iota

Dt 4:1,5-9; Psalm 147 Praise the Lord, Jerusalem; Mt 5:17-19

Jesus tells us in the gospel that not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 

The text in greek doesn't speak of letter but rather speaks of the "iota" of the law. 

The "iota" is the smallest greek letter;  its size however doesn't speak of its great significance. The letter is important for without it the alphabet would be incomplete.  Nothing incomplete is ever satisfactory. 

Just so with God, he desires completion not incompletion, and thus the "iota" of the law is important. 

Many people make comments about how the little things are not important.  Many people excuse themselves from things they consider to be of little importance in the life of faith.  Jesus reminds us today that even the little things are of great significance.  

Jesus comes to fulfill not abolish. He comes to enhance the meaning to the smallest "iota" not diminish it.

At Christmas we read about the birth of Jesus.  While Mary and Joseph are in the cave laying Jesus in the manger, the shepherds are in the field watching their sheep.  The angels appear to them with this greeting, "Glory to God in the highest and peace to men to whom He is pleased."

In the incarnation we encounter the reality that "Glory to God" and "peace to men" are inseparable. Jesus unites the two for eternity. 

In fact this has always been God's desire and will.  The law and the prophets were the instruments meant to bring about this union of God's glory and peace to men.  The law and the prophets were essential to understanding right relationship to God and right relationship to men and thus giving glory to God and experiencing peace among men. 

Jesus comes to fulfill that reality.  In his person, in his passion, glory to God is fully realized and peace among men reign eternally.  This is the joy of all Christians. 

In Jesus we now know what it looks like to give God glory and are given the avenue to experience true peace. This is fulfillment Jesus speaks of in the gospel.  In Jesus we know how God is t be glorified. 

On second note concerning the "iota"

In the 4th century there was much discussion about the Holy Trinity.  The Church spent much time trying to figure out how to speak about the reality of the threeness of God and the oneness of God. 

Most of the discussion focused on Jesus and his relationship to the Father. 

There were two schools of thought that emerged in the dialogue. 

One school taught that Jesus was of the same substance as the Father and used the term homoousios.

The other school taught Jesus was similar substance as the Father and used the term homoiousios. 

The church determined that the correct theological way of speaking and thinking about Jesus' relationship with the Father was expressed with the term homousios and not homoiousios.  

The first is considered orthodox teaching the latter is considered heretical or not true.  The first is the Catholic Church and the latter is the Arian heresy.   Thus, the "iota" made all the difference in understanding truth and living properly what God as revealed in Jesus, the one who shows us how to give glory to God and receive Peace on earth. 

This is where we get the phrase"it doesn't make an iota of a difference" comes from yet we know in reality the "iota" makes all the difference.