Not To Abolish But To Fulfill

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. That is a challenging phrase that we encounter in the Gospel of Matthew. For example, in the book of Leviticus, it states, “And the swine, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you.” (Leviticus 11:7-8) Yet we do not line up for confession after enjoying a bacon cheeseburger. So what does Christ mean when he says, “not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law.”

Not To Abolish But To Fulfill

Gospel - Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,

not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter

will pass from the law,

until all things have taken place.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments

and teaches others to do so

will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.

But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments

will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

Scriptural Analysis

The phrase ‘the law and the prophets’ is a way for Jesus to refer to the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures. When Jesus says that he did not come to abolish but to fulfill, he is making a claim. He is the realization of all that was anticipated in the Old Testament. When Matthew uses the phrase “to fulfill,” it is not used in the sense of carrying out something. Instead, it is meant to describe bringing expectations to fulfillment, which we will see in Matthew’s numerous fulfillment quotations. Both the law and the prophets pointed ahead to a future fulfillment, a fulfillment which is realized in Jesus Christ, in his life, death, and resurrection. He also fulfills it through his life and the example he sets for humanity.

“Amen, I say to you” is Jesus’ way of establishing authority and telling his disciples to pay special attention to what he is about to say. This phrase appears 31 times in Matthew’s gospel. In this case, Jesus is commenting on the enduring validity of the law. Jesus sees his teaching as being in continuity with what came before him. Jesus sees himself as the authoritative interpreter of Torah, and his interpretation challenges some traditional understanding of the law, but more importantly, reveals the end to which the law was ultimately directed.

Steadfast faithfulness to God’s purpose for the law sometimes requires interiorizing its legal precepts without diminishing the force of the law. It may also require following a higher standard than what is expressed in the law, reflecting God’s ultimate intention for his people. One may even have to set aside one’s rights under the law to practice charity in imitation of the Father. Christ does not abolish the law, but rather the role of the law changes as Christ reveals its deeper meaning. It is still the revealed word of God, so one must obey the commandments, but do so with the knowledge of Christ’s authoritative interpretation.

Daily Application

To understand what Jesus means, we must realize that the entirety of the Old Testament points to Jesus. That means all of the provisions of the law were designed to educate and prepare the people to receive the Messiah; to receive Jesus. The law exists to draw us into a relationship with God.

Rules are important. Make no mistake, the Catholic Church has plenty of rules that we must follow. We need to ask ourselves, why are there rules, what purpose do they serve, and why do we follow them? Rules exist to create structure and guidance around us. They help us understand what is occurring around us, enabling us to make sense of the events in our lives. They also help point us in the right direction. For example, Catholics are obliged to fast for 1 hour before receiving the Eucharist. What does that rule exist? It helps us realize that receiving the Eucharist is a great honor and a mystery. This is not ordinary food but something special. The rule draws us deeper into the mystery.

Why do we follow these rules? Indeed, we can follow them out of a fear of going to hell. While that is where many of us start, ultimately, we should desire to follow the rules out of a deep love and reverence for God. Catholic Moral Theology is beautiful, and if one follows it, one can live a fantastic life. However, you cannot convince someone to follow it without a relationship with Christ. If they do not love Christ, then the rules won’t seem liberating but rather burdensome. If there is a common criticism of the Jewish people at the time of Christ, it is that following the law became an end in itself. The focus moved away from following the law out of love for God. In Jesus, and only in Jesus, does the law find fulfillment and find its true meaning.