Did Jesus Fulfill the Law—or God’s Instruction? truthsum.org

For centuries, many Christians have viewed the Old Testament law as something fulfilled—and therefore no longer binding—by Jesus’ sacrifice. The confusion often begins with a single translation choice: rendering the Hebrew word Torah as law.

When we hear “law,” we think of legal codes, penalties, or regulations. But Torah means far more. It derives from a root meaning “to instruct” or “to guide.” In its biblical sense, Torah refers to God’s righteous teaching—a framework for living faithfully and in harmony with Him.

When Jesus said, “I did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill,” He wasn’t announcing its expiration. The Greek plēroō, translated “fulfill,” means to fill to the full or complete in purpose. Christ lived out the Torah perfectly, embodying its intent rather than abolishing it. To fulfill is to make something whole, not to nullify it.

If we replace “law” with “instruction” in many passages, the message shifts dramatically. Psalm 119:1—“Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord”—becomes, “Blessed are those who walk in the instruction of the Lord.” It’s not a list of prohibitions but an invitation to live by divine wisdom.

Understanding the word Torah as ongoing, loving instruction restores coherence to Jesus’ message and to the continuity between the Testaments. The “law” wasn’t abolished—it was illuminated. God’s instruction remains the path to faithful, righteous living.

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