One of the most contested and often misunderstood teachings of Jesus is His statement in Matthew 5:17-20:

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (NASB)

This verse has stirred theological debate for centuries. What does it mean for Jesus to “fulfill” the Law? Does this mean we must keep all of the Old Testament commandments, or did Jesus redefine the Law for His followers? Let’s unpack Jesus’ teaching, using both Scripture and theological insight.

Fulfillment, Not Abolition (Matthew 5:17–20)

Jesus’ use of the Greek word plēroō (“fulfill”) does not mean “continuing to keep” the Mosaic Law in every detail. Instead, it means bringing to full expression or intended completion. Matthew’s Gospel gives multiple examples:

  • Matthew 1:22–23 refers to Isaiah’s prophecy being fulfilled when Jesus is born of a virgin.

  • Matthew 2:15 says that Jesus’ journey to Egypt fulfilled Hosea 11:1: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

So when Jesus says He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, He means He came to complete what they anticipated and pointed toward. Scholar Craig Blomberg writes:

“Jesus fulfills the law by bringing it to its intended meaning and goal.”
— Blomberg, “Matthew,” New American Commentary

This includes fulfilling the prophetic expectations, the types and shadows in rituals, and even the moral imperatives, clarifying their true intention.

How Did Jesus Fulfill the Law?

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus repeatedly contrasts common interpretations of the Law with His authoritative teaching:

  • “You have heard… but I say to you” (cf. Matt. 5:21–48).

He does not nullify the commands against murder or adultery but deepens them. Anger, lust, false vows—Jesus addresses the heart behind the Law. Jesus fulfills the Law by:

  • Accomplishing the prophetic expectations (e.g., Isaiah 7:14; Hosea 11:1),

  • Living in perfect obedience (Hebrews 4:15),

  • Clarifying its true ethical demand (Matthew 5–7),

  • Becoming its fulfillment (Romans 10:4 – “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness…”).

As D.A. Carson puts it:

“Jesus fulfills the OT law and prophets by bringing them to their intended climax in his own person and mission.”
— Carson, “Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World”

Jesus’ Commands Replace the Mosaic Code

By the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus makes clear that His words are now the new standard:

“Teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20)

It’s no longer obedience to Moses’ Law that defines God’s people, but obedience to Christ. This is confirmed in Matthew 7:24–27, where Jesus compares the wise person to the one who hears His words and puts them into practice. Moreover, Jesus warns that those who practice lawlessness (Greek: anomia, absence of law) will be rejected (Matthew 7:21–23). What law is in view? Not the Mosaic Law, but His teachings. His law is now authoritative.

The Law of Christ vs. the Law of Moses

The Apostle Paul makes this distinction sharply:

“…to those under the Law [I became] as under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might win those under the Law… though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ…”
— 1 Corinthians 9:20–21

This indicates that Paul no longer considered himself bound by the Mosaic Law but was now bound by the Law of Christ, i.e., Jesus’ teachings and commands (cf. Galatians 6:2).

What About the Ten Commandments and the Sabbath?

Some commands, like honoring one’s parents, are repeated in the New Testament:

“Honor your father and mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise…
— Ephesians 6:2

Others, like the Sabbath, are not explicitly repeated as binding. In fact, the New Testament shows flexibility in its observance:

  • Romans 14:5–6: “One person regards one day above another… each must be fully convinced in his mind.”

  • Colossians 2:16–17: “Let no one act as your judge in regard to… a Sabbath day—things which are a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”

The Sabbath, like circumcision and food laws, is seen as a shadow—a type fulfilled in Christ, who is our proper rest (Hebrews 4:9–10).

The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) and the Law

At the first church council, the apostles addressed the question: Should Gentiles be circumcised and observe the Law of Moses? Their answer was no.

“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements…”
— Acts 15:28

Only specific moral and ethical commands were retained, not the ceremonial law. This decision further confirms that Jesus’ law, not Moses’, is the standard for believers.

Sexual Ethics and Assumed Morality

While not every moral law is restated verbatim in the New Testament, many are affirmed either explicitly (e.g., Romans 1:26–27 on homosexuality) or by assumption (e.g., bestiality, incest—Leviticus 18, 20).

“Whatever in the Mosaic Law remains binding is reaffirmed—either directly or by inference—by Jesus or the apostles.”
— Thomas Schreiner, “40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law”

Jesus Is the True Torah

Perhaps most radically, Paul identifies Jesus Himself as the true Torah. In Romans 10:6–8, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 30:11–14, which initially referred to the accessibility of the Law, and applies it to Christ:

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. (Romans 10:8–9)

Paul applies the language of Torah to Christ. The righteousness of God is no longer found in Moses’ Law but in the Messiah Himself.

The Servant Will Bring a New Law (Isaiah 42)

Isaiah foretold a day when the Servant of the Lord would bring forth a new law for the nations:

“The coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.” (Isaiah 42:4)

The Hebrew word for law here is Torah. Matthew confirms that Jesus is this Servant (Matthew 12:17–21). Therefore, Jesus’ own Torah is now the law for Jews and Gentiles alike.

The Law in Our Hearts: A Work of the Spirit

God promised to write the law on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26–27). But this does not mean we innately know what to do; rather, the Spirit empowers us to live according to Jesus’ commands. We must still be taught:

“Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” (Matthew 28:20)
“All Scripture is God-breathed… so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped…” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

The Spirit gives us the desire and power to obey (Philippians 2:13), and the Word instructs our minds.

Conclusion: Jesus Is Our Torah

The Law was a shadow; Christ is the reality (Colossians 2:17). He didn’t come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill its every type, prophecy, and moral demand. As the Servant of the Lord, He brings forth a new Torah, not written on stone, but inscribed by the Spirit on our hearts. The commands that remain are those He reaffirmed and reinterpreted. Christians today are not lawless but live under the law of Christ, with Jesus Himself as our standard.

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