Jesus Came to Fulfill The Old Testament

In Matthew 5:17, Jesus declares that He came to fulfill the Old Testament. In other words, He came to obey it, to fulfill its types and prophecies, to complete it with the New Testament, and to bring it to fruition in its teaching of salvation and its purpose of communion with God.

Why did Jesus fulfill the Old Testament? Because its words, right down to the apostrophes and the serifs, will last until the created order passes away. It will come true, and its goal will be accomplished. When that happens, in Heaven, we will know unmediated communion with God.

So what does this imply for us? Understanding Christ requires an understanding of the Old Testament. Plus, we must trust and obey Scripture like Christ trusted and obeyed it. Ultimately, we must use Scripture for its purpose of communion with God. That's why Jesus came, why the Spirit wrote the Bible, and what the Father is seeking.