Bible in a Year - Women’s Thematic Reading Plan | Day 229

Day 229 of the Women’s Bible Plan: Read Matthew 5:17-20 and listen to the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Today’s theme is “The Lord Who Fulfilled the Law,” reflecting on how Jesus did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, and how He leads us to understand the true depth of righteousness in Him. This page includes Matthew 5:17-20 Scripture, devotional reflection, heart questions, today’s verse, prayer, and life response.

🌸  Dear Sister, welcome to Day 229 of our reading journey. 

Sometimes we can easily understand faith as a question of whether we are “doing well enough.” Am I praying enough? Serving enough? Acting spiritual enough? Do others see me keeping the right standards? Over time, faith can become a pressure to perform outwardly rather than a heartfelt response to the grace of God.

In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus clearly tells His disciples that He did not come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them. He does not lower the meaning of God’s Word, nor does He allow us to remain in outward religious behavior. Instead, He calls us to see that the righteousness God desires is deeper than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.

This passage invites us to listen again to the words of the Lord: true righteousness is not merely outward rule-keeping. It is a life renewed by the truth of God. It is not proving ourselves by religious performance, but being brought back, in Christ, to the heart and purpose of God.

A Minute of Grace

Matthew 5:17-20 is an important section in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” This helps us understand that Jesus is not opposed to God’s Word in the Old Testament. Rather, in Him, the meaning toward which the law and the prophets pointed is fully revealed.

Some people in Jesus’ day may have wondered whether His teaching was overthrowing the law because it differed from the traditions of the religious leaders. But Jesus makes it clear that God’s Word will not fall away. Not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the law until all be fulfilled. He honors the authority of God’s Word and reveals its true center.

Jesus then teaches that greatness or smallness in the kingdom is connected to how a person treats God’s commandments. Whoever breaks one of these least commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; whoever does and teaches them will be called great. This reminds us that citizens of the kingdom do not treat God’s Word lightly. They honor, obey, and teach God’s will in love.

Finally, Jesus says, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” This does not mean we must produce more outward performance in order to surpass others. Rather, Jesus points to a deeper righteousness. The scribes and Pharisees often emphasized outward observance, religious rules, and human approval. But the righteousness Jesus calls us into is a heart truly submitted to God, a life renewed within, and a walk that pleases God in Christ.

Today’s theme, “The Lord Who Fulfilled the Law,” invites us to reflect: Am I satisfied with looking right outwardly while ignoring the true condition of my heart? Do I treat God’s Word as pressure, or as a path that leads me to know Christ and draw near to God? Jesus fulfills the law and shows us that true righteousness is not a surface-level religious achievement, but a life cleansed, renewed, and guided by Him.

Whispers for the Heart

1 Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. Have you ever viewed God’s Word mainly as a heavy set of rules instead of a path that leads you to know Christ and the heart of God? How does today’s passage help you see God’s Word in a renewed way?

2 Jesus warns against breaking God’s commandments and teaching others to do the same. In your daily life, are there parts of God’s Word that you tend to neglect, selectively avoid, or apply to others before applying them to yourself?

3 Jesus said our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Are there times when you care more about outward spiritual appearance while neglecting pride, bitterness, falsehood, coldness, or disobedience in your heart? Is the Lord inviting you today to move from “looking right” to truly turning your heart toward God?

As you read Matthew 5:17-20 today, do not see this passage only as a doctrinal statement about the law. Let it search your own life: How do I treat God’s Word? How do I understand righteousness? Am I willing to let Jesus lead me into obedience that is deeper than outward appearance?

Take a quiet breath before you begin. Bring your attitude toward God’s Word, your understanding of righteousness, and the spiritual habits that may only remain on the surface before the Lord, and let His Word meet you there.

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🪕 Response Hymn: 

Matthew 5:17-20 (KJV)

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18 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 be fulfilled.

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

🪕 Response Hymn: 

💡 Closing Thought ·  More Than Looking Right

After reading Matthew 5:17-20, we see that Jesus does not lower God’s standard, nor does He set aside God’s Word. He came to fulfill the law, showing us the true depth of God’s Word and leading us from outward religious performance into a life of sincere obedience from the heart.

As we close this page and return to real life, we may face many outward evaluations today: What do others think of me? Am I doing enough? Do I appear spiritual enough? But the words of Jesus remind us that what matters most is not whether the outside looks beautiful, but whether the heart is truly turned toward God.

May today’s Scripture remind you not to pursue only the appearance of being right, but to let Christ renew your inner life. May God’s Word become a lamp to your feet, shining upon your motives, choices, and path. And may the Lord who fulfilled the law lead you to understand the true depth of righteousness in Him and to walk step by step in genuine obedience.

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