Theology Thursday: What does it mean that Jesus "fulfilled" the law?

Welcome to Theology Thursday! Theology is the study of God, his relation to the world, and our relation to him. I hope these newsletters help enhance your faith and deepen your love for God and his people, the church.

Pastor Brady's thoughts:
During the Christmas season, our minds are rightly turned toward the person of Jesus. We think about who he is, why he came, and what he did. One of the things he did, according to his own words, was “fulfill” the law. What did he mean by that, and why does it matter for us today?

Let’s start with the text. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes a remarkable declaration: “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” (Matthew 5:17). For centuries, Christians have wrestled with what exactly Jesus meant. Did he set the law aside? Did he replace it? Or did he complete something that the law began? Understanding this aspect of Christ’s mission helps us grasp both the unity of scripture and the nature of the gospel.

First, we need to be on the same page regarding what Jesus was referring to when he said “the Law or the Prophets.” With this language, Jesus was using a common Jewish expression that referred to the entire Hebrew scriptures - what we Christians now call the Old Testament.

Specifically, “The Law” references the Torah, the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. We generally believe Moses wrote the majority of these books. Their content includes the creation story, God’s adoption of Israel as his special, chosen people to live in the way he designed and desires all humans to live and to serve as recipients of and an example for his love, his covenant promise to save the faithful, and instructions for worship, sacrifice, and daily life. 

When we hear the word “law,” we think mostly of rules and regulations, but the Old Testament Law was more comprehensive than that - it was the core of God’s revelation and the heart of Israel’s spiritual and cultural identity.

And by “the prophets,” Jesus is referring to the long list of prophetic (foretelling, warning) writings in the Old Testament, including the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekial, Daniel) and the twelve minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi).

These prophetic books recount Israel’s history, call the people back to faithfulness, articulate the consequences of disobedience, and point forward to God’s future redemption—including the coming of the Messiah.

Together, “the Law and the Prophets” really means the whole scripture - the whole scripture available to Jesus and his fellow Jews at that time, anyway, which is our Old Testament. When it also included the Old Testament historical writings (which Jesus may have also implied by using this shorthand), saying “the Law and the Prophets” functionally meant “everything God has revealed up to this point.” 

From that starting point, we can understand Jesus’ meaning in Matthew 5:17 to be, in essence, “I’m not here to do away with God’s design and desire; I am the perfect fulfillment of it.” 

In saying this, Jesus is claiming that he completes the story the scriptures tell, that he embodies the hopes and promises found throughout the Old Testament, and that he is the true meaning toward which all of scripture points. In short, he is the climax and culmination of God the Father’s grand narrative of redeeming the world and offering a path for reconciled relationship with him. Jesus doesn’t reject “the law and the prophets” God gave the people of Israel - he is their intended goal. 

With this new understanding, read Matthew 5:17 again: “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.” 

Five quick points here: 

First, “fulfill” does not mean “discard.” Jesus is clear: His mission wasn’t to nullify God’s commands. The law revealed God’s holy character, exposed human sin, and set Israel apart. These purposes weren’t mistakes or temporary glitches in God’s plan; they were foundational for his plan. Jesus didn’t come to erase the foundation but to build upon it in a way no one else could.

Second, Jesus fulfilled the law by perfectly obeying it. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded. Every command, every moral requirement, every obligation - he kept them all without sin. His flawless obedience makes him the true and better Israel, the faithful Son who does what God’s people never could. This means he didn’t just teach the law, he embodied it and modeled it perfectly.

Third, Jesus fulfilled the law by bringing its types and shadows to completion. The sacrificial system, the priesthood, the temple—all of these were signposts pointing forward. The blood of lambs hinted at a greater Lamb. The high priest symbolized a greater Mediator. The temple previewed a greater dwelling of God with humanity. Jesus is the substance behind every Old Testament symbol. When he came, these (fore)shadows revealed their final destination.

Fourth, Jesus fulfilled the law by revealing its fullest meaning. In Matthew 5, he repeatedly says, “You have heard… but I say to you.” He isn’t revising the law but unveiling its true depth. The law was never only about external behavior, it aimed at a transformed heart. Jesus shows that anger is the seed of murder, lust the seed of adultery, etc. In him, the law becomes not just a rulebook but a mirror reflecting God’s own righteousness.

Fifth, Jesus fulfills the law by forming a new covenant people empowered to live it out. Through his death and resurrection, baptized believers receive the Holy Spirit, who writes God’s law on their hearts. We don’t obey to earn God’s love, we obey because we already have it through Christ.

Jesus didn’t abolish the law. He fulfilled it - he filled it full - by completing its story, keeping its commands, revealing its depth, and accomplishing its goal. In him, the law becomes not a burden, but a big, beautiful arrow pointing us to the grace and glory of God.
 
TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN!
- Pastor Brady

Have a question for Theology Thursday? Send an email to office@minierchristian.org and we'll respond, or we'll include in a future Theology Thursday Buffet.