“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” (Mt. 5:17)

So what does it mean that Jesus “fulfilled” the Law and the Prophets? It means that everything, yes everything, written in the Old Testament points to Jesus and finds it’s culmination, it’s completion in Jesus.

Jesus fulfills the Old Testament – he obeys it perfectly, fulfills the prophecies completely, is the focus of it primarily, establishes its intended meaning most deeply. Jesus fills it up and fills it out. The Bible is ultimately a book about Jesus.

If you think of the Bible as a “Connect the Dot” picture, the Old Testament contains the dots and the lines. You can make out what’s there, and see what is pictured, but Jesus comes with the crayons and fills in all the colors vividly showing the ultimate beauty and fullness of all that was already there in sketch form.

Here are a few glimpses…

Genesis 3:15, the first prophecy in the Bible, says that One born of woman would crush the head of Satan. This was fulfilled at when Jesus trampled over Satan on the cross and rose from the dead, forever conquering Satan, sin and death.

Exodus tells how God delivered his people out of slavery and brought them into his presence. This points to Jesus who brings us through a greater exodus delivering us from the slavery to sin ushering us into the presence of God.

Leviticus shows how God provides his people with a sacrificial system to atone for their sins. Jesus is the end of that system; the Lamb of the World who has come to take away the guilt of sin once and for all.

Numbers and Deuteronomy show how God brings his people to the Promise Land, not because of their righteousness, but in spite of their sinfulness. Jesus will usher his people to the new heavens and new earth, the ultimate Promised Land covering their sinfulness with his righteousness.

Samuel tells us of a son of David who will have a never-ending kingdom. Jesus is that son, who has come to reign eternally.

Isaiah 53 tells us a Suffering Servant will take our griefs and our sorrows and our iniquities that we might be healed. Jesus fulfilled this as he hung on a rugged cross, all our grief and sorrows and iniquities laid on him.

Ezekiel 34 promises that God himself will be the shepherd of his people. That promise is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.

Micah 5 predicts a Shepherd-King who will bring peace to the ends of the earth will be born in Bethlehem. Jesus is the Bethlehem born Shepherd-King making peace by the blood of his cross.

We could go on…

Every prediction about the Messiah points to Jesus. Every commanded was kept by Jesus. Every promise answered in Jesus. Every ceremony prepares for Jesus. Every penalty paid by Jesus.

The Old Testament is primarily about Jesus. Jesus says that here and he says it elsewhere:

• John 5:39 – “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.”
• Luke 24:44 – “Then he [Jesus] said to 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 and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (cf. Luke 24:27)

So how does Jesus think of himself? He says he’s the culmination everything the Old Testament points to and prepares us for. He thinks he is the sinless Savior who’s come to rescues God’s people from their sins and bring them back into relationship with God.