Matthew 5:18 (WEB)
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.
Catechism · 2
The Moral Law
“The Law of the Gospel "fulfills," refines, surpasses, and leads the Old Law to its perfection.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 5:17-19.
Jesus and Israel
“Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” — Catechism footnote: Mt 5:17-19.
Fathers and councils · 31
Irenaeus of Lyons
“And, in like manner, they assert that the ten Æons are pointed out by the letter Iota, which begins His name; while, for the same reason, they tell us the Saviour said, “One Iota, or one tittle, shall by no means pass away until all be fulfilled.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 18.
Read the whole comment“To this effect also Paul, His apostle, says in the Epistle to the Romans, “But now, without the law, has the righteousness of God been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; for the just shall live by faith.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 17, 18.
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Catena Aurea on Luke
- Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
“And how could He Himself say, I came not to abolish the law, but to fulfil it, (Matt. 5:18.) if He should seem to have had his beginning from a violation of the law, for the issue of an unmarried person is condemned by the law?” — the author cites it
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Clement of Alexandria
“I could adduce ten thousand Scriptures of which not “one tittle shall pass away,” without being fulfilled; for the mouth of the Lord the Holy Spirit hath spoken these things.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 18.
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John Chrysostom
““For verily I say unto you, Till Heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all come to pass.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 18. [R.V., “Till Heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.”—R.]
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“We however, who extend the accuracy of the Spirit to the merest stroke and tittle, will never admit the impious assertion that even the smallest matters were dealt with haphazard by those who have recorded them, and have thus been borne in…” — editor's note: S. Matt. v. 18.
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Hippolytus of Rome
“But of this (latter) is the quaternion having the iota, the one tittle, a perfect number.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 18.
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Augustine of Hippo
“…I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 17–20.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Having now exhorted His hearers to undergo all things for righteousness’ sake, and also not to hide what they should receive, but to learn more for others’ sake, that they may teach others, He now goes on to tell…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
And that for two reasons. First, that by these words He might admonish His disciples, that as He fulfilled the Law, so they should strive to fulfil it. Secondly, because the Jews would falsely accuse them as…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
He here asserts two things; He denies that He was come to subvert the Law, and affirms that He was come to fulfil it.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
In this last sentence again there is a double sense; to fulfil the Law, either by adding something which it had not, or by doing what it commands.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Christ then fulfilled the Prophets by accomplishing what was therein foretold concerning Himself - and the Law, first, by transgressing none of its precepts; secondly, by justifying by faith, which the Law could not…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
And lastly, because even for them who were under grace, it was hard in this mortal life to fulfil that of the Law, “Thou shalt not lust,” He being made a Priest by the sacrifice of His flesh, obtained for us this…
Read the whole comment - Faustus of RiezCatena Aurea on Matthew
Supposing these to be Christ’s genuine words, we should enquire what was His motive for speaking thus, whether to soften the blind hostility of the Jews, who when they saw their holy things trodden under foot by Him,…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
But since all things which should befall from the very beginning of the world to the end of it, were in type and figure foreshewn in the Law, that God may not be thought to be ignorant of any of those things that…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
“Amen” is a Hebrew word, and my be rendered in Latin, ‘vere,’ ‘fidenter,’ or ‘fiat;’ that is, ‘truly,’ ‘faithfully,’ or ‘so be it.’ The Lord uses it either because of the hardness of heart of those who were slow to…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
From the expression here used, “pass,” we may suppose that the constituting elements of heaven and earth shall not be annihilated. [ed. note: The text of Hil. has ‘maxima, ut arbitramur, elementa esse solvends.’]
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
But shall abide in their essence, but “pass” through renewal.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
By the words “one iota or one point shall not pass from the Law,” we must understand only a strong metaphor of completeness, drawn from the letters of writing, iota being the least of the letters, made with one…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
He fitly mentions the Greek iota, and not the Hebrew job, because the iota stands in Greek for the number ten, and so there is an allusion to the Decalogue of which the Gospel is the point and perfection.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
If even an honourable man blushes to be found in a falsehood, and a wise man lets not fall empty any word he has once spoken, how could it be that the words of heaven should fall to the ground empty? Hence He…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
He speaks not this of the old laws, but of those which He was now going to enact, of which he says, “the least,” though they were all great. For as He so oft spoke humbly of Himself, so does He now speak humbly of…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Otherwise; the precepts of Moses are easy to obey; “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery.” The very greatness of the crime is a check upon the desire of committing it; therefore the reward of…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, the precepts of the Law are called ‘the least,’ as opposed to Christ’s precepts which are great. The least commandments are signified by the iota and the point. “He,” therefore, “who breaks them, and teaches men…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
By ‘break,’ is meant, the not doing what one understands rightly, or the not understanding what one has corrupted, or the destroying the perfectness of Christ’s additions.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, when you hear the words, “least in the kingdom of heaven,” imagine nothing less than the punishment of hell. For He oft uses the word ‘kingdom,’ not only of the joys of heaven, but of the time of the…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, by the kingdom of heaven is to be understood the Church, in which that teacher who breaks a commandment is called least, because he whose life is despised, it remains that his preaching be also despised.
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, He calls the passion, and the cross, the least, which if one shall not confess openly, but be ashamed of them, he shall be least, that is, last, and as it were no man; but to him that confesses it He promises the…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
This head is closely connected with the preceding. It is directed against the Pharisees, who, despising the commandments of God, set up traditions of their own, and means that their teaching the people would not…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Otherwise; “he who breaks the least of these commandments,” that is, of Moses’ Law, “and teaches men so, shall be called the least; but he who shall do (these least), and so teach,” shall not indeed be esteemed…
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Cross-references · 13
Cited together in Ambrose of Milan on Luke 1:26–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Ambrose of Milan on Luke 1:26–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.
Cited together in Faustus of Riez on Matthew 5:17–19 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.
Cited together in Ambrose of Milan on Luke 1:26–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.
Cited together in Against Heresies IV.34.