I came across a view from a Adventist site, which caused me to stop and look it over carefully to see if I had read it correctly. Now it is talking about the following:

Matthew 5:17-19
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Here is a definition for the Greek word “fulfil” used in Matthew 5:17.
G4137 “Pleroo” Thayer definition: 1) to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full.2) to render full, i.e. to complete.2a) to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim.2b) to consummate: a number. 2b1) to make complete in every particular, to render perfect.2b2) to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking).2c) to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise. 2c1) of matters of duty: to perform, execute.2c2) of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish.2c3) to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment.

We see here that Jesus stated "Think not that I am come to destroy the law..but to fulfill", so what did He mean?

Now I have always said that since Jesus knew what laws His death would fulfill, it seems clear it was Moses’ ceremonial law of the sacrificial system at the temple and feasts, etc.. which pointed to Christ. Subsequently that is what Christ fulfilled and Christ clearly says He is not here to destroy the law, plus we have the following.

Mark 12:28-31
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Christ is explaining the Ten Commandments in a simplified form as it is arranged in two groups; the first group (commandments 1-4) deal with our relationship to God, the second group (5-10) deal with our relationship to one another. When we read Matthew 22:37-40, it is obvious that it is the Ten Commandments Jesus is talking about. So on the face of it, it seems clear that Jesus came to fulfill that which pointed to Him as the Lamb of God, the ceremonial law of Moses.

But, now we go to the Adventist site, which highlights this part of the definition of the word 'fulfill'.
2c3) to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment.
Then they go into the following.

"There is a Greek word for fulfilled that we will discuss later below that does mean to bring to an end, but the word used here is not that one. The Greek word used for fulfil in Matthew 5:17 means to do fully or to give full meaning, and to be obeyed as it should be. Clearly what we do not see in this passage is Jesus destroying the law as He informed us He would not do, but what we do observe is Jesus giving the law its full meaning by obeying and magnifying the law. The other fact that many overlook is that any relevant change that was to occur in the New Testament was always prophesied in the Old Testament. Where in the Old Testament does it say that Jesus would end the law or even one Commandment such as the fourth Commandment the Sabbath? It does not! Since this passage is actually showing Jesus magnifying the law, we should have an Old Testament prophet telling us that Jesus would in fact magnify the law. Does this scripture exist? It has to and does! We should not be strangers to this fact as we are given a Messianic prophecy that tells us that Christ would in fact do exactly this, and there is no mistaking that this is precisely what Jesus is doing in Matthew 5 and not destroying or ending the law as we are told ever so clear that He was not going to do.

Isaiah 42:21 “The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will MAGNIFY the law, and make it honourable.”

We are told the law would be magnified and made honourable, not destroyed. In the remainder of Matthew chapter 5 we see how Jesus has without a doubt magnified the law." http://www.the-ten-commandments.org/jesus_fulfilled_the_moral_law.html

What is everyone's thoughts?

The ceremonial law was only necessary because of continual transgression. Yes, it highlighted what Christ was doing, but it would never have been needed if man had remembered the moral law, see EGW, {PP 364.2}

Christ's mission was to reveal the Father's character, which is the basis of the accusations in the Great Controversy.

So the great basis of SALVATION - is to save us from WHAT? And HOW did Christ do this?

". . . Jesus giving the law its full meaning by obeying and magnifying the law." The life of Jesus is the clearest definition of the Law. Reproducing His lovely traits of character is what the Law envisions.

Amen (good to see you posting)

Good to see you Mountain Man.

Thank you, HC and Rick.

You needn't have gone off in the Greek to understand to what Jesus was referring when He said "the law or the prophets". It is self-evident that He meant the Old Testament, for He does not say "prophet" as of one, but "prophets" as in all of them collectively; PLUS the law, aka THE TORAH or THE PENTATEUCH or the first five books of Moses or Genesis to Deuteronomy.

This is NOT about the Decalogue. Jesus is not quoting the Decalogue. Here are the references He makes:

• Mat. 5:21, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'"
   
• Mat. 5:27, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'"
   
• Mat. 5:31, "Furthermore it has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'"
   
• Mat. 5:33, "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'"
   
• Mat. 5:38, "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'"
   
• Mat. 5:43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'"

He was speaking of the rabbinic tradition, their commentary on the "Law and the Prophets". And in diverting attention away from that, was drawing attention instead to the true light in the "Law and the Prophets" or the Bible in its original purity -- preaching what we call today Sola Scriptura.

But why did He speak of destroying and fulfilling? It was a counter argument against the accusations of those who denounced His "destruction" of the rabbinic tradition in favour of Sola Scriptura. He came to destroy the former to make the latter great again, in a manner of speaking. He came to uphold the principles of the latter and to fulfill its promises.

In our day, we follow His example by reading the Holy Scriptures for ourselves, paying careful attention to context and not being led into the ditch by extraneous material purporting to be "lesser and lesser and even lesser lights".

///

Jesus isn't destroying any of those commands that are quoted in Matthew 5 but is magnifying the true meaning of the commands.



1. Matt. 5:21 "You shall not murder" is part of the Decalogue. It is NOT a rabbinical addition. Jesus magnifies the sixth command showing that it is not just the act of murder, but the mental attitude of hate and hurtful thoughts against someone that already transgresses the command. "That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment"

2. Mat. 5:27, 'You shall not commit adultery" is part of the Decalogue. It is NOT a rabbinical addition. Jesus again magnifies this 7th commandment showing that transgression is NOT just the act, but the mental attitude.
" whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

3. Mat. 5:31, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'" This is NOT part of the Decalogue, but neither is it a rabbinical addition. You will find it in Duet. 24:1, but both the OT and Jesus make it clear, this is not God's plan, but allowed "out of the hardness of men's hearts" and then Jesus links it back to the importance of of the 7th commandment.
"Matt. 19:8 , Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so....Whosoever shall put away his wife, except [it be] for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery:"

4. Mat. 5:33, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'"
Lev. 19:12 gives that command. It too is from the law and the prophets. Christ does not negate that command, it is still wrong to "swear falsely" but Jesus takes it a step higher -- don't swear at all, but let your "Yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no".

5. Mat. 5:38, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
Again this comes from the OT, (Ex. 21:24) not from Rabbinical traditions. It was given for the guidance of judges in civil affairs to make the punishment fit the crime. But Jesus takes it to the personal level. "Turn the other cheek" etc.

6. Mat. 5:43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'"

And here I think we see the central point --
for it is the ONLY "you have heard" statement that is wrong -- the first part is Biblical correct, but the second part is problematic -- and the "wrong" aspect is also the missing ingredient that was missing in their understanding of all the other commands. It is the LOVE aspect --
All God's commands hang on LOVE -- a godly love.
Love your neighbor and that includes loving those who don't love us.

If Christ in the heart plants HIS law of love there --
--a person won't murder OR have hateful, murderous thoughts
--a person won't dishonor their marriage partner or sexually defile any person by adultery either in act or in their mind.
--a person won't swear falsely, or presumptive, their simple word can be depended upon
--they will not retaliate with violence, but show love even to those who are mean and abusive to them.

And yes, Christ fully exemplified the true fulfillment of all those commands. He did not destroy a single one that was written in scripture

To fulfill here, doesn't mean to destroy.

All have sinned and fallen short of fulfilling them. But Christ, in His human state lived them perfectly, fulfilled them perfectly.

We want to be more and more like Him in our ways, with His love growing in our hearts and minds.