Fulfill

I believe that Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) is the most important passage on discipleship, or what it means to be a follower of Jesus and a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. There are a lot of important teachings on priorities and morality for those who are a part of His kingdom. One particular passage that has been hard for me to understand is Matt. 5:17-20. This passage sheds light on Jesus’ view of the Old Testament. The passage says,

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. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks 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 practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (NIV)

This passage has to me always sounded like Jesus was highly concerned with keeping the Law and encourages all his followers to do the same. I mean, in a legalistic way. If this is true, then it would be contradictory to his teachings in other places, even in the Sermon on the Mount.

Being a reader of the NIV, it has been hard for me to understand this passage for two reasons. First, they mistranslate the end of verse 18 which says, “until everything is accomplished.” This makes it sound as if a major emphasis of Jesus teaching is about keeping laws. But, the passage should more accurately read, “until what it looks forward to arrives.” I get this translation from R.T. France. The correct sentiment of the verse is that the law and prophets will not disappear until the whole thing finds its fulfillment, or full meaning, in Jesus. So, an important role of the Old Testament is to point toward the coming of Jesus and his saving work. Well, that makes more sense.

Second, they mistranslate the word “breaks” at the beginning of verse 19. This makes the verse sound like Jesus is teaching his disciples to be legalistic keepers of the law that are not to break any commands. R.T. France says that the word should be more accurately translated, “place aside” or “reject.” Christians are to accept and love the Old Testament and are not to reject any of it. Jesus was not talking about keeping the law like the Pharisees. Instead he wanted his followers to accept the Old Testament and see Jesus as fulfilling it.

Jesus even mentions the Pharisees in a negative way in verse 20. Jesus wants his followers not to follow the Pharisees example of literal obedience but instead he wants righteousness. Jesus wants a character that strives for moral obedience more than legalistic observance. The way of the Kingdom is about doing right not about keeping the right rules. Sometimes doing the right thing will go against established religious, political, social, or cultural rules.

So, the Old Testament is to serve the church as it points to Jesus. We learn from its stories, laws, and messages but find its full meaning in Jesus. It serves the Kingdom as its citizens strive to live in all righteousness.