In the context of Jesus’ the teaching of Mat 5:17, the meaning of the word “destroy” is to render ineffective or useless; nullify; neutralize; invalidate. And the meaning of the word “fulfill” would have the meaning: to perform or do, as duty; obey or follow, as commands.
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law… I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
In essence he was saying:
Don’t think that I have come to render the law useless, I am not come to nullify, but to keep the commandments
He wasn’t saying that we are not under the law any more or that they are of none effect. In fact, he was saying just the opposite, he came to establish and sanctify the law.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
“Till heaven and earth pass” means that the law is not passed away but still in effect. And it is to be “fulfilled” or obeyed or kept until heaven and earth pass.
Jesus himself kept the commandments of God:
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
He goes further to say that anyone who fails to keep even the smallest commandments of the law and teach others to break it shall be considered the lowest in rank in the kingdom of heaven. That’s how important God considers keeping the law and it also further establishes the point that the law is still in effect and we are to follow it today.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Then he relates the law to righteousness. It appears that Jesus considered it necessary to keep the law in order to be righteous. Plus keeping righteousness is a requirement to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Some probably thought that Jesus was trying to put an end to the law because he said things like, You have heard it said that “so-and-so”, but I say, “so-and-so”. He was not criticizing the law but actually those who corrupted the law and he was purifying the law.
51:17 Indeed I do not speak against the law, but against those who corrupted his law, which he (Moses) permitted because of the hardness of your hearts.
What Jesus was doing was not releasing people from the law, but re-establishing it and purifying it from the corruptions that men had applied to it.
Moses and the 10 Commandments by Rembrandt
When Jesus established what it meant to be one of the righteous that would enter into the kingdom of Heaven did he say, “It’s not by works of righteousness of keeping the law, but it is a free gift”? No. He made a list of types of good works that mean should do to become righteous.
Did Jesus ever say something like, “Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us”? No. He said just the opposite. He taught that it was works of righteousness that we do that get us into the kingdom of heaven.
Yes, God is merciful to forgive us our sins, if we forgive others their sins against us. But it is our righteousness that that we have done to others (Mat 25:34-40,46) that gets us into “life eternal”.
God did not change. Anything that God said in the Old Testament that is contradictory in the New Testament can only be the workmanship of men. How about the following verse, did God change his mind about how to be righteous?
Deu 6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
And what does God think about keeping the law?
Psa 119:44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
It doesn’t sound like he had intentions of discontinuing it any time in the future does it?
Matthew 5:18 ends with “till all be fulfilled.” He fulfilled the Law, as He said He would. So it is passed away. The “heaven and earth” clause is nullified by the last part of that verse.
Also, you said there are parts of the Law that were corrupted by men. Did any part that was corrupted make it into the protestant canon? What method can I use to determine what biblical writings were men’s misinterpretation of the Law? In other words is there any place in Leviticus or somewhere else where the Law is that I can use to weigh other writings against?
It also says “Till heaven and earth pass”. For all practical purposes that means NEVER.
The word “fulfilled” can also mean:
2. To carry out (an order, for example).
3. To measure up to; satisfy. See Synonyms at perform, satisfy.
If you read this verse in its context (Mat 5:17-20) you will find that he was talking about keeping the commandments. According to Jesus keeping the commandments was the path to righteousness:
@eve: And all the prophecies concerning the Messiah have not been fulfilled. There is no world peace, for example. It is believed these will be fulfilled on Jesus’ second coming. So therefore, the law remains in effect, at least for the Jews. Gentiles were never required to follow the “law of Moses.” The “corrupted” laws that Jesus was against were not those in the Torah, but the oral traditions and judgements that were derived from the Torah in later generations. Sort of like the Supreme Court of the United States making decisions regarding the constitution.
According to Jesus there are 3 ways to acquire eternal life: