SOTM 12—Fulfillment

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/som-12-fufillment/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>17 “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. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.</strong></p><p><strong>19 "Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."</strong></p><p><strong>The Old and the New</strong><br /> </p><ul><li>Jesus is about to deliver the new "legislation" of the Kingdom of God. He knows that, at first glance, some of these teachings may sound as though they are contradicting what Moses said in the Law.</li><li>Thus he explains in advance that he is neither annulling nor opposing the Law.</li><li>The "commandments" are <i>his </i>commands, found throughout the gospels.</li></ul><p><strong>What is "fulfillment"?</strong></p><ul><li>It is not obedience – although Jesus did obey the Law.</li><li>It is not annulment — although it is true that we are no longer living under the Law.</li><li>It involves more than loose verbal connections with the details of prophecies.</li><li>It is <i>completion—</i>in the same way that Christianity is the fulfillment and extension of Judaism.</li><li>Think of a jigsaw puzzle. The OT gives us the frame, and several sections of the puzzle are nearly completed. But we're missing the box with the cover picture!</li><li>Examples of fulfillment:<ul><li>Divine presence: Tabernacle – Temple – Body of Christ — Church — New Jerusalem</li><li>Sacrifice: Animal sacrifices etc. — Christ, the perfect and complete and final sacrifice.</li><li>Holy times / occasions; now, all time holy.</li><li>Anointing (Messiah = anointed one)<ul><li>Prophet</li><li>Pri