I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil

A common misconception in Christianity is that many believe that Jesus meant to destroy the law when he said that he would fulfil it. Most of the time, they quote the following Bible verse without context to support their theory:

I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Matthew 5:17)

I did NOT come to destroy, but to fulfil

They believe that Jesus came to fulfil the law, so that we may be freed from it and don’t have to keep it anymore. But the Bible verse itself raises doubts about this claim. Why did Jesus then say that he did not come “to destroy” TWICE?

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. (Matthew 5:17)

I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Matthew 5:17)

If you read the entire chapter of Matthew 5, there is no way that someone could not become suspicious about the claim that Jesus came to destroy the law.

Jesus said that the Law remains valid until everything is fulfilled

Just one verse further Jesus said:

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18)

This means: The law of the Old Testament of the Bible remains valid until everything will be fulfilled. Furthermore, Jesus also said that anyone who breaks even the least of the commandments and teaches the people that way will be called the least in the Kingdom of God. And he who teaches the people the commandments will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Read for yourself what the Bible says:

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19)

And last but not least, he also said that if our righteousness does not far exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all.

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

If the Pharisees taught the commandments strictly, and it can be assumed that they obeyed them to some extent, how can we exceed them in their righteousness if we no longer keep God’s commandments and label them as invalid? The answer is simple: we can’t.

Jesus says that the law and the prophets must be FULFILLED

Jesus had already told his disciples that everything that is written in the law of the Old Testament in the Bible and in the prophets must be fulfilled.

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. (Luke 24:44)

Jesus fulfilled everything that is written by completely obeying the written word. This means that the word of the Old Testament of the Bible was confirmed by his actions. He did NOT put away anything that God had ever revealed to the people and never spoke against what is written in the Old Testament (Torah).

According to the Bible, Jesus is the Word of God made flesh

The Bible says:

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

That Jesus is the Word of God simply means that he reflected and fulfilled everything that is written. For the written word of the Old Testament of the Bible IS the word of God. This fact is confirmed again in Revelation.

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)

Conclusion: Jesus did not come to dissolve, but to fulfil, which is why the Law is still valid

Jesus is the word of God and has fulfilled everything that is written in the Old Testament of the Bible. Both the law and what the prophets taught. But that never meant that the law would be put away and made obsolete for us. This becomes evident from several Bible passages. Jesus himself kept the law and never said he had destroyed it.

He even said that we SHOULD KEEP God’s commandments if we want to enter into eternal life! Jesus couldn’t have been more precise about this matter. The Bible says:

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew 19: 16-19)

For more information on whether Jesus came to fulfil the law or to destroy it, read the following article: https://www.staybiblical.com/jesus-didnt-abolish-the-law/

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