Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."
Matthew 5:18
"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
Matthew 5:20
"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."
Some people thought Jesus came to throw away the Old Testament laws. But Jesus makes it clear: He came to fulfill them—to complete their deepest purpose. Every law in the Old Testament was pointing to Jesus. He perfectly obeyed every command that we could never fully keep. The religious leaders of Jesus' day appeared very righteous on the outside, but their hearts were far from God. Jesus says our righteousness must go deeper than theirs. This is not about trying harder to follow rules. It is about receiving a new heart through faith in Christ. Jesus kept the law perfectly for us, and through Him, God sees us as righteous.
When you read the Old Testament, look for how it points to Jesus. Remember that your right standing before God is not based on your own efforts to be good enough, but on what Jesus has done for you. Let this truth fill you with gratitude and motivate you to live in a way that honors Him—not out of fear, but out of love.
What does it mean that Jesus came to "fulfill" the law, not to destroy it?
How is the righteousness Jesus offers different from just following rules?
How does knowing Jesus fulfilled the law for you change the way you live?