Notes.—The law; broadly, the writings of Moses; specifically, the ten commandments, or moral law, from which the writings of Moses primarily derived their name. The prophets; that is, the writings of the prophets. Neither of these Christ came to destroy, but rather to fulfil, or meet their design.
“The laws of the Jews are commonly divided into moral, ceremonial, and judicial. The moral laws are such as grow out of the nature of things, which cannot, therefore, be changed,—such as the duty of loving God and His creatures. These cannot be abolished, as it can never be made right to hate God, or to hate our fellow men. Of this kind are the ten commandments; [pg 375] and these our Saviour neither abolished nor superseded. The ceremonial laws are such as are appointed to meet certain states of society, or to regulate the religious rites and ceremonies of a people. These can be changed when circumstances are changed, and yet the moral law be untouched.”—Dr. Albert Barnes, on Matt. 5:18.
“Jesus did not come to change the law, but He came to explain it, and that very fact shows that it remains; for there is no need to explain that which is abrogated.... By thus explaining the law He confirmed it; He could not have meant to abolish it, or He would not have needed to expound it.... That the Master did not come to alter the law is clear, because after having embodied it in His life, He willingly gave Himself up to bear its penalty, though He had never broken it, bearing the penalty for us, even as it is written, ‘Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.’ ... If the law had demanded more of us than it ought to have done, would the Lord Jesus have rendered to it the penalty which resulted from its too severe demands? I am sure He would not. But because the law asked only what it ought to ask, namely, perfect obedience, and exacted of the transgressor only what it ought to exact, namely, death as the penalty for sin,—death under divine wrath,—therefore the Saviour went to the tree, and there bore our sins, and purged them once for all.”—“The Perpetuity of the Law of God,” by C. H. Spurgeon, pages 4-7.
“The moral law contained in the ten commandments, and enforced by the prophets, He did not take away. It was not the design of His coming to revoke any part of this.... Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind and in all ages, as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstance liable to change, but on the nature of God, and the nature of man, and their unchangeable relation to each other.”—John Wesley, in his “Sermons,” Vol. I, No. 25, pages 221, 222.
5. When used with reference to prophecy, what does the word fulfil mean?
To fill up; to accomplish; to bring to pass; as, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet.” Matt. 4:14.
6. What does it mean when used with reference to law?
To perform, to keep, or to act in accordance with; as, “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:2. See also Matt. 3:15; James 2:8, 9.
7. How did Christ treat His Father's commandments?
“I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.” John 15:10.