Matthew 5:17

Jesus said, “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)

For many people then—and many today—the idea of “law” feels like a burden. But Jesus makes it clear: He didn’t come to throw away God’s Word. He came to bring it to its fullness. Every promise, every prophecy, every command finds its meaning in Him.

The Pharisees thought righteousness was about keeping rules. Jesus shows us it’s about keeping our hearts. The law is not a ladder we climb to reach God—it’s a mirror showing us our need for Christ. He is the only One who has perfectly kept God’s law, and by His grace we are counted righteous in Him.

That’s why Jesus warns us in verse 20 that our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees. How? Not by piling up good works, but by trusting the One who fulfilled the law in our place. True righteousness is not achieved—it’s received.

This week, let’s not treat God’s Word as a checklist, but as a love letter that points us to Jesus. And let’s live in such a way that His righteousness shines through us—not to prove ourselves, but to glorify the One who has already made us His own.