Fulfilling the Law

Jason Martin

Jesus in the Gospels / Matthew 5:17–20

What are the ‘Law and the Prophets’?

Matthew 5:17 ESV

17 “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.

1. What does Jesus mean when He says ‘the Law and the Prophets’?

a. Near the end of this sermon is the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12

Matthew 7:12 ESV

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

a. John was the last prophet pointing ahead to Jesus - Matthew 11:13

Matthew 11:13 ESV

13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,

a. Love for God and neighbor summarizes them in Matthew 22:37-40

Matthew 22:37–40 ESV

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

a. Moses and all the Prophets testify about Jesus according to Luke 24:27

Luke 24:27 ESV

27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

a. What was written must be fulfilled according to Luke 24:44

Luke 24:44 ESV

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

The Law and the Prophets;

1. Refer broadly to the Hebrew Scriptures

2. Jesus teaches that love for God and man captures the intention of the law

What does Jesus mean by fulfill?

Jesus made 2 statements in Matthew 5:17;

1. Did not come to abolish

2. Did come to fulfill

Matthew has already been showing us a pattern of fulfillment in places like Matthew 1:22, 2:15, 17, 23

Matthew 1:22 ESV

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

Matthew 2:15 ESV

15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Matthew 2:17 ESV

17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

Matthew 2:23 ESV

23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

How does love relate to fulfilling the Law and Prophets? Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:13-14, James 2:8

Romans 13:8–10 ESV

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Galatians 5:13–14 ESV

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 2:8 ESV

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

Love is not a replacement for truth or obedience.

Our righteousness

Matthew 5:18–20 ESV

18 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. 19 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. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

• Jesus is extremely concerned about the Law, down to the smallest detail - Matthew 5:17

• Fulfillment is not permission to disregard God’s Word - Matthew 5:18-19

• These groups would have been seen as having the most righteousness - Matthew 5:20

• Then Jesus gives 6 examples of following the spirit of the Law

1. Murder and hate (Matthew 5:21-26)

2. Adultery and lust (Matthew 5:27-30)

3. Divorce and remarriage (Matthew 5:31-32)

4. Oaths and truth-telling (Matthew 5:33-37)

5. Retaliation and vengeance (Matthew 5:38-42)

6. Loving our enemies (Matthew 5:43-47)

Jesus finishes by saying what it looks like to fulfill the Law and Prophets in Matthew 5:48

Matthew 5:48 ESV

48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus is confronting inward sin, not just outward. The perfection is tied directly to love.

Kingdom Citizens

These are the ways that Jesus has described citizens of His Kingdom;

1. Blessed (in various ways)

2. Salt

3. Light

4. Perfect

Exported from Logos Bible Study, 1:04 PM October 16, 2026.