Fulfilling the law reminds us of Jesus’ words about fulfilling, not abolishing, in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Jesus gave this Sermon soon after He arrived on the public scene. Like John the Baptizer, Jesus came with a new message. “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 4:17). Like John, Jesus would often clash with the Pharisees, who had set themselves up as the strictest keepers of the law. Many people would take these clashes to mean that Jesus was against the law. So, near the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus clarified His mission regarding the Old Testament Scriptures (often called “the Law and the Prophets”). He also clarified His position compared to the Pharisees and other religious leaders (Matthew 5:20).
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. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 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. (Matthew 5:17-19)
In view of all we’ve learned, we should pay closer attention to Jesus’ choice of words. In Matthew 5:17, the Greek word for “abolish” is kataluo. Kata means down. Luo means to loose. So, this literally means “loose down.” In English we might say, “tear down” or “pull down.” One literal translation says, “Do not suppose that I came to throw down the law or the prophets….” An older English translation, the King James Version, translates it, “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”