Rachel Evans
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus states that he did not come to destroy or abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. This statement has been interpreted in various ways, with some arguing that Jesus transformed the law, freeing Christians from any obligation to obey it. However, others claim that Jesus fulfilled the law in at least two ways: as a teacher and as a doer. He taught people to obey the Law and obeyed it perfectly himself, fulfilling both the moral and ceremonial laws. By doing so, Jesus brought the Scriptures to their intended goal or predestined destination, establishing the Word and embodying it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Jesus's statement in 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." |
| Jesus's purpose | To establish the Word, embody it, and fully accomplish all that was written |
| Jesus's role | Teacher and doer |
| Jesus's obedience | Did not murder, commit sexual sins, steal, lie, or covet |
| Jesus's fulfillment of the Prophets | Fulfilled hundreds of prophecies concerning Himself in His first coming alone |
| Jesus's fulfillment of the Law | Taught people to obey the Law and obeyed the Law Himself |
| Jesus's fulfillment of the moral law | Saved humanity regardless of their goodness |
| Jesus's fulfillment of the civil law | Expanded His people from Jerusalem to the corners of the earth through the Church |
| Jesus's fulfillment of the ceremonial law | Became the perfect sacrifice for humanity's sins |
| Jesus's fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets | Became the key person to heal all humanity and creation |
| Jesus's fulfillment of the Mosaic Law | Confirmed the abiding validity of the Mosaic law |
| Jesus's fulfillment of the law of Christ | Guided humanity's pursuit of love through His life, word, and Spirit |
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What You'll Learn
Jesus fulfilled the Prophets
Jesus also fulfilled the Prophets in the way He lived. He obeyed the Law Himself and taught others to do the same. In living a perfect life, He fulfilled the moral laws, and in His sacrificial death, He fulfilled the ceremonial laws.
Jesus' life and teachings embody and accomplish all that was written in the Prophets. He completes the story of humanity's attempts to partner with God, as described in Genesis 3, by accomplishing what human partners like Moses and the people of Israel could not. Jesus faces the same tests as these key figures but remains true to God, fulfilling the Law and the Prophets at every turn.
Jesus' baptism and journey also mirror those of Moses, as described in Matthew 3, and He leads people safely through the waters into a renewed world, just as Moses led people through the sea to God's promised land.
Jesus' teachings go beyond simple obedience to the statutes, encouraging people to love one another and pursue what is good, thereby filling the Law and the Prophets to the full.
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Jesus fulfilled the moral law
Jesus did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says, "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." The word "fulfill" can be interpreted as "to fill full", "to complete or accomplish", or "to confirm". Jesus did not come to destroy the old religious system but to build upon it. He came to finish the Old Covenant and establish the New.
Jesus did not murder, commit sexual sins, steal, lie, or covet anything that belonged to others. He taught his followers to live in a powerful way that the Hebrew Scriptures had been talking about since "In the beginning…” (Gen. 1:1). Jesus accomplished what Moses and the people of Israel tried to do but could not complete.
Jesus' teachings deal "not so much with the negative goal of avoidance of the wrong but [focus] more on the positive goal of discovering and following what is really the will of God for his people." The Apostle Paul writes, "See that no one pays back evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all" (1 Thess. 5:15).
Jesus gave his followers a "new commandment": "Love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13:34). This standard of love is the life and power of a person who indwells us by his Spirit. We pursue love as "the law of Christ" by looking to Christ as our all-sufficient righteousness, our all-satisfying Treasure, our all-providing Protection and Helper, and our all-wise counselor and guide.
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Jesus fulfilled the civil law
Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfil it. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them."
Jesus fulfilled the law in at least two ways: as a teacher and as a doer. He taught people to obey the Law and He obeyed the Law Himself. In living a perfect life, Jesus fulfilled the moral laws; in His sacrificial death, Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial laws.
Jesus came to finish the Old Covenant and establish the New. He did not come to destroy the old religious system but to build upon it.
Jesus's teachings deal "not so much with the negative goal of avoidance of the wrong but [focus] more on the positive goal of discovering and following what is really the will of God for his people."
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Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus Christ stated: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." Here, Jesus emphasizes his commitment to upholding and fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, rather than abolishing or destroying them.
Jesus' sacrificial death fulfilled the ceremonial laws. His death served as the final and ultimate sacrifice, bringing an end to the Old Covenant and establishing the New.
Jesus' life and teachings also played a significant role in fulfilling the ceremonial law. He lived a perfect life, obeying the commandments and teaching others to do the same. By doing so, He provided a new understanding of the law, emphasizing the importance of love and positive goals rather than simply avoiding wrongdoings.
In summary, Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law by becoming the embodiment of the Word, sacrificing Himself as the final atonement for sins, and teaching and embodying obedience to the Law.
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Jesus fulfilled the law through his teachings
> 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.
Here, Jesus is referring to the whole Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament). He is not talking about simple obedience to the statutes. Instead, he is emphasising his commitment to the Scriptures and his mission to bring them to their intended goal or predestined destination.
Jesus fulfilled the Prophets by fulfilling hundreds of prophecies concerning himself. He fulfilled the Law as a teacher and as a doer. He taught people to obey the Law and obeyed the Law himself. He lived a perfect life, fulfilling the moral laws, and in his sacrificial death, he fulfilled the ceremonial laws.
Jesus also taught that the ultimate goal of the law was not just to end human violence, but to guide people into attitudes and ways of loving one another. He summarised this in his commandment: "Love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13:34).
Jesus did not come to destroy the old religious system but to build upon it. He came to finish the Old Covenant and establish the New.
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Frequently asked questions
Jesus came to fulfill "the Law and the Prophets," meaning he intended to establish the Word, embody it, and accomplish all that was written. He did not come to abolish or destroy the law.
Jesus fulfilled the law in two ways: as a teacher and as a doer. He taught people to obey the law and obeyed the law himself.
The Greek word translated as "fulfill" can mean "to complete or accomplish." However, Jesus did not mean that he came to confirm or establish the law. Instead, he came to bring the Scriptures to their intended goal.
No, he did not. Jesus taught that the law's ultimate goal was to guide people into attitudes and ways of loving one another. By loving one another, we fulfill the law.
Jesus fulfilled the moral law by saving us regardless of our goodness. He fulfilled the civil law by expanding his people from Jerusalem to the world through the establishment of the Church. He fulfilled the ceremonial law by being the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
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