Matthew’s
Gospel teaches that Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Surely,
the law could not be abolished so it had to be fulfilled; yet, the only one
able to fulfill it was Jesus Christ. Anyone who has been a Christian for any
significant length of time has likely had discussions as to what Jesus’
fulfillment of the law implies and even responded to questions about why
believers seemingly obey certain parts of the law and not others. Today begins
the Easter season, a time to reflect not only on Christ’s finished work on the
cross but also the implications of his resurrection and how his presence in the
lives of believers impacts the world today. Christian worship hinges on
worshiping a resurrected Christ not only through corporate gatherings but
through individual lives. What then does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the law?
To answer this question, I intend for us to consider three items.
