Filled Full
Jesus fills the Old Testament Law and Prophets with meaning and purpose
Consider this scenario: A young adult announces to their parents that they no longer feel bound by the family rules they grew up with. Before the parents can respond in alarm, however, the child continues: "But I'm not rejecting what you taught me. I've finally understood what you were trying to accomplish all along, and now I want to live it out from the heart."
This scenario captures the essence of what occurred when Jesus declared to the crowds on a Galilean hillside: "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" (Matthew 5:17).
The religious establishment interpreted Jesus's actions as an attack on everything they held sacred. Yet Jesus was not the rebellious child dismantling tradition—He was about to open them up into all their fullness.
Let's look at the words of Jesus as recorded by Matthew:
17 “Don’t suppose that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy them; I came to fulfill them! 18 I’m telling you the truth: until heaven and earth disappear, not one stroke, not one dot, is going to disappear from the law, until it’s all come true. 19 So anyone who relaxes a single one of these commandments, even the little ones, and teaches that to people, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But anyone who does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 “Yes, let me tell you: unless your covenant behavior is far superior to that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get in to the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthe 5:17-20, NTFE)
The Fundamental Misunderstanding
Contemporary Christianity has often constructed a false dichotomy between the Old and New Testaments, portraying the former as legalistic burden and the latter as liberating grace. This interpretation, however, fundamentally misrepresents Jesus's actual message.
Rather than discarding the Torah, Jesus was demonstrating what it had always been designed to accomplish. The Law was never intended as an end in itself, but as a means toward a greater purpose: the formation of character and the cultivation of love.
When teenagers learn to drive, they begin with a test over a traffic rulebook – an exhaustive lists of rules and procedures--which they study in order to pass the first hurdle to becoming a driver. The ultimate goal, however, is not to simply memorize the traffic rules, but to become a safe, responsible, and effective driver.
As author Charles Duhigg observes in The Power of Habit, "The goal of any driving lesson isn't to teach someone to think about driving—it's to make good driving automatic." The rules exist to shape instincts and character until safe, wise driving becomes second nature.
In the same ways, the Law and Prophets in the Old Testament were not created as an end unto themselves and were never meant to create people perpetual rule-followers, but to shape a people whose hearts would naturally align with God's character. This does not mean that the rules are unimportant or that they can simply be dismissed as irrelevant. The goal, though, is to move from external compliance to internal transformation.
The Historical Context Jesus Addressed
First-century Israel was embroiled in intense debate over how to faithfully apply ancient commands in a radically different cultural context. The Torah, given over a millennium earlier to a tribal, agricultural society, now had to be interpreted for a people living under Roman occupation in an increasingly cosmopolitan world.
This cultural shift had produced several competing approaches:
The Pharisees represented a conservative movement that sought to preserve faithfulness through meticulous observance, creating additional regulations to ensure no one could inadvertently violate the original commands.
The Sadducees, comprising the wealthy priestly class, had negotiated accommodations with Roman authorities and were more willing to adapt traditional requirements to contemporary realities.
The Scribes functioned as professional interpreters and copyists, focusing on academic precision while bearing little responsibility for practical community leadership.
Each group was grappling with the same fundamental question: "What does faithfulness to God's covenant look like in circumstances vastly different from those in which it was originally given?"
This question remains relevant today as we navigate how to apply biblical principles to contemporary challenges involving technology, social structures, and cultural change.
Jesus's Systematic Response
Jesus addressed these concerns through a carefully structured argument that both reassured and challenged his audience.
1. Clarification of Purpose
When Jesus declared His intention to "fulfill" rather than "abolish" the Law, He employed precise theological terminology. In first-century Jewish discourse, a teacher "fulfilled" the Law by interpreting it correctly and demonstrating its proper application, while one "abolished" it through misinterpretation or by encouraging disregard for its authority.
Jesus was asserting that previous interpretations had missed the mark, and He had come to reveal the Law's authentic meaning and purpose.
2. Affirmation of Scripture's Enduring Value
Jesus then made a remarkable statement about the permanence of God's Word: "Until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished."
This reference to the smallest elements of Hebrew script emphasized the precision and care with which God communicates. Far from promoting legalism, Jesus was asserting that if God attends to such minute details, every aspect of His revelation serves a significant purpose.
3. Recognition of Hierarchical Structure
Jesus acknowledged the existence of both "least" and "greatest" commandments while maintaining that all possess value and relevance. He emphasized that greatness in God's Kingdom requires both personal adherence to these principles and the teaching of others.
This approach recognized the legitimate need for interpretation and application while maintaining respect for the entirety of God's revelation. As theologian Timothy Keller notes, "We don't obey God to be loved, but because we are loved."
4. The Call for Transformed Righteousness
Perhaps most startling was Jesus's declaration: "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
This statement would have shocked His audience, as these groups represented the pinnacle of religious dedication in their society. However, Jesus was not advocating for more rigorous rule-following, but for a fundamental transformation that would produce righteousness naturally rather than through forced compliance.
The Heart of Jesus's Teaching
The key to understanding Jesus's approach appears later in Matthew's Gospel when a legal expert inquired about the greatest commandment. Jesus responded by citing two fundamental principles from the Torah:
- "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Deuteronomy 6:5)
- "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18)
Jesus then provided the interpretive framework: "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:40).
This response revealed that every biblical command ultimately serves to cultivate love—love for God and love for neighbor. Rather than adding complexity, Jesus was revealing the elegant simplicity underlying all of Scripture.
A Contemporary Illustration
This principle becomes clearer through personal experience. Consider adult children who continue to visit their aging parents not from obligation or social pressure, but from genuine affection and concern. Their behavior reflects the fulfillment of the commandment to honor father and mother, yet it flows from internal motivation rather than external compulsion.
Similarly, when believers experience authentic transformation, obedience to God's commands becomes an expression of love rather than a burden to bear. As author Brennan Manning observed, "Jesus did not come to make God's love possible, but to make God's love visible."
Implications for Contemporary Faith
Jesus's teaching suggests that the goal of Christian discipleship is not more rigorous rule-following, but the kind of heart transformation that makes righteousness natural rather than forced.
This transformation occurs as believers come to understand the depth of God's love for them. When love becomes the primary motivation:
- Honesty emerges as a way of honoring relationships rather than merely avoiding consequences
- Generosity flows from grateful hearts rather than guilty consciences
- Forgiveness becomes an expression of grace received rather than duty performed
The Greater Vision
Jesus did not come to burden humanity with additional regulations, but to demonstrate what life looks like when it is motivated by love rather than obligation. The Pharisees had mastered external compliance but missed the heart transformation that the Law was designed to produce.
Jesus revealed that God's commands function not as arbitrary restrictions, but as wisdom for human flourishing. They serve as a blueprint for the kind of life and community that reflects God's character and brings genuine fulfillment.
Understanding this distinction transforms how we approach Scripture. Rather than viewing biblical commands as burdens to bear, we can recognize them as invitations into the abundant life that God intends for His people.
Conclusion
The fulfillment of God's Law occurs not through perfect adherence to every regulation, but through hearts so transformed by divine love that righteousness flows naturally from our character. This represents a far more demanding standard than external compliance, yet paradoxically, it proves to be the path of true freedom and joy.
In this light, Jesus's declaration takes on new meaning: He came not to abolish the Law, but to accomplish what it had always been designed to achieve—the formation of people whose lives reflect the heart and character of God.
Steven E Fairbanks
Steven E Fairbanks
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