Please take a really close look at Matthew 5:17-19!

SOMETHING TO PONDER: Matthew 5:17-19 was never about losing atonement but about gaining rank in the Kingdom of Elohim. Those who break the least of the Commandments do get into the Kingdom; but will be considered to be the “least” in the Kingdom…

Note Matthew 5:19 which says: "So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (words/commands) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven." This is a major key, because it is talking about YHWH's commands – the ones commanded in Torah (the five Books of Moses) and taught by Yeshua.

(NOTE: What are the “least” of the commandments? No one knows; and anything YHWH commands is important.  Therefore, we should view and treat ALL as important and continue to obey the ones we still can today. (Remember: Most of those 613 commands were for the Levite Priests; some were only for men and some only for women. But some were meant “forever” – for instance, keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath and the seven Feasts.) Yeshua was trying to make the point that it’s not for us to try to figure out what we can “get away with.”  Whatever the issue, we must always repent of it and try not to define or classify it.)

First Century believers knew Yeshua was “haTorah”; and today, more and more believers have come to understand that to follow Yeshua (the “Living Torah”) implies keeping the Torah, as the Torah is the Living Word of God. Yeshua became the embodiment of those living rules; hence, he was and is "haTorah!" (See Isaiah 55:1-3; John 1:1 thru 14; 6:51; 6:63; and 14:6.)

Because Yeshua followed Adonai YHWH's teaching perfectly, he could become 'a lamb without blemish and without mockery' (1 Peter 1:19-20). He didn't sin (for sin is the transgression of the law/Torah (1 John 3:4).

The apostle Paul still, asks us: “Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, we confirm Torah.” Later, he concludes: 'Wherefore the Torah [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. (See Romans 7:12; 3:31.)

And Romans 8:4 says "So that the righteousness of Torah might be fulfilled in us, since it is not in the flesh that we walk, but in the Spirit." The first believers in Yeshua were still "zealous for Torah" (Acts 21:20), as were the gentiles, who were taught weekly by the Jewish apostles (Acts 15:21).

So ... as you have surely realized by now, many texts written by the apostles have been wrongly interpreted! Yeshua even says he came NOT to destroy (Matthew 5:17), but to fulfill (do) Torah perfectly; and all nations should be taught what Yeshua taught the disciples (Matthew 28:20).

Please begin to understand that Yeshua's death did NOT abolish YHWH's Torah; he martyred himself on our behalf as a “sin sacrifice ”(against which there is no law!).  His divine blood abolished our need to kill innocent animals to atone for sin!

So yes, it is a VERY good idea to NOT ignore the Torah commands, as Matthew 5:19 says: "So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (words/commands) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven."

JEREMY CHANCE SPRINGFIELD, author of several books and host of the Random Groovy Bible Facts website offers the Jewish perspective on this issue:

From a Jewish perspective, there was a Pharisaic debate as to which command was the greatest and which was the least.

The greatest was agreed upon just as Yeshua said—to love Adonai with all our heart, soul, and veryness.

The least commandment was identified by the sages as what to do if you find a bird’s nest accidentally that happens to have both mother and eggs still in it.

The sages decreed that was the least likely scenario to ever happen that would be a command applying to all Israel:

• You had to be traveling and not on your property

• You had to accidentally find it, not go looking for it

• The nest had to have mother and eggs

• If the nest only had eggs and the mother was not physically in it but watching from outside, you could not do it

• If the adult in the nest was a male of the species you could not take the eggs

• If the mother will not leave the nest even if you try to shoo her away, you cannot take the eggs

Based on these specifications, the sages decreed this was the “least” of the commandments in regards to this scenario almost never occurring for people.

I find it significant in that the greatest is all about loving our Creator, and the least is all about loving ourselves (knowing we have value and a divine authority and so our life should be preserved and takes precedence over other creatures), but also loving the creation considering that His creation needs to continue in the earth, as well. It is also interesting in that this commandment, like the fifth of the Big Ten, is the only other commandment to promise a long life if followed, should it happen.

To me, these factors show the care with which we are to approach any commandment at all, knowing that they are all for our good and how we treat the spiritual as well as the physical is significant. Everything matters.