Jesus Came to Fulfill the Law
“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. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18)
The Lord Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. (Matthew 3:13-15)
God made His own perfect Son take on our sin so that we might have a restored relationship with God the Father. Paul tells us:
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
-Horatius Bonar
Jesus did not come into the world He created to present a new system that rivaled the Law. He came to fulfill the Law–perfectly! Perfect and fully obedient, Christ ushered in and established a kingdom that is in total agreement with the Old Testament Scriptures. He neither cancelled nor weakened the Law; He completed and transcended it.
The Savior sent from heaven to save the souls of men, destroyed nothing of the dictates from God or of Moses and the prophets. He lived a perfect life that He might be the perfect sacrifice, once and for all, for my sin and yours! He saved us that we might believe in Him and live our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to live supernatural lives propelled and guided by the Spirit. Undiscerning eyes who live only for what they see cannot comprehend God’s amazing plan.
Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law extends to the smallest letter– the “jot”–as well as the least stoke of a pen–the “tittle.” The “jot” corresponds to our dot above the letter “I,” and the “tittle” compares to the difference between a P and an R, simply a small angled line! This is important because letters make up words and even a slight change of a letter in a word can change its meaning. God’s Word does not change. Jesus did not come to change God’s Word, he came as the fulfillment of it.
-Matthew Henry
Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
(Psalm 119:89)All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.
(Psalm 119:160)“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
Take It to Heart
“There is only one real inevitability: it is necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled.”
(Carl F. H. Henry)