistently upheld and taught in the church, while the ultimate sacrifice of Christ rendered the repeated animal sacrifices obsolete (Hebrews 9:12–14). Archeological findings of second-century church documents (such as select fragments catalogued in museum collections worldwide) confirm that early believers preserved teachings that integrated the Old Testament’s authority with the new covenant revelation in Christ.

VII. Practical Implications for Believers

1. Living Out God’s Moral Standards

Since the moral law remains a reflection of God’s unchanging nature, a believer under grace seeks to live honorably according to biblical principles. Love, justice, humility, and holiness are not set aside; rather, they are to be cultivated under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2. Finding Confidence in Christ’s Fulfillment

Ceremonial practices were shadows of the reality now fully realized in Christ. For this reason, believers need not adhere to ceremonial rituals for forgiveness. Instead, they rest in Christ’s complete sacrifice and accomplishment of all that the Law foreshadowed.

3. Teaching and Discipleship

The believer’s relationship with the Law becomes an avenue for discipleship—knowing the heart of God, loving others, and training up future generations (cf. Deuteronomy 6:6–7). The Law’s moral guidelines continue to instruct and shape godly character, but the power to obey flows from grace.

VIII. Conclusion

Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:18 convey the enduring authority of God’s Word. Although believers are under grace and no longer rely on the Law for their standing before God, the Law’s moral truth remains fervently upheld and fulfilled in Christ. Its every “jot” and “tittle” testifies to the divine inspiration that finds ultimate expression in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Grace does not nullify the Law; it upholds God’s righteousness by enabling the believer to walk in holiness. Through faith in Christ, believers experience both freedom from the Law’s condemnation and empowerment to live in agreement with its moral heart. This dual reality vindicates Jesus’ declaration that not the smallest stroke would disappear until all is accomplished.