This question has been debated for centuries: Did Jesus endorse or oppose the Old Testament Law? Many assume He introduced a new system that replaced the Law of Moses. However, when we examine Jesus’ own words, we find a different answer—one that upholds and fulfills the Law rather than abolishing it.
Jesus’ Own Words on the Law
Jesus made His stance clear in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18)
Here, Jesus explicitly denies that He came to do away with the Law. Instead, He fulfills it, meaning He brings it to its intended purpose and completion.
The Law’s Eternal Authority
The Old Testament itself warns against altering God’s commands:
“Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)
“See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.” (Deuteronomy 12:32)
These passages emphasize that God’s Law is not subject to human modification. Jesus, in fulfilling the Law, did not negate its importance but rather illuminated its deeper meaning.
The Heart of the Law: Love and Obedience
When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus responded:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Rather than discarding the Law, Jesus emphasized its essence: wholehearted love for God and love for others. This aligns perfectly with Deuteronomy:
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
God’s Law was always about choosing life, obedience, and love—principles Jesus reaffirmed.
Justice, Mercy, and the Law
Jesus also criticized those who misused the Law:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” (Matthew 23:23)
Here, Jesus does not reject the Law but corrects a legalistic mindset that focuses on rituals while ignoring justice and mercy—the very things the Law was meant to cultivate.
The Mystery of God’s Revelation
Deuteronomy also acknowledges that God’s ways are sometimes beyond human understanding:
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)
Jesus, as the ultimate revelation of God, unveiled the Law’s full meaning—one that calls for inner transformation rather than mere outward compliance.
Conclusion: Jesus and the Law
Jesus did not oppose the Old Testament Law; rather, He upheld it completely, declaring that “until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18). He reinforced that obedience to God’s Law remains vital, stating, “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19). His words leave no room for dismissing the Law’s significance.
Moreover, Jesus pointed to the Law’s enduring purpose, urging people to obey it in both action and intent. His teachings align perfectly with Deuteronomy’s call to obedience and life. The real question, then, is not whether Jesus opposed the Law, but whether we are willing to follow His example and uphold every part of it, just as He instructed.