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.

KJV (with Strong's)

Think {G3543} not {G3361} that {G3754} I am come {G2064} to destroy {G2647} the law {G3551}, or {G2228} the prophets {G4396}: I am {G2064} not {G3756} come {G2064} to destroy {G2647}, but {G235} to fulfil {G4137}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete.

Berean Standard Bible

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.

American Standard Version

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

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus profoundly clarifies His mission, declaring that He has not come to abolish or dismantle the divinely revealed Law and the Prophets—the entirety of the Old Testament Scriptures—but rather to bring them to their ultimate, intended completion and full meaning. This statement serves as a crucial hermeneutical key, asserting the continuity of God's redemptive plan while simultaneously highlighting the transformative nature of Christ's work in fulfilling all that the Old Covenant anticipated.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Matthew 5:17 stands at a pivotal juncture within Jesus' [Sermon on the Mount](/matthew/5-7 "Matthew 5-7 - The Sermon on the Mount"), specifically following the Beatitudes ([Matthew 5:3-12](/matthew/5-3-12 "Matthew 5:3-12 - The Beatitudes")) and the metaphors of salt and light ([Matthew 5:13-16](/matthew/5-13-16 "Matthew 5:13-16 - Salt and Light")). Having established the character of His disciples and their role in the world, Jesus now addresses a potential misunderstanding about His relationship to the established Jewish religious framework. This verse serves as a thesis statement for the subsequent exposition of the Law ([Matthew 5:21-48](/matthew/5-21-48 "Matthew 5:21-48 - Jesus' Teachings on the Law")), where He reinterprets several Mosaic commands, emphasizing their spiritual depth and internal application over mere external observance. It reassures His Jewish audience that His radical teachings are not a negation but a deeper realization of God's prior revelation.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jesus' audience was deeply steeped in the Mosaic Law and the prophetic traditions, which formed the bedrock of their national and religious identity. The Law (Torah) was understood as God's definitive revelation, providing guidance for every aspect of life, while the Prophets (Nevi'im) spoke of God's ongoing covenant relationship, judgment, and future hope, particularly concerning the Messiah. Various Jewish groups, such as the Pharisees, were meticulous in their adherence to the Law, often emphasizing external observance and oral traditions. Therefore, any perceived challenge to the Law would have been met with suspicion or outright hostility. Jesus' declaration was essential to frame His ministry not as a revolutionary overthrow of divine truth but as its divinely appointed culmination, addressing the anxieties of those who might view His teachings as undermining their sacred heritage.
* **Key Themes:** This verse introduces and reinforces several critical themes present throughout Matthew's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. It underscores the **authority of Jesus** as the authoritative interpreter and embodiment of God's will, capable of bringing the Law to its ultimate purpose. It highlights the **continuity of God's redemptive plan**, demonstrating that the Old Testament is not discarded but finds its ultimate meaning and fulfillment in Christ. This theme of fulfillment is central to Matthew, who frequently cites Old Testament prophecies to show how Jesus is the promised Messiah (e.g., [Matthew 1:22-23](/matthew/1-22-23 "Matthew 1:22-23 - Prophecy of Immanuel")). Furthermore, it emphasizes the **spiritual depth of the Law**, moving beyond a superficial, external understanding to reveal its true intent, which concerns the heart and inner righteousness, a concept Jesus elaborates upon in the subsequent antitheses (e.g., [Matthew 5:27-28](/matthew/5-27-28 "Matthew 5:27-28 - Adultery of the Heart")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Think (Greek, _nomízō_):** This verb means "to do by law (usage), to accustom, to deem or regard, to suppose." Here, it carries the sense of "suppose" or "imagine." Jesus is preempting a potential misconception among His listeners, addressing a thought or assumption they might entertain about His intentions regarding the Law and the Prophets. He directly challenges any notion that His ministry is aimed at nullifying or setting aside the established divine revelation.
* **Destroy (Greek, _katalýō_):** From _katá_ ("down") and _lýō_ ("to loosen"), this word literally means "to loosen down" or "disintegrate." Its implications include "to demolish, overthrow, annul, or abolish." In this context, Jesus explicitly denies any intention of dismantling, abrogating, or rendering void the Law and the Prophets. He is not coming to undo or negate the divine authority of the Old Testament Scriptures, nor to release people from their moral obligations.
* **Fulfil (Greek, _plēróō_):** This verb means "to make replete, to cram, to level up, to furnish, satisfy, execute, finish, or verify." It conveys the idea of bringing something to its intended completion, perfection, or full meaning. Jesus' use of _plēróō_ indicates that He came to bring the Law and the Prophets to their ultimate purpose, to perfectly embody their demands, to reveal their full spiritual intent, and to accomplish all that they foretold and foreshadowed concerning God's redemptive plan. He is the culmination and the living embodiment of all that the Old Covenant anticipated.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets:"** Jesus directly addresses a potential misconception. The phrase "the law, or the prophets" is a common Jewish merism referring to the entire Old Testament Scriptures. By stating "Think not that I am come to destroy," Jesus emphatically denies any intention of abolishing, nullifying, or rendering obsolete the divine revelation contained within these sacred texts. He is correcting a false assumption that His new teachings or ministry would undermine the very foundation of their faith and God's prior covenant with Israel.
* **"I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."** This is an emphatic antithetical statement, contrasting His actual purpose with the mistaken one. The repetition of "I am not come to destroy" serves to underscore His rejection of that idea. The crucial declaration, "but to fulfil," reveals His true mission. He came not to tear down but to build up, not to negate but to complete, not to abolish but to bring to ultimate realization. This fulfillment encompasses His perfect obedience to the Law, His revelation of its deeper spiritual meaning, His embodiment of its types and shadows, and His accomplishment of its messianic prophecies.

#### Literary Devices
Matthew 5:17 employs several significant literary devices. The most prominent is **Antithesis**, where Jesus contrasts two opposing ideas: "to destroy" versus "to fulfil." This sharp contrast serves to clarify His mission unequivocally, dispelling any ambiguity about His relationship to the Old Testament. The phrase "Think not that..." functions as a **Proleptic Statement**, anticipating and immediately refuting a potential misunderstanding or objection from His audience. This direct address engages the listener and sets the record straight from the outset. Furthermore, the use of "the law, or the prophets" is a **Merism**, a figure of speech in which two contrasting parts represent the whole, effectively encompassing the entire Old Testament. This concise phrasing communicates the comprehensive scope of Jesus' relationship to all of God's prior revelation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 5:17 is a cornerstone for understanding the relationship between the Old and New Covenants. It affirms the divine origin and enduring relevance of the Old Testament while simultaneously establishing Christ as its ultimate goal and interpretative key. Jesus does not merely add to the Law; He brings it to its intended perfection, revealing its true spiritual demands and embodying its sacrificial and prophetic types. This means that while the ceremonial and civil aspects of the Mosaic Law find their culmination and obsolescence in Christ's finished work, the moral principles underlying the Law remain eternally valid, now understood and lived out through the lens of Christ's perfect righteousness and the indwelling Spirit. This verse ensures that Christianity is not a radical break from God's historical revelation but rather the organic, climactic unfolding of His singular redemptive plan.

* [Romans 10:4](/romans/10-4 "Romans 10:4 - Christ is the End of the Law")
* [Luke 24:44](/luke/24-44 "Luke 24:44 - Christ Fulfills the Scriptures")
* [Hebrews 8:6](/hebrews/8-6 "Hebrews 8:6 - A Better Covenant")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 5:17 profoundly impacts how believers approach the entire Bible. It calls us to see the Old Testament not as an outdated relic, but as a divinely inspired foundation that points forward to Christ. For us, this means understanding that true righteousness is not merely external adherence to rules, but an internal transformation of the heart, motivated by love for God and neighbor, as perfectly exemplified by Jesus. We are called to live out the spirit of the Law, which is summarized in love, empowered by the Holy Spirit, rather than striving for legalistic perfection in our own strength. This verse encourages us to delve into the Old Testament with new eyes, seeking Christ in its narratives, prophecies, and types, and to recognize that His life and teachings provide the ultimate framework for understanding God's unchanging will for humanity.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does understanding Jesus' mission to "fulfil" the Law and Prophets change your perspective on the Old Testament?**
* **In what ways might we, like Jesus' original audience, be tempted to misunderstand His teachings as either abolishing or legalistically enforcing God's commands?**
* **How can we practically live out the "spirit" of the Law—its underlying moral principles—in our daily lives, rather than merely focusing on external adherence?**

### FAQ

**Does Matthew 5:17 mean Christians are still under the Mosaic Law?**

Answer: No, Matthew 5:17 does not mean Christians are still under the Mosaic Law in the same way ancient Israel was. Jesus' statement "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil" means He brought the Law to its intended purpose and completion. This fulfillment has several dimensions: He perfectly obeyed the Law, lived a sinless life, and revealed its deeper spiritual intent (e.g., [Matthew 5:21-48](/matthew/5-21-48 "Matthew 5:21-48 - Jesus' Antitheses")). He also fulfilled the Law's ceremonial and sacrificial requirements through His death on the cross, rendering those aspects of the Law obsolete for believers (see [Hebrews 10:1-18](/hebrews/10-1-18 "Hebrews 10:1-18 - Christ's Perfect Sacrifice")). While the ceremonial and civil laws of Moses are no longer binding, the moral principles embedded within the Law remain eternally valid and are upheld and deepened by Christ (e.g., the Ten Commandments, which are reiterated in the New Testament). Christians are called to live by the "law of Christ," which is fundamentally a law of love, empowered by the Holy Spirit (see [Galatians 6:2](/galatians/6-2 "Galatians 6:2 - Bear One Another's Burdens") and [Romans 13:8-10](/romans/13-8-10 "Romans 13:8-10 - Love Fulfills the Law")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 5:17 is a profound declaration of Christ's unique role as the culmination of all God's redemptive history. Jesus is not merely a prophet or a reformer; He is the living embodiment and ultimate goal of the Law and the Prophets. He perfectly fulfills the Law by His sinless life, demonstrating the righteousness that God truly desires, a righteousness that extends beyond external actions to the very intentions of the heart (as seen in His subsequent teachings in [Matthew 5:21-48](/matthew/5-21-48 "Matthew 5:21-48 - The Deeper Meaning of the Law")). He fulfills the prophetic word by being the promised Messiah, the one to whom all the Old Testament pointed, from the seed of Abraham to the Son of David (e.g., [Luke 24:27](/luke/24-27 "Luke 24:27 - Jesus Explains the Scriptures")). Furthermore, He fulfills the sacrificial system of the Law by offering Himself as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice for sin, making obsolete the need for animal sacrifices (as detailed in [Hebrews 9:11-14](/hebrews/9-11-14 "Hebrews 9:11-14 - Christ's Superior Sacrifice")). In Christ, the shadows of the Old Covenant give way to the substance, and the promises find their definitive "Yes" and "Amen" ([2 Corinthians 1:20](/2_corinthians/1-20 "2 Corinthians 1:20 - All God's Promises are Yes in Christ")), revealing Him as the true and complete revelation of God's saving will.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Romans 10:4

For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Luke 16:17

And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

Galatians 4:4

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Galatians 4:5

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Romans 3:31

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Romans 8:4

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Isaiah 42:21

The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make [it] honourable.