Jesus Christ: The Ultimate Fulfillment of God’s Law

Jesus: The Fulfiller of the Law

Jesus came not to abolish the ancient scriptures, but to complete them. His life, death, and resurrection stood as a testament to this fulfillment.

Matthew 5:17 CSB
Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

Luke 18:31 CSB
Then he took the Twelve aside and told them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that is written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished.”

Luke 24:24-27,44-45 CSB
Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.” [25] He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” [27] Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures. [44] He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” [45] Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

The Law, Sin, and Redemption

While the Law highlighted our transgressions, it was through Jesus Christ that we were given the path to redemption.

Romans 8:1-4 CSB
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, [2] because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, [4] in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Galatians 3:24-25 CSB
The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

Jesus: God's Perfect Expression

In Jesus, we see the truest form of God's character - a mirror image of His divine essence.

Colossians 2:9 CSB
For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,

Hebrews 1:1-3 CSB
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. [2] In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. [3] The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

The Essence of the Law: Love

At the core of the commandments is the unwavering principle of love. Through love, we embrace the true spirit of the Law.

Romans 13:8-10 CSB
Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. [9] The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. [10] Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

John 15:13 CSB
No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.

The Culmination of Love

Jesus epitomized love in the purest form, offering the ultimate sacrifice for humanity.

John 19:30 CSB
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13 CSB
Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, [5] is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. [6] Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. [7] It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. [13] Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.

God's Love Within Us

As believers, we are imbued with the Spirit of God. This Spirit nurtures love, producing fruits that align with God’s nature.

1 John 4:16 CSB
And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

Galatians 5:22-23 CSB
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

Conclusion

The intricate details of the Law, once a heavy yoke, found their culmination in Jesus Christ. Through Him, the weight of the Law was borne and its demands met, all to bring us into a loving relationship with the Father. As we find rest in Him, we understand that it is not mere regulations that guide us, but the very heart of God revealed through His Son.

Matthew 11:28-30 CSB
Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Questions that Challenge Your Current Understanding

1. How does your understanding of the Law change when you view it through the lens of Jesus' fulfillment?
   
   
2. In light of Galatians 3:24-25, what role do you think the Law plays in our lives today, especially after the coming of Christ?
   
   
3. The fruits of the Spirit, as listed in Galatians 5:22-23, are said to align with God’s nature. How do these fruits manifest in your life, and how do they reflect your understanding of God's love?
   
   
4. How does the concept of Jesus bearing the weight of the Law influence your understanding of grace and redemption?