What was really meant when Yeshua said in Matthew 5:17, “I came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it”? The key point is that the phrase “fulfill the Law” is a rabbinic expression commonly used in the Tanakh and the Gospels. 

The Deep Dive Into The Phrase “To Fulfill”

I have had conversations with a couple of Christians who made a strong argument, saying that when Yeshua came down to earth, He came to fulfill the law, meaning that He came to establish a new covenant with G-d. Let's examine what the Hebrew and Greek say about the meaning of these words through their respective languages. 

The Hebrew translation of “to fulfill” is lekayem (le-KAI-yem), and the Greek translation of “to fulfill” is plērōsai (play-row-SIGH). What exactly do these words mean?

lekayem(לְקַיֵּם)

While we typically think of "fulfilling" as finishing or ending something, in a 1st-century Jewish rabbinic context, lekayem(לְקַיֵּם) has a very specific technical meaning: to uphold, establish, or properly interpret. Lekayem: To "fulfill" or "uphold." This meant interpreting the Law correctly so that its true intent was preserved and practiced.

By using the concept of lekayem, the verse takes on a deeper meaning than just "completing" a task: 

1. It suggests that Yeshua is the "stabilizer" of the Law. He is showing how it should be lived out in its fullest, truest sense. 
2. Immediately after this verse, Yeshua says, "You have heard it said... but I say to you" regarding murder, adultery, and oaths. He isn't getting rid of those laws; He is fulfilling (lekayem) them by showing that they govern the heart, not just outward actions. 
3. Think of a cup being filled to the brim. Lekayem implies taking the Law from a dry list of rules and "filling it up" with its intended spiritual meaning—specifically, the weightier matters like love, mercy, and faithfulness.

In essence, when Yeshua uttered these words, he was asserting the authority of a Master Teacher who was not inaugurating a new religion, but rather demonstrating precisely how G-d's "original" instructions were always intended to be manifested in practice.

plērōsai(πληρῶσαι) 

The word is an active infinitive, meaning it describes an action that Jesus is personally and actively performing. Here is a breakdown of what it signifies in this specific context:

1. Yeshua contrasts plērōsai with καταλῦσαι (katalysai), which means to demolish, tear down, or render null and void. By using these two words together, He is saying:

"I did not come to dismantle the house (the Law); I came to fill it with furniture and people so it can finally function as intended."

2. The root meaning of the word is to fill up (like a cup). In this context, it suggests:
   1. Filling out the meaning: The Pharisees focused on the "letter" of the law (don't murder). Yeshusa "filled it up" by revealing its true heart (don't even harbor anger).
   2. Completing the Story: Matthew often uses this word to show how Jesus is the "filling up" of Old Testament shadows and prophecies. The Law was the "outline," and Jesus is the "color" that fills it in.
3. Scholars generally view this "fulfillment" through three lenses:
   1. Doctrinal/Teaching: Yeshua is providing the definitive interpretation of what the Law actually meant from G-d's perspective.
   2. Prophetic: Yeshua is the "goal" or "destination" that the Law and Prophets were pointing toward all along.
   3. Ethical/Obedience: Yeshua is the only one who has ever "filled up" the Law by obeying it perfectly in both action and thought.
4. Many scholars believe Yeshua was thinking of the Hebrew word לקיים (lekayem). In Jewish legal tradition, to "cancel" (levatel) a commandment meant to misinterpret it, while to "establish/fulfill" (lekayem) meant to sustain it through correct interpretation.

In Matthew 5:17, plērōsai means that Yeshua is bringing the Law to its intended goal. He isn't ending it; He is bringing it to its full fruition and showing us the "full measure" of what G-d intended when He first gave it.

Yeshua and The Law of Moses

In the gospels, Yeshua never says to disobey the Law of Moses. In Matthew 5:19 it says, 

"Whoever then breaks one of the least of these mitzvot and teaches others the same, he will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps and teaches them, this man will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."(TLV)

The connection between Matthew 5:17 and Matthew 5:19 is one of Authority and Application. In verse 17, Yeshua establishes His mission; in verse 19, He establishes the standard of conduct for his followers based on that mission.

Essentially, verse 17 is the "Why" (his purpose), and verse 19 is the "Therefore" (the resulting expectation for us).

1. The Divine Precedent: In verse 17, Yeshua says He didn’t come to "abolish" the Law (Torah) but to "fulfill" it.

• The Claim: By saying He came to fulfill it, Yeshua is asserting that He is the ultimate interpreter and living embodiment of the Law.
• The Link: If the King himself honors and fulfills the Law rather than tossing it aside, it sets the stage for how His subjects should treat it. He is saying, "If I, the Messiah, am not getting rid of these instructions, you certainly shouldn't either."

2. The Practical Requirement: Verse 19 begins with the word "Therefore" (or "Whoever then..."), which directly ties it to the previous statement.

• The Logic: Because Yeshua is upholding the Law's validity (v. 17-18), anyone who tries to "relax" or "annul" even the smallest part of it is acting in opposition to His mission.
• The Standard: Since Yeshua is bringing the Law to its "fullness," His followers are expected to do the same by practicing and teaching it in its complete, intended sense.

3. Jewish Idioms: Uprooting vs. Establishing

In the Hebrew context you’ve been exploring, these verses mirror a common rabbinic debate about interpreting Scripture:

• To "Abolish" (v. 17): In Hebrew, this is la’akor, which literally means "to uproot." A teacher was accused of "uprooting" the Law if they interpreted it in a way that made it impossible to keep or irrelevant.
• To "Fulfill" (v. 17): This is lekayem, which means "to establish" or "to cause to stand."
• The Connection to v. 19: Yeshua is saying, "I am here to lekayem (uphold/fulfill) the Torah. Therefore, anyone who la’akor (uproots/breaks) even a small command is working against the very Kingdom I am establishing."

The Apostles

In Acts 15, often called the Jerusalem Council, the early Church leaders met specifically to decide whether Gentile converts needed to "become Jewish" (via circumcision and full Torah observance) to be part of the community.

The following verses provide the direct biblical support for the decision that Gentiles were not obligated to take on the full covenant of the Torah given at Sinai.

1. The Core Conflict (Acts 15:1, 5)

The chapter begins by identifying the group (often called "Judaizers") that insisted on conversion:

"Some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers: 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'" (v. 1)

"Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, 'The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.'" (v. 5)

2. Peter’s Defense of Grace (Acts 15:8–11)

Peter, recalling his experience with Cornelius (the first Gentile convert), argued that God had already accepted Gentiles without the Law:

• Heart over Ritual: "G-d... showed that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us. He did not discriminate... for He purified their hearts by faith." (v. 8–9)
• The "Yoke" of the Law: "Now then, why do you try to test G-d by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?" (v. 10)
• Salvation by Grace: "No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." (v. 11)

3. James’ Decisive Judgment (Acts 15:19–20)

James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, gave the final ruling which released Gentiles from full Torah obligation:

"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to G-d. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood."

4. The Apostolic Decree (Acts 15:28–29)

The council sent a formal letter to Gentile believers to codify this freedom. This is the most direct verse supporting this statement:

"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell."

Paul’s Mindset

To understand Paul’s letters, you have to understand his complex relationship with the Law. He didn't see the Torah as "bad"—in fact, he called it "holy, righteous and good" (Romans 7:12)—but he believed its role had fundamentally changed.

• Paul argued that the Torah’s primary job was to define sin. He wrote, "Through the law we become conscious of our sin" (Romans 3:20). It was a mirror to show us our flaws, not a ladder to climb to perfection, because "by the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight."
• In Galatians, he describes the Law as a paidagogos (a guardian or tutor). He explains, "The law was our guardian until Christ came... But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian" (Galatians 3:24-25). The Law was meant to protect and discipline us until we were ready for the freedom of faith.
• Paul didn't throw out morality; he simplified it. He argued that the entire Torah is "fulfilled" in a single mindset: "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Galatians 5:14). If you live by the Spirit, you naturally achieve the Law’s intent without the checklist.
• His mindset was famously flexible for the sake of the Gospel. He described his strategy in 1 Corinthians 9:20: "To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law... so as to win those under the law." For Paul, the message of grace was the priority; cultural traditions were secondary tools for connection.

Jew’s Mindset

To understand the Jewish mindset regarding the Torah, one must look past the idea of it being a mere "law book." In Jewish tradition, the Torah is viewed as the living blueprint of creation and the fundamental bridge between the finite human and the infinite Divine.

1. The classical Jewish mindset, rooted in Midrashic teaching, suggests that God "looked into the Torah and created the world." Therefore, the Torah isn't just a set of instructions given to a people; it is the essential DNA of reality. Studying it is seen as an act of uncovering the underlying mechanics of the universe.
2. The Torah is frequently referred to as Torat Chaim, or a "Living Torah." This reflects a mindset where:

• Intellectual Engagement is Worship: Unlike many traditions where faith is purely emotional, the Jewish mindset prioritizes rigorous study. Questioning, debating, and analyzing the text (the "pilpul") is considered a deeply spiritual act.+1
• Action-Oriented Faith: The Torah is a manual for Mitzvot (commandments). In this worldview, holiness is not found by escaping the physical world, but by elevating it through specific actions—eating, working, and resting according to Divine rhythm.

3. For the Jewish mind, the Torah is divided into two inseparable parts:
   1. Torah Shebikhtav (Written Law): The Five Books of Moses.
   2. Torah Shebe’al Peh (Oral Law): The vast library of Talmudic and Rabbinic interpretation.

This creates a mindset of continuity. A Jew studying a text from 2,000 years ago isn't just reading history; they are participating in an ongoing, multi-generational conversation. The Torah is seen as "black fire on white fire"—letters that contain endless layers of meaning (Pardes) ranging from the literal to the deeply mystical.