Fictional jesus did not abolish the Old Testament. The real meaning of jesus fulfilling the Law.

August 14, 2013

Many christians of today, try to claim that the Old Testament or the Law was abolished by jesus. Ironically, they like to take verses out of context to do it. This is a claim that they often make against any scriptural criticism.

This research will use the Greek language and quotes from Paul and jesus to refute these claims.

“This claim is a scapegoat that Christians use to ignore the atrocities and bizarre laws commanded by their god. Their preachers spoon feed them that the Old Testament is no longer binding so that they can excuse the majority of evil that the bible promotes. I am so tired of Christians manipulating the scriptures so that they can assign a kinder nature to their God, that I have assembled a BRIEF list of verses which clearly show that the Old Testament is not to be ignored. Its laws should indeed be adhered to, for the New Testament demands it! After this section I shall list where the Bible contradicts itself concerning other laws.” ~evilbible.com

What did the christian god say?

“…if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:” ~The christian god, Deuteronomy 28

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+28

“‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, 15 and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you:“ ~The christian god, Leviticus 26

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+26

"If you fear the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.” 1 Samuel 12:14-15

“But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20then I will uproot you from My land” 2 Chronicles 7:19-20

“But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.“ Isaiah 1:20

1) The Fulfillment of the Law is found in Matthew 5:17-20

17 “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. 18 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. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A17-20&version=NIV

Parallel Verses:

http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-17.htm

http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-18.htm

http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-19.htm

http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-20.htm

2) All of the vicious Old Testament laws will be binding forever. "It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the letter of the law to become invalid.” (Luke 16:17 NAB)

3) Jesus strongly approves of the law and the prophets. He hasn’t the slightest objection to the cruelties of the Old Testament. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest part or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.“ (Matthew 5:17 NAB)

3b) "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16 NAB)

3c) “Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God.” (2 Peter 20-21 NAB)

4) Jesus criticizes the Jews for not killing their disobedient children according to Old Testament law. Mark.7:9-13 "Whoever curses father or mother shall die" (Mark 7:10 NAB)

5) Jesus is criticized by the Pharisees for not washing his hands before eating. He defends himself by attacking them for not killing disobedient children according to the commandment: “He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” (Matthew 15:4-7)

6) Jesus has a punishment even worse than his father concerning adultery: God said the act of adultery was punishable by death. Jesus says looking with lust is the same thing and you should gouge your eye out, better a part, than the whole. The punishment under Jesus is an eternity in Hell. (Matthew 5:27)

7) Peter says that all slaves should “be subject to [their] masters with all fear,” to the bad and cruel as well as the “good and gentle.” This is merely an echo of the same slavery commands in the Old Testament. 1 Peter 2:18

8) “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law" (John7:19) and “For the law was given by Moses,…“ (John 1:17).

9) “…the scripture cannot be broken.” –Jesus Christ, John 10:35

http://www.evilbible.com/do_not_ignore_ot.htm

Attention Believers! 5 Lies You Should Know About the Bible…….

http://marionbible.com/sermons/fivelies.html

Another great article is called The New Testament teaches nothing New

http://www.ecclesia.org/truth/new.html

The Old Testament Scripture is still Binding

Christ used the Old Testament law, which were the “scriptures” of their day, to prove the validity of his own teachings and mission (Luke 24:27). Jesus said if people do not read "Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded” to repent (Luke 16:30-31). Jesus said to “search the Old Testament” and it testifies of Him (John 5:39). In Matthew 22:29-33, Jesus charged the Sadducees with the responsibility to understand the concept of the resurrection of the dead from the Old Testament scripture.

Were the Old Testament Scripture abolished at the Cross?

Paul expected believers to test his words using the Old Testament (Acts 17:11). Paul taught that the Old Testament scripture is “able to make thee wise unto salvation”, and is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,“ so “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim.3:15-17). He said the Old Testament scripture was written for our learning so we might have hope (Romans 15:4). Paul quotes from the Old Testament scripture, saying it’s for our sakes (1 Corinthians 9:9-10).

The apostle Paul kept stressing that the law of Moses was written for their well being. 1 Corinthians 9:9-10, "For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn…For our sakes, no doubt, this is written.” Obviously, Paul did not look at the Mosaic Law as abolished after Jesus died.

Acts 17:10-12, “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed…”

The brethren in Berea validated the apostles Paul and Silas every day. They verified their words with scripture. Dear reader, what scripture were they testing their words with? With the Old Testament scripture! What happened after they read the Old Testament scripture? Many of the believed! How? This is how:

Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

The Word of God, at that time, was the Old Testament scripture. It was not abolished at the cross!

The first disciple of Christ to be killed for his faith was Steven. He preached to his accusers just before he was stoned to death by them, and he preached directly from the Old Testament scripture (Acts 7).

Why should Christ tell the disciples to “Go and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20) when most of what he had spoken was irrelevant because the old covenant was only to be in force while he was in the flesh? Turning to Paul, the clear implication of his citation of Genesis 15:6 and Habakkuk 2:4 (such as in Galatians 3:6, 11) is that men are saved the same way under both the Old Covenant and the New. He noted that “David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works” (Romans 4:6) before citing from Psalms 32, which implies that salvation of the Old Testament was like that of the New Testament.

The role of the law or obedience relative to salvation or justification was the same for the Jews before the crucifixion as it is for bondservants of Christ today in God’s sight, even if Jewish tradition and the oral law saw it otherwise. Consider that when Paul wrote this to Timothy that parts of the New Testament did not yet exist, or at least had not been likely all gathered together: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness…” (II Timothy 3:16). Having made in the preceding verses a reference to Timothy being raised a believer in the true God through the “sacred writings” (II Timothy 3:14-15), Paul obviously primarily had the Old Testament in mind when he wrote this. If the Old Testament is so largely irrelevant to believers in Christ, why would Paul say this, after citing the Exodus and Israel wandering in the wilderness: “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (I Corinthians 10:11; compare I Corinthians 10:6 and Romans 4:23-24).

More Old Testament laws that Remain:

The New Testament command to be circumcised of heart (Romans 2:29; Colossians 2:11) is an Old Testament doctrine (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah, 4:4, Leviticus 26:41).

James 2:10, “sin in one, guilty of all” (see also Galatians 3:10 and Matthew 26:66) is from Deuteronomy 27:26.

1 John 3:4, “sin is the transgression of the law” (see also Romans 4:15 and James 2:9) can be seen in 1 Samuel 15:24 and Daniel 9:11.

The command for believers to not marry unbelievers (1 Corinthians 7:39, 2 Corinthians 6:14) is found in Deuteronomy 7:3.

When Jesus said, at Matthew 7:14, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” this was a different way to re-phrase Deuteronomy 5:32.

Matthew 22:36-40, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 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. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” is taken, word for word, from Deuteronomy 6:5, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” and Leviticus 19:18, “…thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself…”

Jesus did not replace the Law, nor give any new commandment, which is why He said:

1 John 2:7, “Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.”

~We will be quoting a great deal from this christian website,

http://www.the-ten-commandments.org/jesus_fulfilled_the_moral_law.html

who does a great job with this question:

In Matthew 5:17, jesus assures us that He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfil it. In verse 19, He states that we are not only to obey the law but we are to teach it also.

~If fulfill meant to destroy or abolish the law;

Starting with verse 17 of King James:

This is what Jesus would effectively be saying, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to DESTROY THE LAW but I have come to DESTROY THE LAW. Now that I have come to fulfil the law and hence destroy the law, I am telling you that till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall, that is, not the crossing of a “t” or the dotting of an “i” shall in NO wise pass from the law that I am ending. And since fulfilling the law ends and destroys the law, I am telling you that whosoever therefore shall BREAK ONE of these least Commandments shall be referred to as least by those in the kingdom, and since I am abolishing the law, I am telling you that you are now to TEACH THE LAW also that I am abolishing.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A17-20&version=KJV

Does that make sense? No one in their right mind could possibly say that this makes one iota of common sense or logic. One could not have a more absurd load of absolute nonsense and contradictory statements if one tried.

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.

Pleroo Thayer definition:

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.

Fulfill, from the Greek word pleroo, also means “to expound upon it, to elucidate (illuminate, illustrate), to explain, to give the full and true meaning, to bring to realization, realize” (Thayer’s Greek English Lexicon).

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/pleroo.html

http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/G4137/pleroo.htm

Jesus certainly did not come to destroy the law; He obeyed and carried out the law to the full and magnified it!

Where in the Old Testament does it say that Jesus would end the law or even one Commandment such as the fourth Commandment of 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.”

http://biblehub.com/isaiah/42-21.htm

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. We note the following; Matthew 5:19 from not only obeying the law but teaching it also.

Does this give the impression that fulfilling the law ends the law? If this were true then all the following things have also ended. Our Joy, our Righteousness, the Word of God, the Scriptures and our obedience just to name a few. Obviously this is not possible.

Does Christ fulfilling the law end the Moral law?

Below are some of the other things that would have also ended if this Greek word “fulfil” meant to bring an end to the law. Consider what these scriptures would say if “fulfil” meant to “end.” These following scriptures all use the same Greek word G4137.

Matthew 3:15 “…it becometh us to fulfil [end] all righteousness.”

John 17:13 “…that they might have my joy fulfilled [ended] in themselves.”

2 Thessalonians 1:11 “…and fulfil [end] all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.”

Philippians 2:2 “fulfil [end] you my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love…”

John 17:12 “…that the scripture might be fulfilled [ended].”

Colossians 1:25 “…which is given to me for you, to fulfil [end] the word of God.”

2 Corinthians 10:6 “…having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled [ended].”

The following verse is the Biblical definition for sin:

1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Romans 4:15 “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.”

“If there is no law, then there can be no transgression of the law, which is what sin is. Therefore, evil could freely reign and our Saviour would be obsolete. Who needs a Saviour to save us from our sin when there is no sin? We do not even need to repent of sin anymore, as without a law there can be no transgression of the law, which defines what sin is. Does the Bible say sin is gone? Does Paul say we can now sin that we are under Grace? Remember that sin is transgression of the law and if there is no law then there can be no sin. If there is sin then there has to be a law. It is that simple.” ~the-ten-commandments.org

Just for a quick point revision, here are some of those reasons previously covered why “fulfil” does not abolish the law.

If this were so, then our Joy, our Righteousness, the Word of God, the Scriptures and our obedience would also be gone just to name a few. Our “righteousness” and our “Joy” and the “Scriptures” do still exist I hope!

Jesus would be contradicting Himself extremely seriously more than ten times in Matthew chapter five.

You cannot be told to obey a law that is abolished or does not exist.

You cannot teach obedience to a law that does not exist. How do you teach how to obey a non-existent law?

If there was no law then there could be no sin and we would not require a Saviour and someone to intercede on our behalf with the Father for our sins. We do still have to repent of our sins don’t we? Some would say no!

Isaiah 42:21 says that Jesus came to magnify the law. There is nothing that says or was prophesied that Jesus came to abolish the law or even one Commandment.

The Greek word for “fulfil” used in verse 17 means to make full or to give full meaning. Fulfilling the law as per Matthew 5:17 does not mean to abolish.

How can the law that is NOT void be ended that we also have to establish and be doers of? Romans 3:31; Romans 2:13.

http://www.the-ten-commandments.org/jesus_fulfilled_the_moral_law.html

~Lots of verses are used to try to free christians from the Old Testament:

Ephesians 2:14

For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.

http://biblehub.com/ephesians/2-14.htm

Ephesians 2:15

He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.

http://biblehub.com/ephesians/2-15.htm

What are Gentiles?

The word Gentiles means the nations, and eventually came to be used to mean all those not of the house of Israel. It is first used in Genesis with reference to the descendants of Japheth (Gen. 10: 2-5). As used throughout the scriptures it has a dual meaning, sometimes to designate peoples of non-Israelite lineage, and other times to designate nations that are without the gospel, even though there may be some Israelite blood therein. This latter usage is especially characteristic of the word as used in the Book of Mormon.

~Romans 3

19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

Christ Took Our Punishment

21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.

http://biblehub.com/romans/3-21.htm

22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.

31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

http://biblehub.com/romans/3-31.htm

~Romans 4 - The Faith of Abraham

Romans 4:13

Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith.

http://biblehub.com/romans/4-13.htm

Romans 4:14

If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.

http://biblehub.com/romans/4-14.htm

Romans 4:15

For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)

http://biblehub.com/romans/4-15.htm

Romans 4:16

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

http://biblehub.com/romans/4-16.htm

~Romans 6 - Sin’s Power Is Broken

12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

http://biblehub.com/romans/6-14.htm

15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!

http://biblehub.com/romans/6-15.htm

16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6&version=NLT

Notes: You should still follow the law by choice in order to be righteous. Being saved is no longer about obeying rules solely, but nevertheless we are expected to live moral lives.

Certain aspects of the law, such as circumcision and dietary commandments, were considered by Paul as not applying to Gentiles who followed his teaching (1 Corinthians 7:18-19 and Galations 5:2). The early Christians would probably have mixed their own traditions with Paul’s teachings to make them more palatable to them.

~Romans 10

Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.

4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

http://biblehub.com/romans/10-4.htm

Salvation Is for Everyone

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,

“The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”
And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

2 Peter 3:15-16 (Speaking about Paul and his writing)

15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—

16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

The following is from a christian site, called eyeoftheneedle:

There is a good Greek word which can mean “accomplish” or “come to pass”. It is ginomai, and is used by GOD together with pleroo in several passages. Let us first consider some of these to help us distinguish between the two words. The first usage of either of these two Greek words in the New Testament is found in a single verse, which in itself is quite curious. We will quote the entire context encompassing the incident.

MATTHEW 1:18-23 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done [ginomai], that it might be fulfilled [pleroo] which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet [ISAIAH 7:13-14], saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Reading the prophecy in ISAIAH one is presented with somewhat of a different picture than what we find “fulfilled” in MATTHEW. Most significant being that the Child’s name in ISAIAH was to be Emmanuel when in MATTHEW the Angel commanded Joseph that His name was to be Jesus (Yeshua). Thus we understand that “fulfilling” prophecy didn’t mean that exactly what was written by Isaiah was going to be exactly accomplished in the future. Rather, we see that what was accomplished (ginomai) in MATTHEW, didn’t fulfill that prophecy, but actually just explained the full and true meaning (pleroo) of what Isaiah had written. Fulfilling the prophecy meant explaining it.

MATTHEW provides us with two more brilliant examples of how these two Greek words interact.

MATTHEW 21:4 All this was done [ginomai, accomplished] that it might be fulfilled [pleroo, explained] which was spoken by the prophet….

MATTHEW 26:56 But all this was done [ginomai, accomplished], that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled [pleroo, explained]. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

The fourth Gospel also provides us with the necessary evidence to understand something of the relationship between these two Greek words.

JOHN 19:36 For these things were done [ginomai, accomplished] that the scripture should be fulfilled [pleroo, explained], A bone of him shall not be broken.

Let’s look at a few other passages where this Greek word pleroo is referring, not to something being fulfilled or accomplished but rather where something has been “expounded upon or realized”.

http://www.eyeoftheneedle.net/Fellowship%20of%20the%20Mystery/fellowship%20of%20mystery-how%20Christ%20fulfilled%20law.htm