Destroy or Fulfill?

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come; it isn’t to cancel the laws of Moses and the warnings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them and to make them all come true. With all the earnestness I have, I say; every law in the Book will continue until its purpose is achieved.” (Matt 5:17-18)

Then he said, “When I was with you before, don’t you remember my telling you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true?” (Luke 24:44)

Question; Did Christ come to destroy the Law of Moses or did he come to fulfill it? Answer; Christ fulfilled the righteousness of the Law. He lived it perfectly in his own most holy life. He did not loosen down; dissolve; or undo the OT Law.

The prophets kept telling us through out the OT that someone is coming; and he came; in the person of Jesus. (John 3:16) Instead of setting aside the prophets; he fulfilled their prophecies in all the circumstances of his earthly life; his death; burial; resurrection and ascension. He fulfilled the doctrine of the OT Law; bringing out as he did the deep spiritual meaning of its teaching. (Luke 24:47) “Christ is the End of the Law for righteousness to every one that believes.” (Rom 10:4) Christ fulfilled the OT Law and brought salvation from sins by offering his body and blood on the cross; salvation is by grace; not by trying to keep the Law. If we try to be justified by the Law; we have fallen from grace. (Gal 5:4)

Jesus affirms that heaven and earth will not pass away; not one jot or tittle will pass from the Law until all things are accomplished. (Mat 5:18) The OT Law lasted until the new order of things was brought into force; the prophets stood until their predictions became history. (Acts 2) Jesus was saying that all would remain in full force until it accomplished everything that God intended it to accomplish. It did just that!

Christ fulfilled the OT Law which was given by God to Moses for the Jews. Christ then proclaimed a new covenant for all peoples of the earth. The NT covenant could never have been in force without; or before; the death of Jesus. (Heb 9:16-17; Mat 26:27-29) His last words from the cross were “It is finished.” (John 19:28-30) At the hour of his death the sun darkened for three hours; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. The old was out; the new was in; if he rose from the gave; did he rise? You know that he did!