Matthew 5:17-18
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus didn't come to discard the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them—meaning to establish their absolute, final meaning and bring them to perfect realization through His life and teachings. He wasn't just interpreting the Law; He was its embodiment, revealing its deepest intent and making it truly attainable.
“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. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is beginning his most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, where he will explain what true righteousness looks like. Before diving into specific teachings, he clarifies his relationship to the foundational scriptures of Judaism, the Law and the Prophets. He wants to make it clear that he's not here to tear down God's established word but to demonstrate its ultimate meaning and purpose.
Did Jesus come to tear down the Old Testament Law or build upon it? The answer might surprise you.
Jesus makes a powerful statement right at the start of his Sermon on the Mount: "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."
Think about what that means. The "Law and the Prophets" was the Jewish way of referring to their entire collection of sacred writings – what we call the Old Testament. Jesus isn't saying he's here to get rid of it all, like throwing out an old rulebook. Instead, he's saying his purpose is to fulfill it.
What does "fulfill" mean here? It's not just about following the rules perfectly (though he certainly did that!). It means bringing the Law and the Prophets to their ultimate intended meaning and purpose. It's about completing what God intended all along through those scriptures. It’s like a master artist completing a sketch – the original lines are still there, but the artist adds depth, color, and brings the vision to its full realization.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day had their own interpretations of the Law. Jesus came to reveal its true, radical heart.
Jesus' coming wasn't just about fulfilling prophecies or completing a divine plan; it was also about unlocking the real intent behind the Law and the Prophets.
The religious authorities often focused on outward actions and strict interpretations, sometimes missing the spirit of the Law. Jesus, however, points to the heart. When he talks about anger being equivalent to murder, or lust being equivalent to adultery, he's not the Ten Commandments. He's revealing how deeply those commands penetrate our inner lives.
Ask a follow-up
He shows that the Law, in its purest form, demands a complete devotion of our heart, soul, and mind – not just outward compliance. He fulfills the Law by both perfectly obeying it himself and by teaching its highest, most profound meaning, calling his followers to a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.
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.
amēn · Greek Adverb
A solemn affirmation or declaration of truth (Amen), emphasizing the absolute certainty and authority of the statement that follows.
gē · Greek Noun
The physical world inhabited by humans, often contrasted with heaven; it is the arena where God's redemptive history unfolds.
iōta · Greek Noun
The smallest letter of the Greek alphabet (representing the Hebrew yod); used metaphorically to denote the smallest detail of a text.
keraia · Greek Noun
A tiny stroke or hook used to distinguish Hebrew letters; signifies the absolute preservation of even the smallest parts of God's Word.
ginomai · Greek Verb
To come into being, happen, or be realized; refers to the fulfillment and realization of God's sovereign purposes and promises.
Jesus' audience was deeply immersed in the Law and the Prophets, and the religious leaders of the day held significant authority in interpreting them. Jesus' radical teachings, presented here in the Sermon on the Mount, were a direct challenge to the status quo, and he needed to clarify that he wasn't undermining their sacred texts, but rather revealing their ultimate meaning and purpose.
c. 400 BC
Completion of Old Testament Canon
The major books of the Old Testament, including the Law (Torah) and the Prophets, were largely compiled and accepted as authoritative Scripture by this time.
c. 200 BC - AD 200
Rabbinic Interpretation Flourishes
Jewish scholars, known as rabbis, engaged in extensive interpretation and codification of the Law, often leading to differing schools of thought and practices.
c. 10 BC - AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus starts his public ministry, teaching and performing miracles throughout Galilee and Judea. His teachings often challenged the established interpretations of the Law.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified and resurrected, events that later generations would interpret as the fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies.
c. AD 40-60
Apostolic Ministry and Proclamation
The apostles, particularly Paul, begin to spread the message of Jesus, explaining how his life, death, and resurrection relate to the Law and the Prophets.
This passage explains that the Law acted as a 'disciplinarian' pointing towards Christ, highlighting how Jesus fulfills its ultimate purpose rather than abolishing its intended goal.
Romans 10:4This verse states that Christ is the 'end of the law,' meaning He brings it to its intended completion and fulfillment, directly supporting Jesus' statement in Matthew 5:17.
Luke 24:44Jesus here speaks of how 'everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled,' showing that His coming was the prophetic fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures.
John 1:17This verse contrasts the Law given through Moses with the grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ, illustrating how Jesus brought the Law to its fullness rather than replacing it.
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 didn't come to discard the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them—meaning to establish their absolute, final meaning and bring them to perfect realization through His life and teachings. He wasn't just interpreting the Law; He was its embodiment, revealing its deepest intent and making it truly attainable.
Jesus is beginning his most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, where he will explain what true righteousness looks like. Before diving into specific teachings, he clarifies his relationship to the foundational scriptures of Judaism, the Law and the Prophets. He wants to make it clear that he's not here to tear down God's established word but to demonstrate its ultimate meaning and purpose.
Jesus is beginning his most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, where he will explain what true righteousness looks like. Before diving into specific teachings, he clarifies his relationship to the foundational scriptures of Judaism, the Law and the Prophets. He wants to make it clear that he's not here to tear down God's established word but to demonstrate its ultimate meaning and purpose.
"“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. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is…" — Jesus didn't come to discard the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them—meaning to establish their absolute, final meaning and bring them to perfect realization through His life and teachings. H…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
