Jesus Came To Fulfil The Law And The Prophets.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17–18.
It is essential to understand why Jesus Christ came into the world. The Gospels record many declarations in which Jesus Himself revealed the purpose of His coming. One of these purposes was unmistakable: He came to fulfil the Law and the Prophets. Jesus Christ did not come to nullify the revelation that had been given through Moses and the Prophets. He came to bring it to its intended fulfilment.
The word destroy carries the thought of dissolving, abolishing, or bringing something to an end. Jesus therefore made it clear that His mission was not to sweep away what the Father had previously spoken, but to bring it to completion in Himself.
We must gain the revelation of the Law and its purpose in the lives of men. The Law revealed the holiness, righteousness and moral standard of the Father. Therefore, the Law was instituted by the Father to show humanity what was acceptable before Him and to expose the seriousness of sin.
Jesus said: “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20. The Law exposed the standard, but fallen humanity could not attain to the acceptable standard through anything of themselves.
Jesus demonstrated this throughout His teaching. He did not lower the qualification of reaching the Father’s standard; He revealed its true depth.Jesus Christ took the commandments beyond outward behaviour and brought them into the realm of the heart of man.
Jesus highlighted that anger, hatred, lust, hypocrisy and unforgiveness that dominated the race of humanity were because the problem was not merely what a person did outwardly, but what was harboured deep within the lives of fallen mankind.
It must be understood that the establishing and the giving of the Law was never Almighty God’s final answer to humanity’s fallen condition. The Law could expose the root cause of sin, but it could not transform the sinner into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
All of the many sacrifices administered under the Old Covenant could never permanently remove sin and set the sinner free; at its best, the whole Law in all of its many precepts pointed forward to the ministry of Jesus Christ. They pointed beyond themselves to something far greater.
It was for this very reason that Jesus declared: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39.The Scriptures were pointing towards Him. This is of vital importance in our lives as believers to fully understand that every sacrifice administered in the Old Testament pointed towards Jesus.
The sacrificial system in itself was never intended to be the final destination. It was a shadow of the sacrifice that would ultimately be made through Jesus Christ. John the Baptist recognised this when he declared: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
Jesus Christ was not simply another sacrifice within the Old Covenant system. He was the fulfilment towards which the entire system had been pointing. This is of utmost importance to fully understand, because Jesus Christ was unblemished by sin, because His life was so perfect, and His obedience to His Father unparalleled; His sacrifice was accepted as well pleasing to the Father. To this we need also to gain the value of the life blood of Jesus Christ; it was untouched, never corrupted through the transgression of Adam.
And when He hung upon the cross, Jesus declared: “It is finished!” The work He had come to accomplish had reached its appointed fulfilment. Everything of the Old Testament, which involved the establishing of the priesthood, the inauguration of the Passover, and the ministries of the prophets, was all a shadow that pointed to Jesus, who was the substance. Jesus said: “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” John 5:46.
Where Adam had failed, Jesus succeeded. This is where the glory of Christ’s coming is revealed. Jesus did not merely teach His Father’s righteous standard; He lived it. Jesus alone alone perfectly fulfilled the Father’s will in all of its fullness of intention. Therefore Jesus could boldly say:“I do always those things that please Him.” John 8:29.
And: “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38. The following truths must be fully understood in our lives:
- Where sin had brought condemnation, Jesus brought redemption
- Where the Law revealed the problem, Christ became the answer.
- The Law could reveal righteousness, but it could not impart righteousness.
- The Law could expose sin, but it could not remove the sinful nature.
- The Law could identify the sickness, but it could not provide the cure. Jesus came to do what humanity could never accomplish for itself.
He declared: “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11. And: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10. The purpose of Christ’s coming was therefore far greater than simply providing forgiveness for past failures.