THE LAW, OR THE TRADITIONS?
Gospel of Matthew 5:17 does not abolish the moral law. In fact, Jesus said the opposite.

Jesus declared:

> “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

Many misunderstand the word “fulfil” to mean “abolish,” but in the biblical context, it means to complete, magnify, uphold, or perfectly live out the law.

Jesus fulfilled the law by:

Living in perfect obedience to it.

Revealing its true spiritual depth.

Fulfilling the prophecies concerning the Messiah.

Right after this verse, Jesus continued:

> “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law…”
— Matthew 5:18

Heaven and earth are still here, which means God’s moral principles still stand.

The moral law — especially the Book of Exodus 20 Ten Commandments — reveals God’s character:

Do not murder

Do not steal

Do not commit adultery

Honor your parents

Worship God alone

Jesus never taught that these commandments were abolished. Instead, He deepened them:

Hatred becomes murder in the heart.

Lust becomes adultery in the heart.

This shows Christ was elevating the law spiritually, not destroying it.

The Bible also says:

> “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”
— Epistle to the Romans 3:31

And:

> “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
— Gospel of John 14:15

What ended at the cross were the ceremonial laws pointing to Christ’s sacrifice — animal sacrifices, feast shadows, and temple rituals. But God’s moral law remains the standard of righteousness.

A powerful truth from Matthew 5:17 is this:

> Christ did not come to remove obedience, but to restore true obedience from the heart.