Christians -"Jesus didn't negate the Law of Moses, he fulfilled it." - How do you fulfill a law?

Question

Isn't a Law, by definition, something that is constant? Just by obeying a law, that doesn't make it go away does it?

(This question is in response to the oft repeated claim that Christians need not obey the Law of Moses because Jesus somehow fulfilled it.)

Whitehorse, you don't seem to be understanding the terms. Laws aren't something to be fulfilled, but obeyed. They continue going even after you obey them...that's why they are laws.

Charles W and Opinionated -

That doesn't even make sense in the context of the question.

cmw -

How do you "complete" a law that is an "eternal Covenant"?

cmw - exactly my point. This is not my argument, but that of many Christians. The passage you cite would seem to say that Christians should have continued to keep the Law, not ignore it as they do now.

Answer 1

This is probably one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible (no worries - I'm not gonna go into my "rant" about the reasons why).
First, the phrases, "fulfill the law" and "destroy the law" were technical terms used in rabbinic argumentation - to 'fulfill the law' was a Jewish idiom that means to "interpret correctly" and to 'destroy the law' means to 'incorrectly interpret.'
Secondly, the word translated "fulfill" is the Greek word "plerosai" - which means "to complete." What He is saying is that He came to "correctly interpret" - to complete our understanding so that we could more effectively be and do what the Law and the Prophets said we should be and do - to fulfill in such a way as to "perfect" a foundation on which to build further (and as I often say, nothings any stronger than the foundation on which it's built).
I find it rather odd (not to mention extremely contradictory) that many Christians take "I came not to destroy but to fulfill" and interpret it as "I came not to destroy, but to destroy" (render obsolete - do away with - all means basically the same thing - especially in practice).
I know this is gonna open up all kinds of "cans of worms" - but I'll save my answers to the questions that always pop up for when they're asked - if I'm around to answer them (I do have a life outside YA ).

Answer 2

The laws of Moses relate to the ten commandments, the Sermon on the Mount and all of the spiritual messages contained with the parables. Menstruation, puberty, growing up, learning anything, are activities relating to the natural laws of humanity. Don't confuse the spiritual laws handed down by God to the Natural laws inspired by instinct. Do not be more strict than God Himself. You have a lot to learn.

Answer 3

Good grief, I just answered almost the exact same question, so I'm just gonna paste my answer to that one (sorry):

I know plenty of Christians will say that the law being "fulfilled" means that it was essentially "done away with". But that doesn't jive with Jesus' teachings: "I have not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it."

Jesus never contradicted the Torah, but always sought to make it a matter of introspection rather than about external behaviors. For example, the commandment says, "Thou shalt not kill", but Jesus asks if you're still harboring hatred and animosity in your heart. If you are, you're not "fulfilling" the intent of the law, but only observing the letter of the law. The Law is fulfilled in the commandments to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart..." and to "Love your neighbor as yourself." To say the laws are written in our hearts and minds is to realize that, if we are Loving God and others, then the behaviors that are contained in the Law, the spirit of the Law, will come naturally. I don't see how any of that negates or supersedes the Torah.

Peace to you.

Answer 4

Because the Pharisees added so many 'political' interpretative spins into their laws, they had perverted the laws so badly it made life almost impossible for the poor to survive. As they were basically selling GOD'S forgiveness and love. As it turns out, the basic commensense laws were being perverted. Jesus sought to rectify that situation by living the law and being an example. And by being the truth as well as telling it as the wrongs the Pharisees were committing against their own people. Kinda like today. And they hated him for it.
Don't fall for the 'faith' excuse. That just means that the person espousing it is living in sin. The bible also clearly states that 'FAITH' without works is dead. Which means they have cut themselves off from GOD by following their own way. By refusing to obey the laws.

Answer 5

You don't fulfill it (bad translation). You fill it or complete it, as in obey it 100%, something no one else could do.

If you read on in the same passage, it says, "Therefore whoever relaxes 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Edit: Did you stop reading when you saw that word? It says "obey" in the same sentence. The use of the words "fill" and "complete" come from Hebrew-speaking translators who object to "fulfill."

Edit #2: I am not comfortable with the "nailed to the cross" thing, if you want my personal take. As Marji said, it's a can of worms for Christians.

Answer 6

So by that reasoning, because I have stopped at a red light once, I have now fulfilled the stoplight law and no longer need to stop at red lights.

Jesus didn't fulfill anything. And Jews don't obey the law in order to "get to heaven" anyway, we don't even HAVE such a concept. Yet another Christian invention there.

Basically Christians have twisted and perverted our entire Torah and its meanings. We just do our best to ignore it and keep on keeping on. Unless they mess with trying to convert us to their idolatry, then we have to go countermissionary of course.

P.S. Uhhh, Farm Bred, that's not true. There were grain offerings, and other offerings as well. Blood was NOT REQUIRED for the remission of sins, in fact the only time blood was used was for unintentional sins. Prayer was also used, to ask forgiveness directly from God, with no intermediary as is still done today.

And P.S.S. It was never, ever human blood. This is idolatry and an abomination. This is the sort of thing that Judaism moved away from in society when Abraham founded the religion. Christianity brought it right back in for itself with human sacrifice for sin. Judaism has never had this for the role of the Messiah. He lives a long life, he is not killed.

P.S.S.S. No, Christians shouldn't "continue" to keep the law, as non-Jews were never bound by the laws in the Torah in the first place, except for the 7 Universal (Noahide) Laws, which they are STILL bound by. None of the other laws were they ever under. For the 7 Universal Noahide Laws that non-Jews are to follow, please see http://www.noahide.org

Answer 7

The Law of Moses said that there MUST be a blood sacrifice for the remission of sins. Christ fulfilled that law by taking our sins upon Himself and becoming our sacrifice. The blood debt is now paid and we can enter into heaven covered in His righteousness.

Answer 8

Christ fulfilled the Law by obeying it perfectly.

Answer 9

I have so wondered this!

Why couldn't He fulfill the one about skateboarding downtown?

Answer 10

By faith.

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.