Matthew 5:17-20 (NIV)
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 tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
In a world that constantly tells us to “live our truth” and be our own authority, we’re faced with a profound question: Who truly holds authority in our lives? It’s a question that deserves careful consideration, as the answer shapes everything about how we live and who we become.
The mantra of our age – “live your truth” – isn’t a new concept. It’s an echo of the oldest lie, whispered by a serpent in a garden long ago. “You know what’s best for you,” it hisses. “Define your own good. This is the path to your most vibrant, authentic life.” But this siren song of self-rule doesn’t lead to freedom. It leads to death.
There’s a different invitation before us, one that challenges everything our culture proclaims. It’s the radical idea that true life is found not in self-rule, but in surrender to the loving authority of Jesus and His word.
This truth is beautifully illustrated in Matthew 5:17-20, where Jesus makes a profound statement about His relationship to the Scriptures:
“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. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
Jesus isn’t tearing down the house of Scripture; He’s the full-color photograph that the Old Testament has been pointing toward all along. He fills the law with its true meaning and purpose. Every part of it tells the story He has come to complete.
This fulfillment happens in two critical ways:
- His Perfect Life: Jesus lived in perfect obedience to the entire Law, fulfilling every moral requirement, every ceremonial type, and every prophetic utterance.
- His Sacrificial Death: He took upon Himself the curse we deserved for our disobedience, paying the penalty for our law-breaking.
For those outside of Christ, the Law remains in full force as a perfect standard, exposing sin and condemning the lawbreaker.
Galatians 3:10 (NIV)
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
But for those in Christ, everything changes. We are no longer under the Law as a system of measurement or a source of condemnation. Instead, we are credited with Christ’s perfect righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This fulfillment transforms how we understand different types of laws in Scripture:
- The Ceremonial Law: Jesus is the final and perfect sacrifice, the great High Priest, and the reality to which all the feasts pointed.
- The Purity Laws: Jesus redefines the source of true purity, showing that defilement comes from the sinful human heart, not external factors.
- The Moral Law: Jesus reveals its deepest, heart-level meaning and empowers us to live it out through the Holy Spirit. Those in Christ are no longer under the moral law as a means of earning salvation or as a source of condemnation. Instead, empowered by the Holy Spirit, the moral law becomes our guide for grateful living, showing us how to love the God who saved us.
Understanding this fulfillment helps us see that the Old Testament isn’t an irrelevant or angry book that Jesus came to cancel. It’s the foundation that reveals our need for a savior and points us directly to Him. From Genesis to Malachi, every page has been whispering His name.
From Genesis, Jesus is the promised seed of the woman who would crush the serpent.
From Exodus, Jesus is the Passover lamb who takes away the sin of the world.
From Leviticus, Jesus is the High Priest whose blood alone atones for our sins.
From Numbers, Jesus is the guide leading us
through the wilderness.
From Deuteronomy, Jesus is the greater Prophet that Moses promised.
From Joshua, Jesus is the conqueror leading us into the promised land.
From Judges, Jesus is our rescuer from rebellion.
From Ruth, Jesus is the kinsman-redeemer.
From Samuel, Jesus is the promised faithful descendant of David.
From 1st and 2nd Kings, Jesus is the righteous King we long for.
From 1st and 2nd Chronicles, Jesus is the true temple where God dwells.
From Ezra, Jesus is the faithful restorer of the law and the temple.
From Nehemiah, Jesus is the rebuilder of broken walls.
From Esther, Jesus is the one who risks His life to save His people.
From Job, Jesus is the Sovereign One who delivers us from suffering.
From Psalms, Jesus is our good shepherd, the Son of God.
From Proverbs, Jesus is wisdom personified.
From Ecclesiastes, Jesus is meaning in the
meaningless.
From Song of Solomon, Jesus is the lover of our souls.
From Isaiah, Jesus is Immanuel, God with us – pierced for us, the light to the Gentiles.
From Jeremiah, Jesus is the keeper of the new covenant, the Righteous branch, God in the flesh.
From Lamentations, Jesus is the one whose mercies are new every morning.
From Ezekiel, Jesus is The Son of Man who gives life to dry bones.
From Daniel, Jesus is the fourth man in the fire. The Son of Man that is coming in the clouds of Heaven.
From Hosea, Jesus is the faithful husband who never gives up on us.
From Joel, Jesus restores the years the locusts have eaten. He is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit.
From Amos, Jesus is our burden-bearer.
From Obadiah, Jesus is our perfect judge.
From Jonah, Jesus is the Savior from the storm; He is the forgiving God. Jesus is the prophet who spent three days in the depths.
From Micah, Jesus from everlasting is the ruler born in Bethlehem. The Messenger with Beautiful Feet.
From Nahum, Jesus is our stronghold and the avenger for all who trust in God.
From Habakkuk, Jesus is our joy when the fields are empty.
From Zephaniah, Jesus is the great redeemer.
From Haggai, Jesus is the cleansing fountain—the desire of all nations.
From Zechariah, Jesus is the humble king riding on a donkey, God in the flesh pierced for us.
And from Malachi, Jesus is the Son of Righteousness, risen with healing in His wings.
It ALL points us to Jesus!
This truth challenges us to engage with Scripture differently. As the Apostle Paul explains in 2 Timothy 3:16-17,
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The goal isn’t just to know more; it’s to become more like Christ. This requires a shift from informational reading to formational reading. Instead of seeking to master the text for our own purposes, we allow ourselves to be mastered by God through the text. We slow down, we wait, and we surrender, allowing God to shape us for His purposes.
This approach to Scripture forces us to confront our deep need for control. As long as we’re trapped in that prison of self-rule, we can’t become the people of love, joy, and peace that Jesus is calling us to be.
So, the choice before us is clear: Will we listen to the siren song of self-rule, or will we accept the loving call to surrender?
To surrender means:
- Abandoning the lie: Consciously rejecting the world’s mantra to “live your truth” and choosing to build your life on the rock of God’s truth.
- Bowing the knee: Surrendering the throne of your life to Jesus. This isn’t just praying a prayer; it’s a decisive moment of turning from sin and self-rule, trusting entirely in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for your righteousness.
- Beginning a daily practice: Opening His word and saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done. Not my truth, but Your truth be my guide.”
The invitation is to approach the Bible differently. Don’t just read for information; read for formation. Take a chapter in Psalms and a chapter in the Gospels. Read slowly, asking God, “What are you saying to me?” and “How do you want to shape me through this?” Sit with it. Ask the Holy Spirit for revelation.
This is how we move from being controllers to being God’s creation, fully alive in Him. It’s a daily choice to release our grip on the throne that is killing us and surrender it to the King who died to give us life.
As we do this, we discover the truth of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:19: “Whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” True greatness, true life, true freedom – they’re all found in surrender to the loving authority of Jesus and His word.
In a world clamoring for us to assert our own authority, may we have the courage to bow before the One who truly knows what’s best for us. May we find, in that surrender, the vibrant and authentic life we’ve always longed for.
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