Matthew 5 17

Matthew 5:17 kjv

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:17 nkjv

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:17 niv

"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.

Matthew 5:17 esv

"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.

Matthew 5:17 nlt

"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

Matthew 5 verses

Matthew 5 17 Meaning

This verse declares Jesus' fundamental stance on the Hebrew Scriptures, commonly referred to as the Law (Torah) and the Prophets (Nevi'im). Jesus explicitly denies any intention to nullify, invalidate, or abolish these divinely inspired texts. Instead, He affirms that His mission is to "fulfill" them. This "fulfillment" encompasses bringing them to their intended completion, revealing their deeper spiritual meaning, accomplishing their prophetic promises, and embodying their ultimate purpose in Himself, thereby establishing the New Covenant.

Matthew 5 17 Context

Matthew 5:17 initiates a critical section within the Sermon on the Mount, immediately following the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12) and the analogies of salt and light (Matt 5:13-16). Jesus has just articulated radical new values and affirmed His followers' essential role in the world. This verse addresses a fundamental misunderstanding or accusation leveled against Him by contemporary Jewish religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees and scribes, or potentially a concern among His own disciples: that He was advocating for the abrogation of the Law of Moses. By making this clear declaration, Jesus sets the stage for His subsequent, deeper expositions of the Law (Matt 5:21-48), where He contrasts the external legalistic interpretations with God's original, spiritual intent, thereby revealing the Law's full demand and true meaning as fulfilled in and through Him.

Matthew 5 17 Word analysis

• Do not think: (Greek: μὴ νομίσητε - mē nomisēte) A direct prohibition against forming a particular opinion or holding a certain belief. Jesus is directly confronting a potential misconception, a line of thinking He knew people might adopt concerning His ministry. This addresses a common criticism or expectation.
• that I have come: (Greek: ἦλθον - ēlthon) Signifies a specific purpose and divine mission for His incarnation. Jesus didn't just appear; He was sent with an explicit agenda from God. This emphasizes His authority and the intentionality of His presence among humanity.
• to abolish: (Greek: καταλῦσαι - katalysai) Meaning to pull down, destroy, make void, abrogate, dissolve, overthrow. It suggests a complete destruction or nullification. This word signifies setting aside the Law entirely, rendering it ineffective or irrelevant. Jesus categorically denies this.
• the Law or the Prophets: (Greek: τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας - ton nomon ē tous prophētas) This phrase is a common Jewish synecdoche for the entire body of the Old Testament scriptures. "The Law" refers to the Torah (the first five books of Moses), which contained moral, civil, and ceremonial laws. "The Prophets" refers to the Nevi'im, which includes historical and prophetic books, both pointing forward to the coming Messiah. Together, they represent God's entire covenant revelation to Israel up to that point.
• I have not come to abolish them: (Greek: οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι - ouk ēlthen katalysai alla plērōsai) A powerful negative affirmation, emphatically restating His purpose is not destruction. The Greek ouk renders it an absolute negation.
• but to fulfill them: (Greek: πληρῶσαι - plērōsai) The crucial positive declaration. This word carries multiple layers of meaning:
  • To complete or perfect: To bring to its intended purpose or full realization, much like a blueprint is fulfilled when the building is completed.
  • To accomplish or bring to pass: Especially in terms of prophecy, where Jesus embodies and enacts all that the prophets foretold about the Messiah.
  • To fill full/to reveal full meaning: Jesus reveals the spiritual depth and internal demands of the Law, going beyond superficial, external observance (e.g., in Matt 5:21-48, where He teaches on the heart behind murder and adultery).
  • To embody: Jesus Himself, as the perfect human and God's Son, perfectly obeys and lives out the Law, thus fulfilling its demands perfectly in His life. His sacrificial death fulfills the sacrificial system and bears the penalty for violating the Law.
  • To validate/confirm: His coming establishes and upholds the truth and validity of the Old Testament.

• "Do not think that I have come": This group of words sets a polemic tone, directly addressing a prevalent misjudgment about Jesus' identity and mission among His contemporaries. It serves to correct potential errors in thinking right at the outset of His major teachings.
• "to abolish the Law or the Prophets": This phrase defines the specific error Jesus seeks to correct. It counters any perception that His radical teachings meant a discarding of the foundational scriptures and traditions held sacred by the Jewish people. It implies an accusation or worry about dismantling established religious order.
• "I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them": This declarative antithesis is the core statement. The stark contrast between "abolish" (katalysai) and "fulfill" (plērōsai) clarifies His unique relationship to the Old Testament. It assures His continuity with divine revelation while asserting His role as its ultimate realization and perfect expression. His mission is constructive, bringing something to its intended glorious consummation, not destructive or nullifying.

Matthew 5 17 Bonus section

This verse can be understood in light of the concept of telos (τέλος) as seen in Rom 10:4, which means 'end,' 'goal,' or 'consummation.' Jesus is the telos of the Law in the sense that He is its ultimate objective and climax, not its termination in an abolishing sense. The Law and the Prophets were continually pointing to His coming. His fulfillment provides the interpretative key for all Old Testament scriptures, revealing Christ as the central figure of God's redemptive plan. It signifies a trajectory from prophecy to actualization, from promise to embodiment, from foreshadowing to reality. The continuity is preserved, yet elevated and perfected through the person and work of Christ.

Matthew 5 17 Commentary

Matthew 5:17 is the cornerstone of understanding Jesus' approach to the Old Testament. It unequivocally states that He did not come to discard or invalidate God's previous revelation but to bring it to its intended culmination. His fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets encompasses His perfect obedience to the Law's righteous standards, His complete enactment of every messianic prophecy, and His deeper revelation of the Law's spiritual intent—moving beyond mere external observance to an internal transformation of the heart. Christ's sacrificial death ultimately fulfilled the ceremonial aspects of the Law, bearing the penalty for sin and establishing the New Covenant, rendering the shadow of the old covenant obsolete through His finished work. Thus, while aspects like the temple rituals faded, the moral and theological principles, now understood in light of Christ, remain eternally valid, guiding the believer in righteousness and love.