February 8, 2026
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
We cannot keep the Law of God perfectly. We are sinners. For us to be saved, Jesus had to fulfill the Law in our place so that the threat of the Law is abolished and the Law itself is upheld.
Now, in Christ, we do desire to fulfill the Law, to live out a godly Christian life, precisely because we are so full of thanksgiving toward God for His salvation in Christ.
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Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Isaiah 58:3–9a; 1 Corinthians 2:1–12 (13–16); Matthew 5:13–20
The Righteousness of Christ
Jesus warns that “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20), but He also calls His imperfect people “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13, 14).
That’s because the Lord Jesus came not to abolish the Law or the prophets, “but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17) in perfect faith and love. Since He does and teaches all of God’s commandments, He is “called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19).
God manifests His “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” in “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2–4), and through the preaching of the Gospel He gives His “secret and hidden wisdom” (1 Corinthians 2:7). Christ gives this perfect righteousness to His people, and it leads them to true fasting, which is “to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free” (Isaiah 58:6) and “to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house” (Isaiah 58:7).
Life Thoughts for the Week
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). God’s people do wonderful things before the world: march for life, support local pregnancy resource centers, speak up on behalf of the unborn and vulnerable.
However, we must always remember that we are to shine our light before men, not to earn favor with men or with God. Such self-serving works “will not make your voice be heard on high” (Isaiah 58:4). Instead, knowing Christ crucified and having the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:2, 16), we let our light shine before men to give glory to God (Matthew 5:16), that all might have life now and forever.
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Lectionary Series – Sunday’s Scripture Readings © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7295 800-248-1930, Ext. 1265 • worship@lcms.org • lcms.org/worship. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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