By TONY HOSS
Question: What does it mean when it says Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses and what does it means to Christians?
Answer: Matthew wrote, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).
This important verse helps us to see that Jesus is the reason that we no longer live under the Law of Moses. In essence Jesus was saying that He fulfilled the law because He had completed or accomplished the demands of the Mosaic Law system. He did so by fulfilling more than 300 Old Testament prophecies which foretold His birth, His life, His mission, and ultimately His death. We read in Luke 24:44-48, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. (45) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, (46) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And ye are witnesses of these things.(49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. See also (Isaiah 53:1-12, Psalms 22; 34:20; 45:6-7; 69:4,8,21; Zech. 12:10).
We need to remember that the Mosaic Law was a strict and challenging system to adhere to. It not only demanded perfect obedience, it also imposed severe punishment upon those who could not fulfill its requirements (Gal. 3:10, Duet. 11:26-28). Because Jesus knew no sin (1 Peter 2:21-22; Hebrews 4:15; Heb. 7:26-27), He was the only “Man” to perfectly fulfill the law’s strict requirements, thus qualifying Himself as our perfect mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) and advocate (1 John 2:1). Not only did He “fulfill” the demands of the Law of Moses, He “redeemed” man from its curse (Gal. 3:13), and thus “delivered” us from that law (Romans 7:6). He accomplished this by becoming our perfect “sin-offering” (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5).
In fulfilling the Law of Moses, Jesus relieves us from its burden. Because of Jesus it is no longer a law for mankind. It has been taken away and been nailed to the cross (Col. 3:14). In its stead, we are to adhere to the New Testament, the Law of Christ. This is of utmost importance because in the Law of Christ we are set free from the burden of sin by what James calls the “perfect law of liberty” (1 Corinthians 9:21-KJV; James 1:25).
(Tony Hoss is minister at Centerview Church of Christ, Elizabethton)