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Explanation for:
Matthew
5
:
17
Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
13
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"In order to accomplish what had been prophesied by previous seers, or to perfect through His teaching what was once flawed and incomplete due to human frailty, He eradicates wrath completely and prohibits retaliation such as an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and even desires that dwell in the mind."},{"author-name":"Anonymous Commentary (Opus Imperfectum)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He asserts His mission as one of fulfillment rather than destruction of the law for two key reasons. Firstly, He aims to encourage His disciples, who are to be enriched with all virtues as previously taught, to emulate His path. Just as He has accomplished the entirety of the law, so too should they strive to adhere to every aspect of it, down to the smallest details. Secondly, He anticipates criticism from the Jews who might accuse Him of violating the law due to His actions on the Sabbath and His interaction with a leper. In response to these potential accusations, He states, “Think not that I am come to break the law or the prophets: I am not come to break it, but to fulfil it.” The law and the prophets hold significance in two ways: they prefigure Christ and they lay down the principles of life, which Christ has successfully embodied."},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Addressing the scribes and Pharisees who sought grounds to accuse Him, He stated, \\"I did not come to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them.\\" Fulfillment implies the existence of a lack. The nature of that fulfillment is revealed when He proclaims, \\"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all that is written of Me shall be fulfilled\\" (cf. Luke 18:31). Regarding the shortcomings, He remarked, \\"the old things have passed away\\" (2 Cor. 5:17)."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"But who has pondered this? Who has laid such an accusation upon Him and summoned Him to respond? The words He uttered certainly did not provoke such a thought; His teachings—to embody humility, gentleness, mercy, purity of heart, and to pursue righteousness—indicate quite the opposite. What, then, was the purpose of His pronouncement? Surely, it was not without intent or reason. He aimed to present commandments of a higher order than those of old, which becomes clear from His assertion: “Hear ye, how it was said unto the ancients, Thou shalt not kill; but I say unto you, Be not angry.” With this, He prepared the pathway toward a divine and heavenly way of living, cautioning them by stating, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets.” The Jews, despite their daily transgressions against the law, held it in high regard and desired the Scriptures to remain untouched, fearing any modifications. However, they adhered rigidly to extraneous rules established by their leaders, which were detrimental rather than beneficial. These additions even marred the reverence owed to parents and corrupted numerous other obligations. Thus, recognizing that He did not hail from a priestly lineage and that His intended introductions constituted additions—ones that would elevate rather than diminish virtue—Christ anticipated the confusion such concepts might cause. Therefore, prior to sharing His profound commandments, He addressed their potential doubts. \\n\\nWhat doubts could they harbor? They might have thought that Christ’s declarations aimed to abolish the ancient laws. He diligently alleviates this suspicion, not only in this instance but on various occasions. When the Jews regarded Him as an adversary to God for breaking the Sabbath, He defended Himself by invoking His status as the Son of God, asserting, “My Father doeth, and I do also” (John 5:17). In other moments, He took a humble approach, demonstrating the allowance to break the law for the sake of saving a sheep perishing on the Sabbath, and acknowledging that circumcision was performed on that day as well (Matthew 12:11, 12). Thus, He often spoke with humility to counter their belief that He acted contrary to God’s will. When calling Lazarus from the tomb, He turned to God in prayer, despite having previously raised the dead with merely a command (John 11:41). To prevent any misinterpretation of His relationship to the Father, He indicated, “For the sake of the people standing around, I have spoken these things, that they may believe, because You sent Me” (John 11:42). His actions and prayers were not indiscriminate; rather, they were carried out with divine wisdom. In executing significant miracles, He acted as the supreme authority, while in lesser matters, He looked heavenward. For instance, He forgave sins, revealed mysteries, opened Paradise, cast out demons, cured lepers, conquered death, and raised the dead through direct commands. However, when multiplying loaves—an act of lesser import—He lifted His gaze to the heavens. His actions were not born out of weakness; for if He could accomplish the greater, why would He need to pray for the lesser? Clearly, He sought to temper the arrogance of the Jews. \\n\\nConsider this when interpreting His humble speech. He acted and spoke in humility for multiple reasons: to ensure they understood He acted according to the will of God, to bring teaching and healing to everyone, to model humility, to affirm His humanity, and to acknowledge the gradual nature of the Jews’ comprehension. Thus, He often expressed lowliness regarding Himself, leaving it to others to proclaim His greatness. For example, He told the Jews, “Before even Abraham was not, I am” (John 8:58), and His disciple stated, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word” (John 1:1). Furthermore, He never directly claimed to have created the heavens, the earth, and all visible and invisible things; His disciples, however, boldly affirmed these truths, repeatedly stating, “All things were made by Him, and without Him nothing was made;” and “in the world was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:3, 10). Is it surprising that others might speak of Him more boldly than He did, especially when He demonstrated His authority through His actions? His healing of the blind man clearly evidenced His creation of humanity, while when referring to the beginning, He did not say, “I created,” but rather, “He who created male and female, I created” (Matthew 19:4). Similarly, His authority over creation was demonstrated in catching fish, turning water into wine, multiplying loaves, calming storms, radiating light on the cross, and performing many other miracles; though He seldom expressed these truths outright, His disciples—John, Paul, and Peter—testify repeatedly to them. If these disciples, who were witnesses to His daily teachings and miracles, possessed such virtue and understanding yet struggled to grasp everything before receiving the Holy Spirit, how could the Jews—lacking such understanding and virtue—come to realize His alignment with the will of the Almighty God, had Christ not shown His humility? \\n\\nFor this reason, when He broke the Sabbath, He did not abruptly introduce a new law, but provided a multitude of reasons beforehand. If His intention had been to erase even a single commandment, He would have articulated such changes with care to avoid alarming His hearers. Thus, when adding an entirely new law to the old, He surely needed to prepare them, addressing their needs and conditions to prevent aggravation. Consequently, He refrained from openly declaring His divinity everywhere; if His modifications to the law caused disquiet, they would have been even more unsettled had He directly announced Himself as God. Hence, He spoke many things that appeared beneath His divine dignity. With this intent, He approached the fulfillment of the law with caution, reiterating, “Do not imagine that I am come to destroy,” and further stating, “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” These assertions not only silence the audacity of the Jews but also counter the claims of heretics who argue that the old law originated from evil. Indeed, if Christ came to vanquish the power of evil, how could He both not destroy it and yet fulfill it? He asserted, “I will not destroy,” which alone would suffice; yet He also added, “I will fulfill,” illustrating that He neither opposed nor dismissed the law, but rather endorsed it.\\n\\nYou may wonder how He did not violate the law. How did He fulfill the law and the prophets? He fulfilled the prophets by validating through His actions everything they prophesied about Him; thus, the evangelist frequently notes, “Let what was spoken by the prophet be fulfilled.” This was evident when He was born, when young men sang His praises, and when He rode upon a colt. In numerous instances, He brought prophecies to fruition, which would have remained unfulfilled had He not come into the world. He fulfilled the law in various ways: first, He committed no transgression against it. To confirm that He upheld all righteousness, listen to His words to John: “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way” (Matthew 3:15). He challenged the Jews, asking, “Who among you reproaches Me for sin?” (John 8:46) and told His disciples, “The prince of this world is coming, and in Me he finds nothing” (John 14:30). The prophet foretold that He would not commit sin (Isaiah 53:9). This establishes the first way He fulfilled the law. \\n\\nSecondly, He fulfilled the law on our behalf. It is remarkable that He not only fulfilled the law personally but also granted us the capability to fulfill it, as Paul elaborates: “the end of the law is Christ in righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4), and “He condemned sin in the flesh, that the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh” (Romans 8:3, 4). Additionally, “Is the law to be destroyed by faith? Let it not be, but let us establish the law” (Romans 3:31). The purpose of the law was to render man righteous, which it could not accomplish, but the Lord fulfilled this through His coming to earth, establishing the model of justification by faith. What the law failed to achieve through written codes, Christ accomplished through faith; thus, He states, “I come not to destroy the law.” Furthermore, upon careful examination, one will uncover a third manner by which He fulfills the law. How so? By instituting the new law that Christ intended to deliver. Indeed, His teachings did not negate the old law but rather elevated and enriched it. For example, the commandment “Thou shalt not murder” is not nullified by the directive “Thou shalt not be angry”—rather, the latter amplifies and reinforces the former. The same could be said for all the others. As Christ scattered the first seeds of His new doctrine, He did not draw any suspicion upon Himself. Yet upon beginning to draw comparisons between the old and the new law, the possibility of accusations of contradiction grew; this is why He declared beforehand, “I come not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.” The commandments He proposed were already founded on prior teachings. Thus, for instance, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” corresponds to the command against anger; “Blessed are the pure in heart” aligns with the admonition against lustful gazes; the commandment against hoarding earthly treasures relates to “Blessed are the merciful.” Mourning, persecution, and reviling resonate with the exhortation to enter by the narrow gate; yearning for righteousness harmonizes with the principle expressed, “If you want anything, let men do it to you, and you do it to them” (Matthew 7:12). \\n\\nWhen Christ favors the peacemaker, He echoes the command to leave a gift at the altar and seek reconciliation with an offended brother or adversary. The distinction here lies in the fact that He promises rewards for obedience while warning that transgressors will face repercussions. He asserts that the meek shall inherit the earth; and warns that anyone who labels their brother a fool is subject to hellfire. He promises that the pure in heart shall see God, while stating that a person who looks at their spouse with impure intentions is a true adulterer. He calls peacemakers the sons of God, whereas He cautions the unpeaceful to beware of the judge. He bestows blessings upon those who mourn and face persecution, affirming that those who do not follow this path face destruction, declaring, “those who walk the broad way perish.” The statement “Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24) seems similar to, “Blessed are the merciful” and “thirsting for righteousness.” As noted above, the Lord intended not only to clarify prior pronouncements, but also to augment them. For instance, He commands mercy not merely as abstaining from harm but instructs to also turn the other cheek to one who is about to be struck. To underscore the absence of contradictions, He reiterates, “I came not to destroy the law,” and repeats it multiple times: “Do not imagine that I am come to destroy; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” \\n\\nThere are commandments inscribed that endure to this day, and if some are set aside, it is only because they have been transformed—not to worse, but to better. The commandment “Thou shalt not murder” is not abolished but rather reinforced; similarly, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” remains, only now with heightened significance. Therefore, the Lord proclaimed, “Think not that I am come to break the law or the prophets: I am not come to break it, but to fulfill it.” Truly, he who does not harbor anger is even less likely to commit murder; he who refrains from lustful gazes is further removed from adultery. The law possesses an extraordinary advantage of being eternal, preserved—both the law of nature, the natural law, the law of the old covenant, and the law of the new covenant. This is why the Lord declared, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35), emphasizing their permanence. What the will of God has established will endure forever, and nothing can shake them."},{"author-name":"Chromatius of Aquileia","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a3df6d7a747a33b4f4a_Chromatius%20of%20Aquileia.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"The Son of God, the Author of the law and the prophets, did not come to annul the law or the prophets. He Himself established the law through Moses and inspired the prophets with the Holy Spirit to announce what was to come: I did not come to annul, but to fulfill it. He fulfilled the law and the prophets by accomplishing all that had been foretold concerning Him within the law and by the prophets. Therefore, as He was on the cross, after tasting the vinegar that was offered to Him, He declared: It is fulfilled! (John 19:30) - clearly signaling that everything written about Him in the law and the prophets had come to fruition, even in His act of drinking vinegar. He fully realized the law by completing the sacramental observance of the Passover, symbolically represented by His sufferings. Thus, the apostle proclaims, For our Passover, Christ, was slain for us (1 Cor. 5:7). \\n\\nThen He proclaimed: Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:19). If it is sinful to disregard the slightest commandment, it is even more grievous to violate the greatest ones. Therefore, through Solomon, the Holy Spirit affirms this truth, stating, He that makes little of small matters shall gradually face destruction (Sir. 19:1). Thus, it is impossible to disregard or diminish anything from the divine commandments; instead, it is essential to uphold and instruct all with genuine faith in the heart, to avoid losing the glory of the kingdom of heaven. What may seem trivial and inconsequential to the faithless and worldly is not so to God, but profoundly significant. Those who enact and teach these commandments will be regarded as great in the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, it is vital to act not just through words, but also in actions; to teach, and also to practice what is taught."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"To establish new principles and dispel any notion that He was opposed to God, He preemptively addresses potential doubts by stating, “I came not to break the law, but to fulfill it.” In what manner did He fulfill it? Primarily, by accomplishing everything predicted about Him by the prophets, which is why the evangelist frequently notes, “that the things spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled.” He adhered to all the commandments of Scripture, for there was no wrongdoing in Him, nor was there deceit in His speech. Additionally, He fulfilled the Law by providing what it only hinted at, bringing its true meaning to light. While the Law instructs, “Thou shalt not kill,” this One teaches further, “And do not wrath in vain.” Just as an artist does not erase the original sketch but rather enhances it, so too did He bring fullness to the Law."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"He needed to affirm certain commandments, particularly those of greater importance in the Old Testament, declaring, ‘You have heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not murder; for whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I say to you that anyone who is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of judgment, etc. (Matt. 5:21, 22).’ He aimed to prepare the way for a divine and heavenly existence, preventing any misunderstanding that His validation of the new teachings would nullify the old, thus positioning Himself against God—this suspicion He addressed in advance. Let us explore how He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets. He satisfied the prophetic declarations by enacting all that they had anticipated about Him. Consequently, the evangelists often noted, ‘that what the prophet had spoken might be fulfilled.’ He completed the law by neither transgressing its commandments nor by fulfilling it in a deeper sense. To John, He remarked, ‘Thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness’ (Matthew 3:15). Moreover, He supplemented aspects that had been overlooked. This understanding clarifies the significance behind His words. While the law prohibits sinful actions, Christ forbids even the underlying roots of sin. Murder stems from sin, and its origin is anger; unless one addresses the root, the fruit will persist. The commandment against murder was incomplete; Christ perfected it by instructing us to restrain our anger. This principle applies similarly across other commandments. The ancient law was lacking because the people were hardened in heart and unable to endure a heavier load. Thus, He nurtured them like infants in virtue with elementary teachings while providing us, as skilled workers, more substantial instruction.\\n\\nWhy does Christ state in another instance, “My yoke is good, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30)? Because the burdens are alleviated by the rewards of effort and the promise of great benefits. While the law offered earthly rewards, Christ assures us of heavenly treasures. Furthermore, Christ did not abolish the ancient law but fulfilled it. It was not against the gospel but rather served as a precursor, a herald, a shadow, and a representation of it. With the arrival of the Gospel, the law was fulfilled and came to an end, just as night dissipates with the dawn, and a shadow disappears when light shines forth. The tutor must yield to the master. In another manner, Christ fulfilled the law by adhering to its commandments and rendered it complete by overshadowing the imperfect with the perfect. Therefore, the teachings of the Gospel are not opposed to the commandments of the Law but are instead in perfect alignment with them. The Law is the beginning, while the Gospel represents its culmination."},{"author-name":"Nicephoros (Theotokis)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8958407451968d9c204fb_Nicephoros%20(Theotokis).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":18,"exegesis-text":"After this, He taught His followers, declaring, ‘You have heard that it was said to the ancients, “You shall not murder; for whoever commits murder shall be liable to judgment. But I say to you, anyone who is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of judgment” (Matt. 5:21-22). To prevent His listeners from believing that He dismissed the Mosaic law or approved of anything contrary to it, He addressed them with these words: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). In this, He refers to the statutes of God as outlined in the Mosaic Pentateuch and acknowledges the prophetic messages concerning Himself. The Son of God did not invalidate or reject the law; instead, He completed it. All that the Prophets foretold about His conception, birth, miracles, preaching, suffering, resurrection, ascension, and His position at the right hand of the Father came to pass through Him.\\n\\nTo illustrate how He fulfilled rather than destroyed the Mosaic law, consider this analogy: a painter enhances the shadows of a canvas by adding vibrant flowers without altering the image itself. By illuminating and refining it, he fulfills and perfects the artwork. Similarly, the God-Man applied the doctrine of perfection to the deficiencies of the law, purifying, clarifying, and revealing the ultimate representation of God’s perfection; indeed, the law is complete and deserving of the all-perfect God. Evidence of this is found in specific examples: the Mosaic law commanded against murder, stating, “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13). The Israelites who emerged from the shadows of idolatrous Egypt possessed no law better than this; it served as a foundational step towards perfection and prepared hearts for the coming of Christ (Heb. 10:1). Yet, Jesus brought this law to its fullness, assigning accountability to those who experience unjust anger or harbor disdain against their neighbor (Galatians 3:23): “But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the council; but whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:22). This illustrates the fulfillment and perfection of the law.\\n\\nIn this way, Christ also realized what the law announced, presenting the reality of salvation instead of mere shadows and symbols; replacing physical circumcision with a circumcised heart free from wicked deeds; transforming a temporary priesthood into an eternal one according to the order of Melchizedek; and substituting bloody sacrifices of animals with the bloodless offering of His holy body. This is underscored by His assertion that He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, declaring, “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” (Matt. 5:18)."},{"author-name":"Ignatij (Briantchaninow)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ce37597540c9caa5df5_Ignatij%20(Briantchaninow).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Saviour of humanity, our Lord Jesus Christ, began His delivery of divine precepts by declaring, ‘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.’ In what manner did the Lord fulfill the law and the prophets? He completed the prophetic sacrifices by offering Himself as atonement for humanity; He transformed the shadows and symbols of the Old Testament into the grace and truth found in the New Testament; He met the prophetic expectations by bringing them to fruition; He supplemented the moral law with sublime commandments that, while the original law remained essential, were elevated by the loftiness of the new precepts.\\n\\nThe perspective of the Old Testament towards humanity can be likened to a spiritual last will concerning an inheritance, accompanied by an elaborate outline of the estate, including all requisite dimensions and calculations, along with maps of the land and blueprints of the structure. In contrast, the New Testament represents an introduction to claiming that inheritance. In the former, everything is laid out and illustrated on paper; in the latter, all is granted substantively and tangibly.\\n\\nWhat distinguishes the commandments of the Gospel from those of the Mosaic Law? The latter restricted fallen humanity from descending into a distinctly unnatural condition, yet they offered no means for restoring him to the original purity of creation. The Ten Commandments preserved within individuals the capacity to accept the Gospel’s commandments (John 3:21). The commandments of the Gospel elevate a person to a purity beyond that of creation: they establish the believer as a temple of God (Jn. 14:23); having transformed him into a temple, they uphold him in this gracious, supernatural existence (Jn. 15:10).\\n\\nThe holy Apostles Peter and Paul exemplified the true fulfillment of the Law of Moses, motivated by their profound love for God (Acts 10:14ff; Phil. 3:5, 6). Their unwavering direction and uprightness enabled them to believe in the Redeemer and serve as His apostles. Frequently, those most inclined to believe were obvious sinners, reduced by their transgressions to a state akin to that of beasts, yet they acknowledged their sins and committed to repentance. Conversely, those least inclined were the proud sinners who, in their arrogance, resembled demons, rejecting the awareness of their own sinfulness and the call to repentance (Matthew 21:31, 32).\\n\\nThe Lord referred to all His teachings, His entire Word, and all His pronouncements as commandments (John 14:21, 23). He proclaimed, ‘The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life’ (John 6:63). These words transform the carnal individual into a spiritual being, raise the dead, turn the descendant of the Old Adam into that of the New Adam, and elevate the natural son of man into the grace-filled son of God.\\n\\nThe commandment of the New Testament, which encompasses all other specific commandments, is the essence of the Gospel itself. The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near: repent, and have faith in the Gospel (Mk. 1:15)."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Do not assume. In order to illustrate the connection between His new commandments and the Old, the Lord reassuringly addresses the concerns of the Jewish community regarding the Law, so they do not mistakenly believe that by instituting new directives, He is undermining the divinely established Old Law. The term \\"Law or Prophets\\" refers primarily to the five books of Moses, and extends to the prophetic writings of the Old Testament, understood broadly to include all sacred texts authored by divinely inspired individuals. Thus, \\"Law and the prophets\\" encompasses the entirety of the Old Testament as the Word of God. To transgress means to disregard the will of God as articulated in His laws and through the prophets; it signifies undermining the law's authority over humanity. In addition, in relation to the prophets, it implies failing to achieve the fulfillment of their foretold messages. Therefore, to fulfill the law means to meet its requirements and directives, while fulfilling the prophets entails bringing to fruition what they proclaimed. Christ came to earth so that the complete Word of God found in the Old Testament could be realized, and so that the true essence and spirit of the law and the prophets could be made evident. \\"He fulfilled all things,\\" pertaining to both the Old Testament Law and the prophets, firstly by bringing to fruition all the declarations made about Him by the prophets. The Evangelist repeatedly notes, \\"Let the things spoken by this or that prophet be fulfilled.\\" He adhered to all aspects of the Law: for He committed no wrongdoing, and no deceit was found in His speech. Furthermore, He fulfilled the Law in such a way that He embodied its full essence, representing perfectly what the Law had only prefigured."},{"author-name":"Ivanov A.V.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88db13197efab881aa332_Ivanov%20A.V..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The fulfillment of the Law that Jesus Christ attributes to Himself contrasts with the belief that He violated it and can be viewed in two distinct ways. First, it signifies the completion and culmination of the Law, which finds its true essence in Christ; as stated, the end of the Law is Christ (Rom. 10:4 = Gal. 3:24). Similarly, the prophecies spoken by the prophets were meant to be realized in Him (Acts 3:21ff = Lk. 24:27). \\n\\nIn another perspective, fulfillment represents the realization of the true spirit of the Law, which, expressed through specific and restrictive commands, often went unnoticed by its adherents. This led them to focus solely on the letter of the Law, which stifled the spirit, while Christ revealed the life-giving essence of the Law; thus, He fulfilled and perfected it. This initial understanding of Law fulfillment clarifies why, with Christ's arrival, the ceremonial and civil laws ceased to hold relevance and emphasizes that salvation hinges not on meticulous adherence to the moral law but rather on faith, hope, and love. The various sacrifices and rituals were merely shadows of the forthcoming blessings and the Messiah's kingdom; upon His arrival, their significance diminished. However, the moral law, having shaped the character of the children of Israel and prepared them for the Messiah, was intended to be succeeded by a more perfect law founded on love towards God and one’s neighbor, coupled with faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. \\n\\nWhen viewed from the second perspective, the fulfillment of the Law elucidates the seemingly conflicting nature of the Law of Moses and the grace found in Jesus Christ, as well as the relationships between the Old and New Testaments. Even in the Old Testament, there existed a spirit of love towards God and one’s neighbor; yet, due to the temporal realities of the specific nation of Judah, this love often manifested through various particular laws. Consequently, the spirit of love was sometimes overshadowed by a strict adherence to righteousness, leading to hardened hearts. Jesus Christ revitalizes the spirit of love in the understanding and observance of the commandments, not by nullifying them but by liberating them from their lifeless literalism and constricted interpretations imposed by the scribes. \\n\\nThus, Christ represents the fulfillment, the richness, and the perfection of the Law. The minutiae of the Law must persist until all that has been prophesied about Him is accomplished. This does not imply that the Old Law cannot be abrogated or substituted, but rather, it cannot remain unfulfilled. The fulfillment encompasses the entirety of the Law of Moses, rendering any distinctions of greater and lesser commandments moot, as the Pharisees attempted to do (Matthew 23:23). In terms of fulfillment, there exists only the doer and the non-doer; whoever transgresses even a minor commandment undermines the entire Law and thereby disqualifies themselves from the Kingdom of God (James 2:10), where they are referred to by Christ as the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Righteousness is not to be gauged by the sheer number of commandments observed or their supposed significance but rather by the totality of their observance; only the Pharisees evaluated righteousness in such a manner (5:20). They categorized commandments into major and minor, concentrating on the initial commandments from the Decalogue or those which required or prohibited specific actions, such as the commandments regarding circumcision, the Sabbath, offerings, or forbidding acts like murder, adultery, and theft. In contrast, the minor commandments were those not included in the Decalogue or prohibitions that pertained to desires or words rather than actions, such as the command against boiling a young goat in its mother's milk, regulations concerning the threshing ox, slander against leaders and elders, or even coveting one's neighbor's spouse, and so forth."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"To prevent the Jews from believing that Christ, the Savior, was nullifying and dismantling the Mosaic Law through His new Covenant, He clearly expresses to them, ‘Think not that I am come to break the Law or the Prophets,’ and emphasizes further, ‘I am not come to break it, but to fulfil it.’ The Jews identified the Law with the five books authored by Moses, while the Prophets encompassed the remaining writings of the Old Testament, as these were inspired by the prophets. Therefore, the phrase \\"The Law and the Prophets\\" signifies all the sacred texts of the Old Testament. Essentially, the Lord conveys to the Jews that He not only does not abolish God's Law, but He fulfills it Himself; He neither contests it nor rejects it, but fully endorses and accepts it. The fulfillment of the prophecies was manifested in Christ’s life and works, aligning perfectly with what had been foretold about Him. Furthermore, He fulfilled the Law in several ways: first, by observing every command; He lived without sin, and there was no deceit found in His words (Isaiah 53:9). Second, He met all the standards of God’s righteousness on our behalf; the Law required righteousness from humanity, which they could not achieve on their own for justification before God. In contrast, Christ, the Savior, achieved this fulfillment and grants us justification through faith in Him. Third, He expanded on the Law's principles, instructing individuals to embrace not merely its letter, but its very essence. When one contrasts the New Covenant of the Gospel with the Old Covenant given to Moses, it becomes apparent that the latter served merely as a precursor to the former. The commandment of Moses states, “Thou shalt not kill,” while Christ urges, “Thou shalt not harbor unjust anger.” This comparison holds true across all commandments. Likewise, regarding the Old Testament sacrificial system, Christ, the Savior, fulfilled it in a manner unattainable by any high priest; He offered Himself as the supreme sacrifice for the sins of the entire world, thus rendering the Old Covenant sacrifices, which were but foreshadows of His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, obsolete and forever abolished."},{"author-name":"Philaret (Amphiteatrov)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896e9b7a2ebaf99e4620a_Philaret%20(Amphiteatrov).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After the Savior Christ encouraged His disciples to boldly proclaim His teachings and commandments, undeterred by the persecutions from both Jews and Gentiles, He referred to them as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This highlighted the profound significance of their ministry, as discussed in the previous discourse. He clarified to them, as well as to the large crowd gathered, the essential commandments of the Gospel that they and all future ministers of God's Word are to declare to the entire Church and indeed to all of humanity for their genuine salvation. Since the teachings of Jesus Christ differed greatly from those of the ancient prophets, there might have been a misconception that He was nullifying the teachings of the prophets and the laws handed down by God through Moses. To prevent any such misunderstanding, the Savior, who knows the heart, reassured them before presenting His commandments, saying, \\"Think not that I am come to destroy the words of the law and of the prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Heaven and earth shall pass away rather than an iota of one thing, or a single line of the law remain unfulfilled.\\" Indeed, heaven and earth will pass away (Mark 13:31), reflecting the unchanging nature of God's word; however, the words of the prophets and the law, as they originate from God Himself, are unwavering and must be fulfilled in every detail. It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single line of the law to become void (Luke 16:17). Because of the divine promise of the unchangeability of the Law and the Prophets, our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled them precisely. He completed the prophecies, as all that the prophets spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit concerning His arrival, His miraculous conception and birth from the Blessed Virgin, His divine actions and miracles, His suffering and crucifixion, His resurrection and ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, were entirely realized in Him.\\n\\nHe also accomplished the law’s requirements. Following Adam's fall, no human could fully adhere to all commandments, for all have sinned (Rom. 3:23). Only the God-man Jesus Christ met the law in its entirety through His holy existence. He who committed no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22), fulfilling it on our behalf as our Advocate and Savior. By perfectly embodying the will of the Father, He satisfied God's eternal righteousness and earned justification for those who have faith in Him. Just as the disobedience of one man rendered many sinners, so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous (Romans 5:19), as stated by St. Paul. Without this perfect fulfillment of the law by our Mediator, no one would be justified in God’s sight. Nevertheless, true believers, receiving justification through God’s grace, are also endowed with new spiritual strength for a life of holiness and virtue, committing themselves to walk righteously in all of the Gospel's commandments, fulfilling God's immutable righteousness within us who believe. This is the marvelous and divine act of redemption: the Redeemer not only fulfilled the law entirely for us but also bestowed upon authentic believers the gracious ability to live it out through a holy life, covering the frailties of human nature with His mercy and forgiving the inevitable shortcomings of the repentant.\\n\\nGod sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit (Rom. 8:3, 4), according to the Apostle Paul. However, the unrepentant sinner, who lives according to the flesh, does not obtain justification from Christ's servants within Christianity; instead, he faces even greater condemnation for disregarding the immense and saving grace of God. This is made clear, for the Apostle John, His beloved disciple, states that we can know that we are in Christ if we keep His commandments. If anyone claims to know Him but does not obey His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:3, 4). Therefore, the Savior continues His teaching, declaring, \\"And whosoever shall break one of these little commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called a little man in the kingdom of heaven: and whosoever shall do and teach, this great man shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven\\" (Matt. 5:19)."}]}
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