I am a Jesus Pusher! “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). The Greek word “gar,” translated “for,” is the second word in the Greek text. Jesus uses it to form the boundaries and give the focus of our verse. He uses it to establish the connection between the preceding verse and the content of Jesus’ continued statement. “Gar” is an explanatory conjunction. The Word provides a reason for the previous statement. His statement begins with “assuredly.” The Greek word is “amen,” often translated as “truly, assuredly, or amen,” it is an emphatic particle used to express stress, either inclusion or intensity. “Amen” is regularly followed by, “I say to you.” This phrase completes a solemn formula or truth and indicates that what is to follow is very important!
Jesus continues with a contrast between “heaven and earth” and “one jot or tittle . . . from the law.” The phrase “heaven and earth” is used in the New Testament to refer to the totality of physical creation. In this context, “heaven” does not refer to the permanent dwelling place of the Christian but is a part of the physical universe. When connected with “earth,” it forms a phrase highlighting our physical creation. In their culture and ours, “heaven and earth” is used as a reference to permanence. “The sun rising in the morning” is a certainty in our minds. However, what God says in Scripture is more permanent than this creation. In reality, “heaven and earth” will pass away, but not the Scriptures. Jesus fulfilled this permanent document of truth, the Written Word, and I will come under His authority in the Word. I am a Jesus Pusher!