So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandmentsThis phrase emphasizes the importance of all commandments, not just the major ones. In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is addressing the Jewish understanding of the Law. The "least of these commandments" refers to the Mosaic Law, which was given to the Israelites. Jesus is highlighting that even the smallest commandment holds significance. This reflects the Jewish tradition of treating the entire Law as a unified whole, where breaking even a minor commandment is seen as serious. The phrase also underscores the comprehensive nature of God's expectations for His people.
and teaches others to do likewise
Teaching others to break commandments compounds the offense. In Jewish culture, teachers and rabbis held significant influence, and their interpretations of the Law shaped community practices. This phrase warns against leading others astray, which is a grave responsibility.James 3:1 echoes this sentiment, cautioning that teachers will be judged more strictly. The role of a teacher is not only to impart knowledge but to model obedience to God's commandments.
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven;
Being "called least" in the kingdom of heaven suggests a loss of honor or status. The kingdom of heaven is a central theme in Jesus' teachings, representing God's reign and the community of believers. This phrase implies that there are varying degrees of honor within the kingdom, based on one's faithfulness to God's commandments. It serves as a warning that disobedience and leading others into disobedience have consequences, even for those who are part of the kingdom.
but whoever practices and teaches them
This phrase highlights the dual responsibility of obedience and instruction. Practicing the commandments involves living a life that aligns with God's will, while teaching them involves guiding others in the same path. This reflects the holistic approach to faith that Jesus advocates, where belief is demonstrated through action. The emphasis on both practicing and teaching aligns with the Great Commission inMatthew 28:19-20, where Jesus instructs His disciples to teach others to obey everything He has commanded.
will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Being "called great" signifies honor and recognition in God's kingdom. This phrase suggests that those who faithfully adhere to and teach God's commandments will be rewarded. It reflects the biblical principle that God honors those who honor Him, as seen in1 Samuel 2:30. The concept of greatness in the kingdom is not based on worldly standards but on faithfulness and obedience to God's will. This aligns with Jesus' teaching inMatthew 23:11, where He states that the greatest among His followers will be the servant of all.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Jesus ChristThe speaker of the Sermon on the Mount, delivering teachings on the law and righteousness.
2.
DisciplesThe primary audience of Jesus' teachings, representing followers of Christ.
3.
Kingdom of HeavenA central theme in Jesus' teachings, referring to God's sovereign rule and the realm of eternal life.
4.
CommandmentsRefers to the laws and teachings given by God, particularly those found in the Old Testament.
5.
Sermon on the MountThe setting of this teaching, a collection of Jesus' teachings found in Matthew chapters 5-7.
Teaching Points
The Importance of ObedienceJesus emphasizes that even the least of the commandments are important. Obedience to God's law is a reflection of our love and commitment to Him.
Teaching by ExampleOur actions and teachings should align. We are called to practice what we preach, setting a godly example for others to follow.
Kingdom ValuesGreatness in the kingdom of heaven is not measured by worldly standards but by faithfulness to God's commandments.
Responsibility of TeachersThose who teach others have a responsibility to uphold and accurately convey God's commandments, as they influence others' understanding and actions.
Grace and LawWhile we are saved by grace, the law still serves as a guide for righteous living. Our obedience is a response to God's grace, not a means to earn it.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Matthew 5:19?
2.How does Matthew 5:19 emphasize the importance of obeying God's commandments?
3.What does "least in the kingdom" mean in Matthew 5:19?
4.How can we teach others to follow God's laws as Matthew 5:19 instructs?
5.How does Matthew 5:19 connect with James 1:22 about being doers of the word?
6.In what ways can we ensure we practice and teach God's commandments daily?
7.What does Matthew 5:19 imply about the importance of following all biblical commandments?
8.How does Matthew 5:19 challenge the belief in salvation by faith alone?
9.Why does Matthew 5:19 emphasize teaching and practicing commandments?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 5?
11.What did Jesus mean by "least in the kingdom"?
12.What does the Bible say about wealth inequality?
13.Why does prayer not change the laws of physics?
14.What did Jesus mean by "least in the kingdom"?What Does Matthew 5:19 Mean
So thenJesus’ words link directly to the assurance He has just given: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets… not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18).
• “So then” gathers the force of verses 17-18 and presses it onto His disciples.
• Because the Law remains trustworthy, our response must be one of obedience (James 1:22;1 John 2:3).
• The statement warns against any casual attitude toward even the smallest part of God’s revealed will (Luke 16:17).
whoever breaks one of the least of these commandmentsJesus will not allow a hierarchy that excuses “minor” disobedience.
• “Least” does not mean unimportant; it means the commandments people are tempted to regard as small (Matthew 23:23).
• Breaking even one part shows a heart willing to rebel (James 2:10).
• Love for Christ proves itself in keeping every command He gives (John 14:15).
Practical implications:
– Integrity in speech, honesty with money, purity in private—no corner is exempt.
– A disciple treats every word of Scripture as binding truth.
and teaches others to do likewiseSin multiplies when it is taught.
• Influence flows through pulpits, classrooms, books, social media, and everyday example (Romans 14:13).
• Jesus pronounces severe warnings on those who lead others astray: “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble…” (Matthew 18:6).
• Faithful teachers watch “your life and your teaching” (1 Timothy 4:16) and refuse to promote any message that dulls obedience (Galatians 1:8-9).
will be called least in the kingdom of heavenThe phrase deals with position, not entrance.
• Such a person is still in the kingdom—salvation rests on grace—but is assigned the lowest honor.
• Paul describes believers who “suffer loss” yet “will be saved, but only as if through the flames” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).
• At Christ’s judgment seat, “each one may receive what is due” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
To be “least” means:
– the grief of wasted opportunities,
– reversal of self-exaltation (Luke 14:11),
– knowing you could have pleased the King far more (Matthew 11:11).
but whoever practices and teaches themObedience and instruction go hand in hand.
• “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me” (John 14:21).
• Jesus modeled perfect obedience; we walk in His steps (John 15:10).
• Effective ministry springs from a life already living the truth (1 Timothy 4:12;Philippians 4:9).
Putting this into action:
– Study the Word thoroughly.
– Live it consistently.
– Pass it on clearly.
will be called great in the kingdom of heavenHeaven’s honor roll is measured by faithfulness.
• “‘Well done, good and faithful servant! … Enter into the joy of your master!’” (Matthew 25:21).
• Faithful stewards are given expanded authority (Luke 19:17).
• Eternal reward is guaranteed: “My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12).
• Those who lead many to righteousness shine “like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).
summaryMatthew 5:19 sets a clear standard: every command of God matters. Dropping even the smallest precept—and encouraging others to do the same—strips a believer of heavenly honor. Practicing and teaching the whole counsel of Scripture, however, earns the Savior’s commendation and eternal reward. The passage calls each disciple to wholehearted obedience that overflows into faithful instruction, confident that the King notices and will judge righteously.
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Shall break one of these least commandments.--The words seem at first to imply that even the ceremonial law was to be binding in its full extent upon Christ's disciples. The usage of the time, however, confined the word to the moral laws of God (as in
Ecclesiasticus 32:23-24), and throughout the New Testament it is never used in any other sense, with the possible exception of
Hebrews 7:5;
Hebrews 7:16 (comp. especially
Romans 13:9;
1Corinthians 7:19). And the context, which proceeds at once to deal with moral laws and does not touch on ceremonial, is in accordance with this meaning. The "least commandments," then, are those which seemed trivial, yet were really great--the control of thoughts, desires, words, as compared with the apparently greater commands that dealt with acts. The reference to "teaching" shows that our Lord was speaking to His disciples, as the future instructors of mankind, and the obvious import of His words is that they were to raise, not lower, the standard of righteousness which had been recognised previously.
Shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.--The consequence of tampering with the great laws of duty, or the least laws, which are practically great, is described in terms at once severe and gentle; gentle, because the sentence, where the guilt is not wilful, or is repented of, is not one of absolute exclusion from the kingdom; severe in so far as being the "least" in that kingdom, the object of pity or sorrow to others, involved a severe humiliation to those who aimed at being the highest. To that condemnation many in every age of the Church have been liable, the Anthiomian fanatic and the Jesuit casuist standing so far on the same footing. . . .
Verse 19. - Matthew only. As Christ honoured the Law (ver. 17) so are his disciples to honour it.
Whosoever therefore. Seeing that every part of the Law is of permanent value. In this verse our Lord once for all declares his opposition to antinomianism. Every one of the commands in the Law is, in its true and ideal meaning, still binding.
Shall break (
λύσῃ). Not merely in contrast to "do" (
ποιήσῃvide infra) in the sense of "transgress" (Fritzsche), but "abrogate" (cf. Bishop Westcott, on
John 5:18, "Not the violation of the sanctity of the day in a special case, but the abrogation of the duty of observance;" cf. also
Matthew 16:19;
Matthew 18:18;
1 John 3:8). It expresses, indeed, a less complete abrogation than
καταλῦσαι (ver. 17), because, while speaking of himself, the Lord could use the strongest word possible, and that with reference to the whole Law or the Prophets; but here his expression is limited by the inability of any individual disciple to carry out an abrogation even of one command
. One of these least commandments. Not necessarily such as the Pharisees reckoned least, in their enumeration of small and great, but such as our Lord himself symbolized by "jot" or "tittle;" those precepts which in reality are the least important (Meyer). Chrysostom strangely says that our Lord here refers, not to old laws, but to those which he was about to lay down; similarly Bengel thinks of vers. 22-28, etc. While the Jews distinguished carefully between small and great precepts, they insisted on the importance of keeping even the smallest; cf. 'Ab.,' 4:5 (Taylor), "Hasten to a slight precept.., for the reward of precept is precept."
And shallteach men so. Doing his best to abrogate it, not only in his own person by neglect or violation, but also for others by teaching them to disregard it.
He shall be called the least. The Revised Version omits "he, .... the." He is not cast out of the kingdom ("Ubi nisi magni esse non possunt," Augustine), but his want of moral insight (did he consider it "breadth of thought"?) leads to his being called
least in the kingdom. It is the converse of the parable in
Luke 19:17, etc. There faithfulness in a very little (
ἐλαχίστῳ) wins much; here disregard of a very little causes a person to be reckoned (ver. 9, note) as very little - the principle of judgment being that of
Luke 16:10, "He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he that is unrighteous in avery little is unrighteous also in much."
In the kingdom of heaven;
i.e. probably in its full and final establishment. The doctrine of grades of blessedness and of punishment hereafter is clearly taught in Scripture (
e.g.Luke 12:47, 48).
But whosoever shall do and teach them. Similarly the Revised Version; but rather supply "it,"
i.e. "that which is required in the smallest commandment" (Meyer). The personal performance and conscious spreading of one of the least commandments will be found to involve so much that it gains for the person a high position.
Do and teach. For many will perform a command without taking any conscious part in spreading it.
Thesame; Revised Version, he (
οῦτος). Why inserted here and not in the previous clause? Partly because of the awkwardness of inserting
οῦτος there so soon after
οὕτως; partly because our Lord wished to lay stress there on the recompense, here on the person ("he and no other") who receives recompense. On the thought, cf. 'Test. XII. Parr.' (Levi., § 13), "If he teach these things and practise them, he shall share the throne of the king, as also Joseph our brother." It is worth adding Tyndale's remark in his 'Exposition,' "Whosoever shall first fulfil them [these least commandments following] himself, and then teach other, and set all his study to the furtherance and maintaining of them, that doctor shall all they of the kingdom of heaven have in price, and follow him and seek him out, as doth an eagle her prey, and cleave to him as burrs."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
So then,οὖν(oun)Conjunction
Strong's 3767:Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.whoeverὋς(Hos)Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.breaksλύσῃ(lysē)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3089:A primary verb; to 'loosen'.oneμίαν(mian)Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1520:One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.of theτῶν(tōn)Article - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.leastἐλαχίστων(elachistōn)Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural - Superlative
Strong's 1646:Superlative of elachus; used as equivalent to mikros; least.of theseτούτων(toutōn)Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 3778:This; he, she, it.commandmentsἐντολῶν(entolōn)Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 1785:An ordinance, injunction, command, law. From entellomai; injunction, i.e. An authoritative prescription.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.teachesδιδάξῃ(didaxē)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1321:To teach, direct, admonish. A prolonged form of a primary verb dao; to teach.othersἀνθρώπους(anthrōpous)Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 444:A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.to do likewiseοὕτως(houtōs)Adverb
Strong's 3779:Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).will be calledκληθήσεται(klēthēsetai)Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2564:(a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.leastἐλάχιστος(elachistos)Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Superlative
Strong's 1646:Superlative of elachus; used as equivalent to mikros; least.inἐν(en)Preposition
Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.theτῇ(tē)Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.kingdomβασιλείᾳ(basileia)Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 932:From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm.ofτῶν(tōn)Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.heaven,οὐρανῶν(ouranōn)Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3772:Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.butδ’(d’)Conjunction
Strong's 1161:A primary particle; but, and, etc.whoeverὃς(hos)Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.practicesποιήσῃ(poiēsē)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4160:(a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.teaches [them]διδάξῃ(didaxē)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1321:To teach, direct, admonish. A prolonged form of a primary verb dao; to teach.will be calledκληθήσεται(klēthēsetai)Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2564:(a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.greatμέγας(megas)Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3173:Large, great, in the widest sense.inἐν(en)Preposition
Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.theτῇ(tē)Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.kingdomβασιλείᾳ(basileia)Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 932:From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm.ofτῶν(tōn)Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.heaven.οὐρανῶν(ouranōn)Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3772:Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.
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NT Gospels: Matthew 5:19 Whoever therefore shall break one of these (Matt. Mat Mt) 
