“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. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:17-20)
What does Jesus means when He states that He has come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, to fulfill the Word of God? One way we understand this teaching is as a reference to His suffering and death on the cross. Jesus came to fulfill the Law on our behalf, to be our perfect sacrifice for sin. He was the only one who was able to fulfill the Law by His life, death and resurrection because He uniquely is both divine and human.
Jesus’ words have a further meaning. Jesus came to teach the truth about God by expounding upon His Word. He came to bring to the Jews the truth, the authoritative meaning and essence of God’s Law. This was necessary because the scribes and Pharisees had co-opted the Law. They had made God’s Law a law of legalistic rules and regulations that were to be interpreted and followed to the letter. They believed that scrupulous adherence to every rule and nuance of the Law, as they interpreted it, was essential to righteousness. They had removed God’s mercy and loving kindness and made the Law an unbearable burden, not a guide to righteousness.
Jesus had all authority to interpret the Law of God for He is the Word of God. All that God has to say to us regarding our relationship with Him and His provision for salvation and eternal life is summed up in Him. What Jesus taught was not a matter of following rules and doing good deeds. He taught that what really mattered was the attitude of the heart. Jesus tells us is that what a person thinks is what is important. That is why the one who entertains lustful thoughts is just as sinful as the one who commits the physical act of adultery or fornication. The one who is merely angry with another is just as sinful as the murderer or the one who is abusive and violent. What Jesus was saying was that it is impossible for any human being to fulfill the law of God to the perfect degree He desires. That should give everyone of us cause to repent for no one can achieve righteousness or heaven on their own. The good news is this: Jesus came to fulfill the Law of God for us. Only by faith in His finished work can we admit defeat, repent, and surrender to Him. He alone can make us holy.