PREGUNTA BÍBLICA
Did Jesus come to abolish the Law?
Jesus did not come to cancel the Law; He came to bring it to its intended completion, exposing its deeper demands and fulfilling its purpose in His own life and teaching.
Respuesta
To "fulfill" (plēroō) the Law means to bring it to fullness, not to delete it. Jesus explicitly insists that not the smallest letter or stroke of the Law will pass away until everything it points to is accomplished (Matthew 5:18). He then illustrates this by going deeper than the surface commands: anger is the seed of murder, lust the seed of adultery, and love must extend even to enemies (Matthew 5:21-44). In each case the original command is not abolished but radicalized—its true intention is brought to light.
He also fulfills the Law personally. Throughout Matthew, Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are presented as the realization of what the Law and Prophets pointed toward (Matthew 1:22-23; 26:54-56). The Sermon on the Mount shows the kind of righteousness the Law always aimed at—a righteousness of the heart that must exceed the external obedience of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20).
For disciples, this means the Law remains authoritative and must be taught and obeyed (Matthew 5:19), but obedience is no longer reduced to rule-keeping. It is now grounded in union with Christ, who alone perfectly keeps the Law, and in the work of the Spirit that enables believers to walk as He walked.
Contexto
Matthew 5 opens the Sermon on the Mount. After the Beatitudes and the call to be salt and light, Jesus anticipates a likely misunderstanding: that His Kingdom teaching sets aside the Old Testament. Matthew 5:17-20 serves as the hinge of the sermon, clarifying His stance toward Scripture before He gives six examples (5:21-48) of how His teaching penetrates beyond the letter of the Law.
The audience would have known debates between Pharisaic legalism and other Jewish movements. By saying He came to "fulfill," Jesus positions Himself within the story of Israel, not against it—as the One in whom the Law finds its goal.
Escrituras relacionadas
- Matthew 5:17 Jesus' own summary statement: He explicitly contrasts "destroy" (kataluō) with "fulfill" (plēroō), making clear that His mission affirms every part of the Old Testament while completing what it anticipates.
Preguntas frecuentes
Does "fulfill" mean Jesus only obeyed the Law for us?
Personal obedience is part of it, but it is not all. Matthew 5:17-48 shows Jesus also filling the Law with fuller meaning—exposing its heart-level demands and embodying the righteousness the Law always aimed at.
Are Christians free to ignore the Old Testament Law today?
No. Jesus said not one stroke of the Law will pass away (Matthew 5:18) and warned against setting aside even the smallest commandment (Matthew 5:19). The Law remains Scripture; its ceremonial aspects find their goal in Christ, but its moral commands continue to guide and shape disciples.
What does it mean that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20)?
The Pharisees focused on external compliance. Jesus calls for an inward righteousness—a transformed heart—that flows from trusting Him. This is the righteousness the Law itself was always seeking, now made possible through the One who fulfills it.