you said I should deal with Matt 5:17-19. Okay.
Have you taken into account who Jesus was addressing? I would argue that the word "anyone" in this passage refers to anyone among the people listening. Anyone among the House of Israel to whom he was preaching.
Remember Jesus reluctance to preach to anyone outside of the House of Israel? He tells the Canaanite woman for instance "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" - MT 15:24.T
The Torah very clearly expresses that the Laws of God's covenant with Israel are part of a Land Contract - e.g. Leviticus 25:18. Most of the 613 commandments have to do with the distinctness of Israel as a nation - and God's specific promise of the Holy Land, to the Jewish people.
Judaism has always seen the Mosaic Law as a unique requirement of the Jewish people and that Gentiles were only bound by Noachide Laws.
“The children of Noah were commanded with seven commandments: [to establish] laws, and [to prohibit] cursing God, idolatry, illicit sexuality, bloodshed, robbery, and eating flesh from a living animal (Sanhedrin 56a; cf. Tosefta Avodah Zarah 8:4 and Genesis Rabbah 34:8).”
The first major decision of a church council (in Jerusalem) was over this very issue (should Gentiles be required to observe the entire Law. Their final decision was remarkably consistent with that of Judaism. The Apostolic Decree of the Acts 15:19-20.
This was the natural conclusion of Paul too - who had Timothy circumcized (in accordance with the Law Acts 16:3), but insisted that Titus NOT be circumcized - in accordance with his freedom as a Gentile (Galations 2:3).
Acts 21:17-26 also shows Paul's concern for demonstrating that there is a difference between Jewish believers - who are under the Covenant, and Gentiles who are not.
Many of the commandments in the Torah pertain to ceremonial and sacrifical laws, as well as laws pertianing to the Aronic pristhood (in fact the book of Leviticus contains nearly half of all the commandments found in the Torah as Ritual Law. Now that the temple has been destroyed - these laws can no longer be observed. What do you think Jesus meant when he said "A time is coming when you will no longer worship God on this mountain or in the Temple - but in spirit and in truth"? Christians believe that Jesus has prepared a new Temple that includes the Gentiles and built on the Jewish foundation of Apostles and Prophets and the Messiah and his sacrifice as the Cornerstone. The Rabbis teach that prayer and observance of the Law have replaced Temple worship and animial sacrifice - therefore God must no longer require it. Two very differnt approaches to moving forward.
You may be glad that you are not a "Biblicist" who strives to reconcile seemingly contradictory statements. But the answers are there, the question is whether or not you care enough to understand it.
