I Have Come to Fulfil the Law

 

Not One Jot or Tittle – Matthew 5:17-19

Dear Friends, imagine the hillside near the Sea of Galilee, the crowd gathered close, hanging on every word. Jesus has just spoken the Beatitudes—blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful—and now He turns to address the question burning in many minds: What about the Law? The Pharisees and scribes are watching closely. Is this teacher from Nazareth about to sweep away centuries of Scripture, or water it down to suit the crowds?

Jesus speaks plainly, with quiet authority:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17–19 ESV)

Not abolish—but fulfil. Not relax—but uphold. Jesus is not lowering the bar; He is raising it to its true height. The Law and the Prophets were never meant to be a checklist for earning God’s favour. They were always pointing forward to the One who would live them out perfectly, embody their deepest intent, and accomplish what no one else could: perfect righteousness on behalf of sinners.

Every “iota” (the smallest Greek letter) and every “dot” (the tiniest stroke in Hebrew script) matters because every part of Scripture is breathed out by God and finds its yes in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). The ceremonial laws pointed to His sacrifice; the moral commands reflect the Father’s holy character; the prophetic promises are realised in His coming, death, and resurrection.

Yet Jesus warns against two dangers. First, the temptation to relax the commandments—to treat them as optional, outdated, or merely “suggestive” now that grace has come. Second, the temptation to teach others to do the same. The kingdom is not a place of lowered standards; it is a place where God’s will is done on earth as in heaven.

But here is the wonder: we are not left to strain under the weight of the Law in our own strength. Jesus fulfilled it for us—every command, every requirement—so that we might be declared righteous by faith in Him. Then, from that place of grace, the Spirit works in us to desire and to do what pleases God (Philippians 2:13). We obey not to earn acceptance, but because we have already been accepted at infinite cost.

Today, pause in the quiet. Where might you be tempted to relax God’s Word—to excuse an attitude, a habit, or a compromise because “grace covers it”? Or where might you be trying to fulfil the Law in your own power, measuring yourself by rules rather than resting in Christ’s finished work? The same Jesus who said not one dot will pass away also said, “It is finished.” Both are true. Both are for our good.

Let us honour every jot and tittle by treasuring the One who fulfilled them—and then, by His Spirit, living in the light of that fulfilment.

Point to Ponder: The Law is not abolished or relaxed; it is fulfilled in Christ and fulfilled through us as we abide in Him.

Verse to Remember: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.” (Matthew 5:17 ESV)

Question to Consider: This week, take one area where you’ve been tempted to “relax” a clear command of Scripture. Bring it honestly to Jesus. How does seeing His perfect fulfilment of the Law change the way you approach obedience—not as burden, but as grateful response?

Article written by Shaun Fereday, Leader @SFGH Church