apocalyptic segment of the book of Daniel (Dan. 7—12) are six narratives, each depicting
how individual Israelites might act in the midst of world empires to bring its kings to
acknowledge, at least temporarily, the present 
rule of Israel’s God (Dan. 1—6). And
placed in the middle of the apocalyptic segment itself is the prayer of Daniel (Dan. 9).
This prayer confesses Israel’s past and presentsin of disobedience to the law of Moses,
as this law is proclaimed by its prophets. The prayer petitions Yahweh’s forgiveness for
God’s own sake (9:19): a God keeping covenant and steadfast love for those who love
you and keep your commandments (9:4; cf. Exod. 20:6!).
The petition for forgiveness is the most demanding principle ofthe Sermon: And
forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matt. 6:12). It is directly
relevant to the issue of the death penalty. Forgiveness of debtors is not a precondition for
God’s forgiveness, as a casual reading of this prayer might suggest. The priority of
God’s grace is always presumed throughout the Bible, in both Testaments. Jesus and
Matthew speak mainly to a Jewish audience who presuppose grace; Paul, however,
apostle to the Gentiles, needs to make the priority of grace clear to his non-Hebrew
reader. Like Paul, Matthew clarifies this priority of grace in Jesus’ “Parable of the
Unforgiving Servant” (Matt. 18:23-35):You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt
because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I
had mercy on you?Jesus affirms the priority of Yahweh’s New Covenant love to human
response, and therefore denounces as wicked the disciple who does not forgive others!
The word debts, as used generally, may refer both to “money debts,” and then in a
religious sense to one’s sins or trespasses (cf. Matt. 6:14; cf. Arndt and Gingrich:603). In
the prayer as given in Luke 11:4, both words, sins and indebted are used, suggesting that,
though the religious usage is primary, the social “jubilee” dimension of this petition
should not be lost. In Levitical law, forgiveness of (money) debt was to be practiced
When carefully institutionalized by law, forgiveness of debt is quite feasible
economically; by redistributing wealth it may promote good economics.8But as Jesus
uses the word it includes obligations other than economics. For how forgiveness may be
practiced by families who are victims of murder, cf. Lane, MVFR:4.
Introduction to the Antitheses: Greater and Lesser Covenant Laws (Matt. 5:17-20)
presents as principles (Matt. 5:21-48): the petitions for the coming Kingdom and present
will of the Father and for interhuman forgiveness (Matt. 6:10, 12). In the introduction to
these Antitheses (5:17-20), Jesus begins by aligning himself in a positive way to the law
and the prophets(on or , see Arndt and Gingrich:342). Here he contradicts what some of
his disciples have been thinking: Think not that I have come to abolish the law or the
prophets; I have not come to abolish but to fulfill. What Israel in the old covenant fails to
do, Jesus in the new covenant will do (cf. Jer. 31:31-35).
Jesus speaks no word here about abolishing NE or Roman empire law, the law of
human retribution based on the threat of kingship and the armed services. For Israel, “a
priestly kingdom and holy nation” (Exod. 19:6), such law was abolished with Moses.
And that law which Moses proclaimed on Mount Sinai—covenant law, defended and
nurtured by the prophets within the crucible of an aborted history—Jesus proclaims on
the mount in Galilee as his intention to fulfill. How? That we can know only as we see it
as Matthew in retrospect saw it. Like the Servant Poems, the story begins with Yahweh’s
justice (Matt. 5—7), continues with the ministry, passion, resurrection, and elevation of
the One who died “for many” to establish that justice. Now, withall authorityhe sends
his followers out to disciple all nations, baptizing and teaching them all that he has
commanded (Matt. 28:20; 5--7).
But what has Jesus commanded? Like a great rabbi, Jesus distinguishes between
the greater and lesser covenant laws (Matt. 22:36-40; cf. 19:18-19). The lesser laws, like
tithing mint, dill, and cumin, are not to be so emphasized that they equate with, or even
supercede, in the minds of the people the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy
However, this does not mean for Jesus that one may become lax about the smaller
matters, since they, correctly interpreted, apply the weightier principles to the individual
case. The smaller, individual technique laws should be interpreted and practiced so as to
fulfill the weighty principle, certainly not to violate it. For example: in this Sermon, Jesus
favors laws of piety and is therefore very concerned about how they are practiced (6:1-
18). Another example ofhis concern is how the Sabbath law is applied, a concern which
he discusses with the Pharisees (Matt. 12:1-14).
Moreover, prophetic interpreters ofcovenant law realize that major social and
cultural developments demand changes in law. For example, Moses gives to Israel a
“second law” when Israel moves from a nomadic to a settled existence (Deuteronomy).
Again, Ezekiel simplifies and changes the law somewhat when Israel is exiled from life
in the land to life in Babylon (Ezekiel, cf. chap. 18). Then, individual technique laws,
laws practiced at the city or village gate, are revised somewhat, so as to fulfill the intent
of covenant law—to give life and not death (cf. Ezek. 18).
Some commentators think that Matthew in the Sermon challenges the decision of
the Jerusalem conference on the question of circumcision—like the Judaizers who
challenge Paul long before Matthew wrote his Gospel (cf. Acts 15; Galatians). This is
possible, as questions of individual case or techniquelaw may generate disagreement, as
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