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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus isn't saying he's here to uphold the rules of the Law as they'd been interpreted. He's emphasizing that he's here to bring about the Law's ultimate purpose, its deepest intent, which the religious leaders had missed. His coming is the fulfillment, the grand completion, not just an endorsement of the status quo.
Jesus is about to launch into some radical teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, which significantly reinterprets the Law. To prevent His followers from thinking He's come to dismantle the foundational religious texts of Judaism, He begins by clarifying that His purpose is actually to bring the Law and the Prophets to their full intended meaning. He's not introducing a completely new system that nullifies the old; rather, He's completing and fulfilling its deepest purpose.
Did Jesus come to tear down the Old Testament Law or to build upon it? He directly addresses this potential misunderstanding, clarifying His mission.
Jesus makes a clear distinction between 'destroying' (καταλῦσαι - to loosen down, dissolve, abrogate) and 'fulfilling' (πληρῶσαι). He wasn't here to tear down the Law or the Prophets, invalidating their authority. Instead, He came to bring them to their ultimate completion and intended purpose. This fulfillment isn't about adding new rules or simply obeying the letter of the law; it's about embodying its deepest meaning and intent through His life, teaching, and sacrifice. He establishes the absolute, intended meaning of the Law and the Prophets, revealing the righteousness God always desired.
When Jesus mentions 'the Law or the Prophets,' what exactly is He referring to, and why is this distinction important?
The phrase 'the Law and the Prophets' was a common way the Jewish people referred to their entire collection of sacred Scriptures – essentially, the Old Testament. Jesus isn't just talking about the Ten Commandments or the Pentateuch; He encompasses the whole of God's revelation up to that point. While the commentaries note a distinction between the Law (God's direct revelation of His will) and the Prophets (God's will revealed through guidance, wisdom, and prediction), Jesus affirms His coming to fulfill both. This means His mission validated the entirety of Old Testament Scripture, bringing its overarching themes, promises, and commands to their ultimate realization.
Understand the original words
kataluō · Greek Verb
To destroy, tear down, or render void; in a legal or religious sense, it means to annul or invalidate the authority of a law.
nomos · Greek Noun
Usually refers to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) or the entire body of divine instruction given to Israel.
prophētēs · Greek Noun
Individuals who spoke forth God's word; also refers to the section of the Hebrew Bible containing the prophetic writings.
plēroō · Greek Verb
To bring to completion, satisfy a requirement, or bring to full expression; Christ fulfills the Law by perfectly obeying it and being its ultimate goal.
Jesus' declaration was made in a context where Jewish identity was deeply tied to the Law and Prophets. His ministry, while offering a radical reinterpretation and deeper application of these texts, was perceived by some as a threat to the established religious order, making his affirmation of fulfillment crucial.
c. 20 BC - 10 BC
Rise of the Zealot Movement
Amidst Roman occupation and perceived religious compromise by some Jewish leaders, fervent nationalist and religious groups like the Zealots emerged, advocating for strict adherence to Jewish law and tradition, often in opposition to foreign rule.
c. AD 1
John the Baptist's Ministry Begins
John the Baptist, a prophetic figure, begins preaching a message of repentance and the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of God, baptizing people in the Jordan River.
c. AD 27— this verse
Jesus Begins Public Ministry
Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist and begins his public ministry, teaching about the Kingdom of God and performing miracles. His teachings often challenged the established interpretations of the Law.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivers his most famous sermon, outlining the ethics of the Kingdom of God, which includes his declaration in Matthew 5:17 about fulfilling, not abolishing, the Law and the Prophets.
This passage explains that the Law acted as a 'guardian' leading to Christ, showing how Jesus fulfilled its purpose by bringing about faith and a new relationship with God.
Romans 10:4This verse states that 'Christ is the end of the law,' highlighting how Jesus' life and sacrifice perfectly accomplished what the Law was intended to point towards.
Hebrews 10:1-4These verses describe how the Old Testament sacrifices could not fully atone for sin, emphasizing that Jesus' single sacrifice perfectly fulfilled and superseded the ceremonial aspects of the Law.
Colossians 2:16-17Here, Paul clarifies that Jesus fulfilled the Law by being its substance and reality, not by abolishing it, showing how the 'shadows' of the Law found their true meaning in Him.
vincentMatthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
To destroy (καταλῦσαι)Lit., to loosen down, dissolve; Wyc., undo.
bensonMatthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
Matthew 5:17 . Think not that I am come to destroy — To abrogate, annul, or repeal, (which seems to be the meaning of the word καταλυσαι , here,) the law or the prophets — As your teachers do. It is manifest from the following discourse, that our Lord principally spake of the moral law, several of the precepts of which he afterward explains and vindicates from the corrupt gloss…
Jesus isn't saying he's here to uphold the rules of the Law as they'd been interpreted. He's emphasizing that he's here to bring about the Law's ultimate purpose, its deepest intent, which the religious leaders had missed. His coming is the fulfillment, the grand completion, not just an endorsement of the status quo.
Jesus is about to launch into some radical teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, which significantly reinterprets the Law. To prevent His followers from thinking He's come to dismantle the foundational religious texts of Judaism, He begins by clarifying that His purpose is actually to bring the Law and the Prophets to their full intended meaning. He's not introducing a completely new system that nullifies the old; rather, He's completing and fulfilling its deepest purpose.
Jesus is about to launch into some radical teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, which significantly reinterprets the Law. To prevent His followers from thinking He's come to dismantle the foundational religious texts of Judaism, He begins by clarifying that His purpose is actually to bring the Law and the Prophets to their full intended meaning. He's not introducing a completely new system that nullifies the old; rather, He's completing and fulfilling its deepest purpose.
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c. AD 33
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus is crucified and believed by his followers to have been resurrected, events central to the Christian faith and seen as the ultimate fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
c. AD 40s - 60s
Apostolic Ministry and Early Church Growth
The apostles, particularly Paul, spread the message of Jesus, grappling with how the new faith related to the Mosaic Law. Debates arose about the necessity of circumcision and adherence to ceremonial laws for Gentile believers.
"“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 isn't saying he's here to uphold the rules of the Law as they'd been interpreted. He's emphasizing that he's here to bring about the Law's ultimate purpose, its deepest intent, which the reli…
