Fulfill the law?

Question

Jesus allegedly says this in Matthew. How many of you are aware that this is a rabbinic statement which simply means "to bring a greater understanding of" rather than do away with?
When you put that into proper context, Jesus never said the law was no longer to be followed. How do you reconcile this with your faith?

Answer 1

Thank you very much, your words express my thoughts! I will remember them :)

Answer 2

Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but rather to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until Heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of the pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until all things are accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever keeps the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Answer 3

I would ask you to please read the New Testament.
This is just a snap shot.

Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance [be] of the law, [it is] no more of promise: but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise.
Gal 3:19 Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one, but God is one.
Gal 3:21 [Is] the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Shalom!

Answer 4

Since the purpose of the Law was offering reconciliation between God and Man Jesus fulfilled this purpose by His death and Resurrection.
The Law is still there and offers an excellent guide line for moral behavior and even a healthy diet.

Answer 5

Jesus was not making a "rabbinic statement" that means "to bring a greater understanding of." Jesus' word "fulfill" means what it says.

The Hebrew word is "pleroo" (Pronounced play-ro'-o), and is Strong's Reference # 4137. (It is derived from Strong's Reference # 4134 "pleres," [Pronounced play'-race] which means replete, or covered over; by analogy, complete.)

Pleroo ultimately means to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.

That is a far cry from "bring a greater understanding of."

Besides, Jesus spoke to the religious leaders of His day and said, "You examine the Scriptures carefully because you suppose that in them you have eternal life. Yet they testify about me." (John 5:39)

Therefore, from Genesis to Malachi, the Scriptures spoke of the One to come, and when He came, He provided a way of grace, not law. He also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Thus, we come to the Father through Christ, and not the Law of Moses.

Answer 6

certain "laws" were done away with by the coming of Christ... But those Laws of God of moral nature are still in force... no Christian would claim they were not... the difference is that keeping The Law is no Longer a requirement for getting to Heaven.... That is now Only through Christ Jesus....

as to the Law... if you keep the Two Commandments given by Jesus you will keep all of The Law of God for mankind... "Love The Lord Thy God with all thy Heart, and all thy soul and all thy Heart and all thy strength.... and love thy neighbor as thy self"

Answer 7

Jesus Christ appointed Paul as His apostle..
In a discourse with the Apostle Peter he said:
"We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
nevertheless, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified....
I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died for nothing."
(Galatians 2:15,16,21

Answer 8

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

The law He had come to fulfil was:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thus God sent His son to pay the price we could not. Although we strive to observe the Ten Commandments, to their fullest, we cannot. It is humanly impossible.

Thus we look, not to ourselves nor good works nor observance of the mosaic laws, but to His completed work for our salvation.

Acts 13:19 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

I hope that wasn't too much scripture for you but I wanted to be thorough.

Answer 9

Yes the law was fulfilled by Jesus Christ so we don't have to do that crazy bull any longer. What are you suggesting that we go back to following it again. Now we get to pick and choose what we want to follow.

Answer 10

Jesus came to fulfill the law. We no longer have to make the blood sacrifices and go through all the rituals they had to go through before Christ was crucified for our sins. He is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins because He was sinless. All we have to do is accept His gift to be saved from eternal damnation. We are, however, supposed to follow His moral laws.

Answer 11

I "reconcile" Jesus' statements in light of the rest of the biblical literature in the New Testament, which speak of such things. Don't just rely on one passage; take all of the relevant passages into consideration.