Fulfilled and not destroyed

“Do not think that I have come to loosen (Destroy) the Torah or the Prophets. I have not come to loosen (Destroy) but to fulfil them through proper interpretation.” (Mat. 5:17)

YAHUSHA at no time “loosened” either Torah or the Prophets! The prophetic Word YAHUAH gave to His prophets cannot be loosed or annulled, and neither can the Torah of YAHUAH, and neither can the death, resurrection and ascension of Ha Mashiach. These are three witnesses that stand as One. The Word of YAHUAH is both Torah (instruction in righteousness) and Prophecy declaring, foretelling and revealing the Will of YAHUAH to each generation. (Deut. 4:2; 13:1) the trustworthiness of Ha Mashiach to die for mankind and the universe confirms YAHUAH’s promise for our salvation.

“But now a righteousness of YAHUAH has been revealed apart from the Torah, being witnessed by the Torah and the Prophets, even the righteousness of YAHUAH through the trustworthiness of YAHUSHA Ha Mashiach toward everyone and upon all those believing; for there is no difference” (Rom. 3:21-22)

These three are the testimonies/witnesses of the righteousness of YAHUAH. Annulling either one of the Torah, Prophets or trustworthiness of YAHUSHA would annul the righteousness of YAHUAH has with His people. Therefore it’s inconceivable for either one to be annulled.

“Fulfil” means to carry out or to bring to realization, to perform or do, as in a person’s duty; or to obey or follow the Commandments, as in satisfying the Commandments by obeying them (Isaiah 42:21 “YAHUAH is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify Torah, and make him (it) esteemed.”)….

Let’s take this a little further – as outlined in the Fifth Edition of Andrew Gabriel Roth’s Aramaic English New Testament:

The word “fulfil” is derived from the Aramaic D’MALA, Hebrew MALEY, or the Greek PLEROO. It means to fill full, accomplish, carry out or to bring to realization, to perform or do, as in a person’s duty; or to obey or follow the Commandments, as in satisfying the Commandments by obeying them.

The Hebrew cognate MALEY is found 240 places in Tanakh, for example; Genesis 1:22 “fill (MALEY) the waters in the seas”; Genesis 1:28 “replenish (MALEY) the earth”; Genesis 29:27 “Fulfil (MALEY) her week”; Exodus 28:2 “I have filled (MALEY) with the Spirit”. Isaiah 42:21 reads, “YAHUAH is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify Torah, and make him (it) honourable.”

Isaiah 42 reveals the finished work of Mashiach. We have full prophetic assurance that Mashiach would never annul Torah; rather he magnified Torah and wrote Torah upon the hearts and imaginations of his people (Jeremiah 31:33). YAHUSHA carried out (fulfilled) all “ben Yoseph” (suffering servant) prophecies required by Ha Mashiach.

He performed or fulfilled prophecies, just as he performed (fulfilled) Torah which was his duty and obligation as Ha Mashiach; otherwise he would not have qualified as Ha Mashiach. D’MALA is found 52 times in the New Testament. Matthew 1:22 states, “that it might be fulfilled what was said by Master YAHUAH through the prophet”. Paul uses D’MALA in Romans 15:19 when he says he “fulfilled (D’MALA) the announcement of the Mashiach.” The last thing YAHUSHA said on the torture stake was: “…HA (behold) MESHALAM (it is finished)…”, Yahuchanan 19:30, “meshalam” could well be translated as fulfilled, accomplished or perfected.

“Fulfil” occurs in the following: Matthew: 1:22; 2:15, 17, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14, 35; 17:11; 21:4; 26:54, 56; 27:9. Mark: 13:4; 14:49; 15:28. Luke: 1:20, 23; 2:6, 22; 4:21; 9:31, 51; 12:50; 18:31; 21:22, 24; 22:16, 37; 24:44. Yahuchanan: 12:38; 13:18; 15:25; 17:12; 18:9, 32; 19:24, 28, 36. Acts: 1:16; 2:1; 3:18; 13:27, 29; 15:15, 24:27. Romans: 8:4; 15:19. 2 Timothy: 4:17. Ya’akov: 2:23. Revelation: 17:17.
Fulfilling the Torah

Matthew 5:17 Do not think I have come to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I tell you I have not come to destroy (ashrea–arva) but to fulfil (amala–alma).

It is an absolute impossibility for “destroying” and “fulfilling” Torah to be or to mean the same thing! Here the text is putting them in opposition to one another; so if it isn’t A but it is B, then B cannot be the same thing as A. As basic as this is, heathen christianity has levied a false assertion that “fulfilling the Torah” means that it is no longer necessary, i.e. destroyed!
The Aramaic word used for “fulfil” is amala, derived from the root mela, which means “to complete”. This completion is not one that results in destruction, but better understanding of the promises made. Let’s examine a few verses:

Luke 1:4 “So that you might know the d’amla (complete–almad) truth about the things you have been taught.”
Yahuchanan 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, as of the only begotten from the Father d’amla (complete–almad) in grace and truth.”
Yahuchanan 17:8 “The words which You have given me I have given them, and they received them, and understood d’amla (completely–almad) that I came forth from You, and they believed that You did send me.”

This last verse clarifies the point in the strongest possible terms. This is where YAHUSHA clearly teaches that “fulfilling/completing” commands do not cast those commands aside; but rather, shows that they have been interpreted properly, as these citations from the Tanakh also prove:

1 Kings 2:27 “So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to YAHUAH, in order to fulfil (male–alm) the word of YAHUAH, which He had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.”
2 Chronicles 36:21 “To fulfil (male–alm) the word of YAHUAH by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept Sabbath until seventy years were complete.”
Psalm 20:4 May he grant you your hearts desire and fulfil (male–alm) all your counsel!

Here is the exact word that YAHUSHA used, but for a slight dialectical difference in accent and, as the reader can see, nowhere in any context does the command pass away! Instead, the opposite is shown, since it is the power and validity of the command which forces its hearer to first interpret it properly and then carry it out exactly as intended. There are also half a dozen other words in Hebrew that carry the same meaning, and in all of their cases the “fulfilment” of a command coincides with its proper interpretation (Leviticus 22:21, Numbers 15:8, Ezra 1:1, Nehemiah 5:13, Psalm 76:11, 145:19).

“Fulfil” also means to have proper understanding of a scriptural passage, such as recognizing a precise fulfilment of prophecy. Therefore, when YAHUSHA says, “This word is fulfilled in your hearing,” he means that He is the goal or object of that prophecy and has now arrived on the scene to do his mission as specified according to prophecy.

Now, if the “fulfilment” has not happened yet, as is the case when YAHUSHA says, “All that is written in the Torah and Prophets must be fulfilled,” then it means, quite obviously “kept”, “vouchsafed” or “adhered to” – the exact opposite of passing away!

Christian theology is one of the easiest to see how false and hypocritical it is. Christians say that Jesus (Hail zeus) came to “fulfil” the law (Torah, i.e.: commandments) and therefore we are no longer obligated to follow the law. This of course, is nonsense and a total misunderstanding of the linguistic content and context of the passage. They are obviously not talking about the same Ha Mashiach of YAHUAH’s Scriptures. YAHUSHA, after all told us in the Gospel of John.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

And He also told us:

“I can do nothing of My own self. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of [the] Father who has sent Me.” (John 5:30)

“Do not think that I came to annul the Torah or the Prophets; I did not come to annul, but to fulfil. Truly I say to you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, in no way shall one yod or one stroke pass away from the Torah until all comes to pass. Therefore, whoever loosens one of these commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the worst in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever does and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven. For I say to you, If your righteousness shall not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of YAHWEH, never! You have heard that it was said to the ancients “Do not commit murder!” And, whoever commits murder shall be condemned to the Judgment. (Ex. 21; Deut. 5:17) But I say to you that anyone who provokes to anger his brother without cause, is condemned to judgment and anyone who should say to his brother, I spit on you is condemned to the assembly, and anyone who should say, you are a coward, is condemned to the Gehenna of fire.” (Mat 5:17-22)

Look at verse 18 in the Matthew passage above where YAHUSHA says that “Till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or tittles shall in any way pass from the law until all is fulfilled.”* The last time I looked, the earth was still here! So my only logical conclusion is that everything is not yet fulfilled, the Torah is still valid and intact.

The problem comes from reading scripture with preconceived notions or ideas largely stemming from what others have taught us over the years, traditions of men and the like, and not from what the scripture itself says. The other difficulty comes from the time, culture and language distance involved. We are here in the 21st century. Almost 2000 years removed from the time when YAHUSHA said these words. We fail to grasp the historic, cultural and linguistic context of the scripture we are reading. We look at it from our own mindset, rather than the mindset of the author. In other words, things not only get lost in translation, but also in transmission. It is our duty to study thoroughly in order to properly comprehend the scripture as it says in Timothy,

“Be prepared, NOW, to be diligent, serious and earnest to study, labour and endeavour, about setting yourself apart, by setting aside your views, perspectives, desires, motives, and purposes, to be approved by ELOHIM to teach His Word, a teacher who does not need to be ashamed, to properly discern, understand, cutting forth straight and truthfully without perversion or distortion and use of the Word of Truth (Torah).” (2Tim. 2:15)

YAHUSHA most likely spoke Aramaic or Hebrew with His followers. We know from historic evidence that Aramaic and Hebrew were the most common languages in the land of Israel in the first century. There is strong historical evidence that Matthew’s Gospel was originally written in Hebrew and was only later translated into Greek when many Greek speaking gentiles began to come to faith in YAHUSHA in the late 1st century. It is these later Greek manuscripts that were preserved in the western Greek and Roman culture that we have for reference today.

For the sake of this argument, let’s assume that YAHUSHA spoke in Hebrew and Matthew recorded His words in Hebrew.  Let’s take a look at the possibilities in the word translated as “fulfil.” First off let’s look at the Hebrew word “qum”, which means “to establish” or “confirm”.

Strong’s #6965.  qum, koom a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative):–abide, accomplish, X be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), establish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), uphold, – rising).

There is some evidence that YAHUSHA would have used this word because of its usage in the Mishnah (Ancient oral teachings) and its popularity among the rabbinic community in the time of YAHUSHA in describing the “doing” of the Torah commandments. If this was the word used by YAHUSHA, then it is clear that He meant not to put the law aside, but to confirm it, to carry it out and to obey it the way that ELOHIM intended. This would fit perfectly with YAHUSHA’s statement in Matthew 5:19-20.

“Therefore, whoever loosens/destroys one of these commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the worst in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever does and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven. For I say to you, If your righteousness shall not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of YAHUAH, never! (Mat. 5:19-20)

The actual word translated as “fulfil” in Matthew 5:17 in the Greek manuscripts of the Gospel of Matthew is “pleroo”. In the Septuagint, (the 3rd century BC Greek translation of the Hebrew Tanakh) the Greek pleroo never translates the Hebrew qum but almost always translates the Hebrew Malei. Now let’s assume that YAHUSHA used the Hebrew word malei. This is the actual Hebrew word recorded in the Hebrew manuscripts of Matthew. But is “fulfil” the only meaning of the word malei? In order to find out, we have to look at how the word was used in the Septuagint in the context and compare it to the original Hebrew text of the same passages.

Strong’s defines malei as follows: #4390.  male’, maw-lay’ or malae (Esth. 7:5) {maw-law’}; a primitive root, to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively):–accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-)flow, fullness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-)full, + have wholly.

There is strong textual evidence that malei is used in the context of “to confirm” or “to accomplish”. Only by studying the context of the scripture passages where it is used can we understand which meaning is applicable. There are many passages where this word is used in the context of confirm or establish, but for the sake of time let’s look at 1 Kings 1:13-14

“Go up and go in to King David. And you shall say to him, My master, O king, have you not sworn to your handmaid, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? And why does Adonijah reign? Behold, while you are speaking with the king, then I will come in after you and will confirm your words.” 1 Kin. 1:13-14

In this case, the word malei is used to mean “confirm”. This fits with the context of YAHUSHA’s statement in Matthew 5:17 that He came to “confirm” the words of the Torah. By YAHUSHA’s witness, He establishes the relevance and meaning of the Torah and thereby confirms it rather than abolishing it. He tells His disciples that to be great in the kingdom of ELOHIM, they are to do the commandments and teach others to do the same (v-19). The only logical interpretation of this passage in Matthew is that regardless of which Hebrew word was used by YAHUSHA, He came to place the Torah into the lives of the people of ELOHIM and not to take it away. He came to “establish, confirm or accomplish” His Torah and write it on our hearts as it says in Jeremiah 31:31-33.

“Behold, the days are coming, says YAHUAH, when I will make a new covenant with the house of YAHisrael and with the house of YAHudah, “not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says YAHUAH.”But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of YAHisrael after those days, says YAHUAH: I will put My Torah in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their ELOHIM, and they shall be My people.” (Jer. 31:31-33)

To be part of YAHisrael you need to,

1. Repent and turn away from the world.
2. Believe in YAHUAH ELOHIM.
3. Believe in the Trustworthiness of YAHUSHA
4. GUARD/Do the Torah.

Point 4 is very important to keep your salvation and that is why YAHUAH says, “He who keeps (fulfils) my words shall not taste death”!

“… and You say, If anyone keeps My Word, he will not taste of death forever!” (Joh. 8:52)

“Keep my commandments, and live; and my Torah as the apple of thine eye.” (Pro. 7:2)

In summary of what YAHUSHA and the above scriptures are saying is,

“I have not come to destroy the Good News of my Father but to fulfil the Good News by laying down my life for the eternal life of mankind and the universe. So that death may be defeated for YAHisrael to receive the New Covenant of the Torah on their inner parts and an eternal life through walking the Way, Truth and Life of the Torah to be in right standing with YAHUAH and receive His undeserved favour. The Good News being that YAHUAH will always be in right standing with YAHisrael as confirmed/fulfilled by the Witnesses/Testimonies of the Torah, Prophets and trustworthiness of YAHUSHA which will continue to be fulfilled until the last yod and tittles until the new earth and heaven. The Torah remains forever.”