“You have heard that it was said . . . but I say to you”—this is no abolishment of the Sacred Writings. No, Jesus is calling people to a higher way of life that both fulfills the intent of the Law and exceeds the rigor of the religious scholars and Pharisees, who focus on a merely external conformity and technical perfection. As the manifesto continues, Jesus applies the same “You have heard . . . but I say” pattern to deeply important issues for individuals and societies—sexuality, marriage, oaths, and revenge.
