A medical instrument with a shaft having a tool on a distal end including a movable jaw member and a handle on a proximal end with a movable gripping member, wherein the jaw and gripping members are in operational connection by a traction/compression element, and wherein a force-limiting device is positioned between the gripping and jaw members for limiting force transmitted from the gripping member onto components in operational connection with the gripping member. Upon exceeding a maximum load, the device reversibly severs the components that are coupled with one another. The force-limiting device includes a housing including two components that can slide with respect to one another with one component mounted rigidly in the housing and the other component positioned to slide axially in the housing against the force of a spring element, such that the two components are coupled by a force transmission element acting on both components.
