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MATTHEW 5:17-19 (NKJV):
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I DID NOT COME TO DESTROY BUT TO FULFILL. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

DID YESHUA (JESUS) FULFILL THE LAW?

Answer: No. Yeshua (Jesus) only fulfilled the law in the sense that He fulfilled the requirements of the law through being obedient to it. We as believers are advised to walk just as He walked, obeying His commandments in obedience to the law, fulfilling the requirements of the law, which are not abolished.

1 JOHN 2:4-6 (NKJV):
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

DID YESHUA (JESUS) FULFILL THE LAW, SO THAT WE DON’T NEED TO OBEY IT?

ROMANS 13:8 (NKJV):
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another HAS FULFILLED THE LAW.

2 CORINTHIANS 10:4-6 (NKJV):
Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Messiah (Christ), and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience IS FULFILLED.

GALATIANS 5:14 (NKJV):
FOR ALL THE LAW IS FULFILLED in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The most basic flawed false teaching and misunderstanding in all of mainstream Christianity is that Yeshua (Jesus) both fulfilled and thus abolished the law, so we no longer need to obey it. Those who proclaim Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled the law and therefore we don’t need to obey it, through ignorance and/or deceptive intent, incorrectly equate the words ‘fulfill’ with ‘abolish’ and ‘destroy.’ Yeshua (Jesus) cannot fulfill the law for believers. Believers must repent and obey the law for themselves.

FULFILL, ABOLISH, and DESTROY are NOT synonymous words.

fulfill:
1. Bring to completion or reality; achieve or realize (something desired, promised, or predicted).
2. Carry out (a task, duty, or role) as required, pledged, or expected [1].

abolish:
1. Formally put an end to (a system, practice, or institution) [2].

destroy:
1. Put an end to the existence of (something) by damaging or attacking it [3].

Christians who proclaim that Yeshua (Jesus) ‘fulfilled’ the law, in implication and application, declare that the Torah (law) was in need of modification and Yeshua (Jesus) changed or abolished it. They are declaring that God’s laws were impossible to follow and Yeshua (Jesus) ‘fulfilled’ them, so we no longer need to obey them.

Yeshua (Jesus) didn’t fulfill any laws. Laws don’t need fulfilling, unless they are written incompletely and God laws weren’t.

To ‘fulfill’ a law would be like saying that a local government had put up speed limit signs, but it left out the actual mile-per-hour speed limit. Then the people of the local government elected a governor, who fulfilled the speed limit law by either entering in a mile-per-hour speed limit figure or abolishing the speed limit altogether by tearing down (destroying) the speed limit signs. Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? This is exactly what mainstream Christianity proclaims when it declares Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled the law, so we do not need to obey it.

Yeshua (Jesus) rendered some measures and ordinances for breaking the law obsolete, such as animal sacrifice measures to atone for sin, but that is not a fulfillment – it is a replacement with a new superior atonement: His blood as a once and forever substitute to atone for sin (Hebrews 10).

Another erroneous Christian belief is that ‘parts’ of the ‘Mosaic’ law have changed, or were rescinded, when Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled them. Most Christians adhere to eight or nine of the Ten Commandments (which are Mosaic law). Christians don’t actually believe that laws against murder and stealing are no longer in effect. Many Christians however, falsely believe that God’s perpetual Torah laws that were not specifically repeated in the B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) were fulfilled, meaning they were abolished, changed, and / or rescinded through Yeshua (Jesus).

Three of God’s laws that many Christians believe have been changed or abolished, as a result of Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilling them:

The Sabbath day, God’s dietary laws, and circumcision.

perpetual:
1. Never ending or changing.
2. Occurring repeatedly; so frequent as to seem endless and uninterrupted [4].

SATURDAY SABBATH OR SUNDAY SABBATH: DOES IT MATTER?

EXODUS 31:12-17 (NKJV):
And YHWH (the Lord) spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to YHWH (the Lord). Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a PERPETUAL covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel FOREVER; for in six days YHWH (the Lord) made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”

It is not improper to worship God on Sunday, or on any day of the week. The Sabbath entails more than mere church attendance and / or worship. It is a day of rest and recuperation, of doing no work, of not employing people to do work and a day of no buying and selling. The Sabbath cannot be observed on every day of the week and is not to be observed on a day of our choosing. The day does matter. The seventh-day Saturday Sabbath is not for the Jews only, but for everyone who wishes to be grafted into Israel and be God’s people. The Sabbath is observed from Friday sundown through Saturday sundown. The Sabbath is PERPETUAL, meaning that the day cannot be changed, nor is there any Scripture to support that the Sabbath day was changed to the first-day Sunday. Yeshua (Jesus) cannot ‘fulfill’ or change something that YHWH (the Lord), through Scripture, declares is PERPETUAL and that lasts FOREVER.

DIETARY LAWS: ABOLISHED -OR- PERPETUAL AND REMAINING?

LEVITICUS 3:17, 11:10-11 (NKJV):
It shall be a PERPETUAL STATUTE for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.
…
Anything in the seas or the rivers that do not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is an abomination to you. They SHALL REMAIN an abomination to you; of their flesh you shall not eat and their carcasses you shall have in abomination.

As Yeshua (Jesus) declared in Matthew 5:17, He did not come to destroy or change any of His laws. He did not ‘fulfill’ His dietary laws. The dietary laws were put in place to protect us from the various ailments, diseases, feebleness, and premature death that Christians often suffer as a result of eating unclean creatures. The dietary laws were not put in place as some type of temporary restriction to be rescinded later on. Pork and shellfish were always unclean and unhealthy for human consumption. God’s dietary laws are PERPETUAL STATUTES and it SHALL REMAIN an abomination to consume pork, shellfish, and other Scripture-declared unclean creatures. There is no example of any saint in all Scripture, in the Tanakh or B’rit Hadashah (Old or New Testaments), eating any unclean creature. Peter never did eat anything unclean in Acts chapter 10. Yeshua (Jesus) cannot ‘fulfill,’ meaning abolish, dietary laws that Scripture declares are PERPETUAL and SHALL REMAIN so.

IS CIRCUMCISION OPTIONAL NOW?

GENESIS 17:9-14 (NKJV):
And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant that you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an EVERLASTING COVENANT. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

LEVITICUS 12:1-3 (NKJV):
Then YHWH (the Lord) spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.’”

Genesis 17:13 declares that circumcision is to be done on male children on their eighth- day and this will be an EVERLASTING COVENANT. Yeshua (Jesus) cannot and did not abolish what God has established as EVERLASTING. The law of circumcision remains, as this is an EVERLASTING COVENANT. What then, of the circumcision discussion among the apostles and statement by Peter in Acts 15:24, in which Peter declared that there is no commandment to circumcise new adult converted men?

ACTS 15:1-6,24 (NKJV):
And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter…
Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment…

Peter, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, was correct. There is no commandment to circumcise adult men. God commands circumcision to be performed on male children on the eighth-day AND ONLY ON THE EIGHTH-DAY, according to the law (Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3).

There is no law in Scripture to circumcise adult males. A male child is perfectly geared for circumcision on the eighth day, as science now confirms that the eighth day is the optimal day for circumcision, as it’s the exact day when vitamin K and prothrombin levels are at their peak in infants, which causes blood coagulation that aids in any surgical procedure.

Were the elders’ objection concerning circumcision for new uncircumcised male Gentile converts without merit? Not exactly. The elders who were calling for adult male converts to be circumcised were concerned with Scripture:

GENESIS 17:14 (NKJV):
And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.

Why didn’t God require newly converted Gentile adult males to be circumcised? Why didn’t God “cut them off from His people”?

Yeshua (Jesus) died to pay the penalty for mankind’s transgression of the law. He didn’t die to abolish the law or nail the law to the cross; He nailed the ordinances or penalties for breaking the law to the cross. In the case of circumcision, if parents didn’t have their male child circumcised, either through neglect or lack of knowledge of the law of circumcision, that child was to be cut off from God’s people unless he became circumcised as an adult male. Yeshua (Jesus) has saved the uncircumcised – as well as all sinners, bearing our iniquities and shortcomings, and those shortcomings of our parents for us as well.

Yeshua (Jesus) took away the ordinance for not being circumcised, which was to be cut off from His people, yet the circumcision law for 8-day-old male children remains an everlasting covenant.

YESHUA (JESUS) WAS CIRCUMCISED

LUKE 2:21 (NKJV):
And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Yeshua (Jesus), the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

Yeshua (Jesus) followed the law perfectly, even in His infancy. God (the Father), in His infinite wisdom, chose Mary and Joseph to raise Yeshua (Jesus), as the Father knew that they would properly circumcise Yeshua (Jesus) on the appointed eighth-day. Hypothetically speaking, if Mary and/or Joseph had rebelled against God and chose not to have Yeshua (Jesus) properly circumcised, the Father most certainly would have sent angels down from heaven to make sure His only begotten Son was rightly circumcised. In a similar manner, as Yeshua (Jesus) is the Rock, Scripture declared that not one of His bones would be broken (John 19:36). If one of the Roman guards, or anyone else, attempted to break the legs or any of the other bones of Yeshua (Jesus) after He had died, God the Father would have moved heaven and Earth to protect Him, not allowing any of His bones to be broken.

1 CORINTHIANS 7:18-20 (NKJV):
Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.

The law of circumcision remains an EVERLASTING COVENANT. Parents, according to God’s law, are required to circumcise their male children on their eighth-day. Adolescent or adult males whose parents did not have them circumcised cannot go back to their eighth-day and properly obey the law. Circumcision becomes optional for men after their eighth-day.

If an uncircumcised adult male chooses not to be circumcised in adulthood, he will not be cut off from God’s people, as Yeshua (Jesus) has paid the ordinance penalty for the lack of proper eighth-day circumcision. Uncircumcised men can be grafted into and welcomed to God’s family through grace and faith.

WHAT DID YESHUA (JESUS) MEAN WHEN HE SAID HE CAME TO FULFILL?

Matthew 5:17 is a two-part statement referring to the law AND the prophets.

MATTHEW 5:17 (NKJV):
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:17 should be understood in the following contextual manner:

MATTHEW 5:17 (NKJV):
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy [THE LAW] but to fulfill [THE PROPHETS – WHAT THEY WROTE OF CONCERNING ME].

WHAT DID YESHUA (JESUS) FULFILL?

Yeshua (Jesus) did not come to fulfill (abolish, alter, change, or destroy) the law. Matthew 5:18 proclaims that the law will remain until heaven and Earth pass away. Heaven and Earth will not pass away, as a new heaven and a new Earth will replace them, so they will never actually pass away (Revelation 21:1). God’s laws and words will by no means pass away (Luke 21:33). Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled what the prophets had written about Him, concerning the Messiah (Luke 24:25-27). Many of the prophecies Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled were often duel-prophesies concerning things related to others and to Him.

MATTHEW 1:22-23 (NKJV):
So all this was done THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by YHWH (the Lord) through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

ISAIAH 7:14 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Therefore YHWH (the Lord) Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
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MATTHEW 2:14-15 (NKJV):
When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by YHWH (the Lord) through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

HOSEA 11:1 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
And out of Egypt I called My Son.
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MATTHEW 2:16-18 (NKJV):
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. THEN WAS FULFILLED what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning – Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they were no more.”

JEREMIAH 31:15 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Thus says YHWH (the Lord):
“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping – Rachel weeping for her children, because they were no more.”

MATTHEW 2:23 (NKJV):
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED, which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

JUDGES 13:7 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
And He said to me, “Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.”

MATTHEW 4:12-16 (NKJV):
Now when Yeshua (Jesus) heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

ISAIAH 9:1 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. ************************************************************************
MATTHEW 8:14-17 (NKJV):
Now when Yeshua (Jesus) had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
“He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.”

ISAIAH 53:4 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Surely He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains. ************************************************************************
MATTHEW 12:14-21 (NKJV):
Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. But when Yeshua (Jesus) knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare Right-Ruling to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth Right-Ruling forever; and in His name the nations will trust.”

ISAIAH 42:1-4 (NKJV) (FULFILLED*):
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Chosen One in whom My soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice in accordance with truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for His law (Torah).”

*Yeshua (Jesus) will establish justices and rightly rule the nations with a rod of iron as King of kings upon His return to Earth (Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:27, 12:5, 19:15).

MATTHEW 13:10-15 (NKJV):
And the disciples came and said to Him [Yeshua (Jesus)], “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH IS FULFILLED, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’”

ISAIAH 6:9-10 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
And He said, “Go and tell this people, “Hearing you hear, but do not understand; and seeing you see, but do not perceive.” Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and shall turn and be healed.
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MATTHEW 13:34-35 (NKJV):
All these things Yeshua (Jesus) spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

PSALM 78:2 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter riddles of old. ************************************************************************
MATTHEW 21:1-5 (NKJV):
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Yeshua (Jesus) sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and straightaway you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
All this was done THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

ZECHARIAH 9:9 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your King is coming to you; He is righteous and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

MATTHEW 26:52-56 (NKJV):
But Yeshua (Jesus) said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could THE SCRIPTURES BE FULFILLED, that it must happen thus?”
In that hour Yeshua (Jesus) said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done THAT THE SCRIPTURES OF THE PROPHETS MIGHT BE FULFILLED.”

ISAIAH 53:7 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.
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MATTHEW 27:6-10 (NKJV):
But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
THUS WAS FULFILLED what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter’s field, as YHWH (the Lord) directed me.”

JEREMIAH 32:6-9 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
And Jeremiah said, “The word of YHWH (the Lord) came to me, saying, ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.”’ Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of YHWH (the Lord), and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of YHWH (the Lord). So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money, seventeen shekels of silver.
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MATTHEW 27:35 (NKJV):
Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by the prophet:
“They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

PSALM 22:18 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. ************************************************************************
MARK 14:48-49 (NKJV):
Then Yeshua (Jesus) answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the SCRIPTURES MUST BE FULFILLED.”

ISAIAH 53:7 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

MARK 15:27-28 (NKJV):
With Him [Yeshua (Jesus)] they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So THE SCRIPTURE WAS FULFILLED which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”

ISAIAH 53:12 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
And He was numbered with the transgressors… ************************************************************************
LUKE 4:16-19 (NKJV):
So He [Yeshua (Jesus)] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of YHWH (the Lord) is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of YHWH (the Lord).

ISAIAH 61:1-2 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
The Spirit of YHWH (the Lord) God is upon Me, because YHWH (the Lord) has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the broken- hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of YHWH (the Lord)…
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LUKE 24:44-47 (NKJV):
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that ALL THESE THINGS MUST BE FULFILLED which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Messiah (Christ) to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
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JOHN 12:37-41 (NKJV):
But although He [Yeshua (Jesus)] had done so many signs before them, they did not believe Him, THAT THE WORD OF ISAIAH THE PROPHET MIGHT BE FULFILLED, which he spoke:
YHWH (Lord), who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of YHWH (the Lord) been revealed?”
Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.
These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

ISAIAH 6:10, 53:1 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and shall turn and be healed. …
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of YHWH (the Lord) been revealed?”

JOHN 13:18 (NKJV):
“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but THAT THE SCRIPTURE MAY BE FULFILLED, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’

PSALM 41:9 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. ************************************************************************
JOHN 15:23-25 (NKJV):
“He who hates Me [Yeshua (Jesus)] hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened THAT THE WORD MIGHT BE FULFILLED which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’”

PSALM 69:4 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head… ************************************************************************
JOHN 19:24 (NKJV):
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Yeshua (Jesus), took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” THAT THE SCRIPTURE MIGHT BE FULFILLED which says:
“They divided My garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

PSALM 22:18 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. ************************************************************************
JOHN 19:28-29 (NKJV):
After this, Yeshua (Jesus), knowing that all things were now accomplished, THAT THE SCRIPTURE MIGHT BE FULFILLED, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of vinegar was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.

PSALM 69:21 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. ************************************************************************
JOHN 19:31-34 (NKJV):
Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Yeshua (Jesus) and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

JOHN 19:35-37 (NKJV):
And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done THAT THE SCRIPTURE SHOULD BE FULFILLED, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again ANOTHER SCRIPTURE SAYS, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

EXODUS 12:43-46; NUMBERS 9:12 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
And YHWH (the Lord) said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: … nor shall you break one of its bones.”

PSALM 34:20 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.

PSALM 22:17 (NKJV) (FULFILLED): They look and stare at Me.

ZECHARIAH 12:10 (NKJV) (YET TO BE FULFILLED*):
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced…”

*Will be fulfilled on the day when Yeshua (Jesus) returns (Zechariah 12:7-9).
************************************************************************
ACTS 1:15-20 (NKJV):
And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Men and brethren, THIS SCRIPTURE HAD TO BE FULFILLED, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested YESHUA (Jesus); for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.”
(Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out. And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)
“For it is written in the Book of Psalms:
‘Let his dwelling place be desolate, and let no one live in it; and
‘Let another take his office.’”

PSALM 69:25, 109:8 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Let their dwelling place be desolate; let no one live in their tents.
…
And let another take His office.
************************************************************************
ACTS 3:18 (NKJV):
But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Messiah (Christ) would suffer, HE HAS THUS FULFILLED.

ISAIAH 53:4-5 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our wickedness; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

ACTS 13:26-35 (NKJV):
“Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, HAVE FULFILLED THEM IN condemning Him. And though they found no cause for death in Him they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. Now when THEY HAD FULFILLED all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. And we declare to you glad tidings – that promise which was made to the fathers. God HAS FULFILLED THIS for us their children, in that He has raised up Yeshua (Jesus). As it is also written in the second Psalm:
‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’
And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus:
‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’
Therefore He also says in another Psalm:
‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’

PSALM 2:7 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
YHWH (the Lord) has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’
(Matthew 3:17, 17:5; Mark 1:11; 2 Peter 1:17).

ISAIAH 55:3 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the sure mercies of David.

PSALM 16:10 (NKJV) (FULFILLED):
For you will not leave my soul in the grave, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF LISTING OF SOME OF THE OVER 300-PROPHESIES FULFILLED BY YESHUA (JESUS):

1. Messiah would be born of a woman. (Gen 3:15; Matt 1:20; Gal 4:4).

2. Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (Mic 5:2; Matt 2:1; Luke 2:4-6).

3. Messiah would be born of a virgin. (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:22-23; Luke 1:26-31).

4. Messiah would come from the line of Abraham. (Gen 12:3, 22:18; Matt 1:1; Rom 9:5).

5. Messiah would come from the line of Isaac. (Gen 17:19, 21:12; Luke 3:34).

6. Messiah would come from the line of Jacob. (Num 24:17; Matt 1:2).

7. Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah. (Gen 49:10; Luke 3:33; Heb 7:14).

8. Messiah would be heir to King David’s throne. (2 Sam 7:12-13; Isa 9:7; Luke 1:32-33; **Rom 1:3).

9. Messiah’s throne will be anointed and eternal. (Psa 45:6-7; Dan 2:44; Luke 1:33; **Heb 1:8-12).

10. Messiah would be called Immanuel. (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:23).

11. Messiah would spend a season in Egypt. (Hos 11:1; Matt 2:14-15).

12. A massacre of children would happen at Messiah’s birthplace. (Jer 31:15; ***Matt 2:16-18).

13. A messenger would prepare the way for Messiah. (Isa 40:3-5; Luke 3:3-6).

14. Messiah would be rejected by His own people. (Psa 69:8; Isa 53:3; John 1:11, 7:5).

15. Messiah would be a prophet. (Deut 18:15; Acts 3:20-22).

16. Messiah would be preceded by Elijah. (Mal 4:5-6; Matt 11:13-14).

17. Messiah would be declared the Son of God. (Psa 2:7; Matt 3:16-17).

18. Messiah would be called a Nazarene. (Judges 13:7; Matt 2:23).

19. Messiah would bring light to Galilee. (Isa 9:1-2; Matt 4:13-16).

20. Messiah would speak in parables. (Psa 78:2-4; Isa 6:9-10; Matt 13:10-15, 34-35).

21. Messiah would be sent to heal the brokenhearted. (Isa 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19).

22. Messiah would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Psa 110:4; Heb 5:5-6).

23. Messiah would be called King. (Psa 2:6; Zech 9:9; Matt 27:37; Mark 11:7-11).

24. Messiah would be praised by little children. (Psa 8:2; Matt 21:16).

25. Messiah would be betrayed. (Psa 41:9; Zech 11:12-13; Luke 22:47-48; Matt 26:14-16).

26. Messiah’s price money would be used to buy a potter’s field. (Zech 11:12-13; ***Matt 27:9-10).

27. Messiah would be falsely accused. (Psa 35:11; Mark 14:57-58).

28. Messiah would be silent before His accusers. (Isa 53:7; Mark 15:4-5).

29. Messiah would be spat upon and struck. (Isa 50:6; Matt 26:67).

30. Messiah would be hated without cause. (Psa 35:19, 69:4; John 15:24-25).

31. Messiah would be crucified with criminals. (Isa 53:12; Matt 27:38; Mark 15:27-28).

32. Messiah would be given vinegar to drink. (Psa 69:21; Matt 27:34; John 19:28-30).

33. Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced. (Psa 22:16; Zech 12:10; John 20:25-27).

34. Messiah would be mocked and ridiculed. (Psa 22:7-8; Luke 23:35).

35. Soldiers would gamble for Messiah’s garments. (Psa 22:18; Luke 23:34; Matt 27:35-36).

36. Messiah’s bones would not be broken. (Exo 12:46; Psa 34:20; John 19:33-36).

37. Messiah would be forsaken by God. (Psa 22:1; Matt 27:46).

38. Messiah would pray for His enemies. (Psa 109:4; Luke 23:34).

39. Soldiers would pierce Messiah’s side. (Zech 12:10; John 19:34).

40. Messiah would be buried with the rich. (Isa 53:9; Matt 27:57-60).

41. Messiah would resurrect from the dead. (Psa 16:10, 49:15; Matt 28:2-7; Acts 2:22-32).

42. Messiah would ascend to heaven. (Psa 24:7-10; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51).

43. Messiah would be seated at God’s right hand. (Psa 68:18, 110:1; Mark 16:19; Matt 22:44).

44. Messiah would be a sacrifice for sin. (Isa 53:5-12; Rom 5:6-8).

With a proper in-context understanding of Matthew 5:17-19 and understanding of the differences in the meanings of the words ‘destroy’ and ‘fulfill,’ it becomes evident that Yeshua (Jesus) did NOT fulfill the law in any sense other than obeying it; He fulfilled Scripture prophecy. Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled what the prophets had written about Him in Scripture, fulfilling the prophecies and the role of the foretold Messiah (Luke 24:44-47; Acts 3:18).

1. ‘Fulfill,’ Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press, 2016,
< https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/fulfill >.

2. ‘Abolish,’ Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press, 2016,
< https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/abolish >.

3. ‘Destroy,’ Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press, 2016,
< https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/abolish >.

4. ‘Perpetual,’ Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press, 2016,
< https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/perpetual >.