Jesus came to fulfill—not remove—the law and the prophets by completing the covenant promises made to Israel, especially the promised King and His never-ending government.
Isaiah promised that a child would be born to Israel and that the government would rest upon His shoulders (Isaiah 9:6-7). Les Feldick teaches that Jesus' signs, miracles, and resurrection were intended to prove to Israel that He was that promised King. Since the law was given to prepare the nation for the covenant's fulfillment, Jesus' mission was to bring those covenant promises to completion, not to abolish them.
Isaiah 9:6-7 — This passage contains the Old Testament promise that a child would be born to Israel, with the government upon his shoulder and a kingdom that would have no end.
Matthew 5:17 — Jesus directly states that He came not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them.
The Old Testament promised that God would send the Messiah to Israel as their King. Isaiah 9:6-7 says, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Jesus Himself addressed the question of the law and the prophets in Matthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." John 1:11 also records, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not," showing that the promised King came to His people, but they did not receive Him.
Les Feldick teaches that when Jesus said He came to fulfill the law and the prophets, He was speaking of the covenant promises God had made to Israel through Abraham. All the other covenants are wrapped up in the Abrahamic covenant, which promised that Israel would become a nation in a specific land and that God Himself, in the person of the Messiah, would come to be their King and Redeemer (Clips 3, 7). Les emphasizes that a kingdom cannot exist without a king, and a king is of no use without a kingdom. So when John the Baptist presented Jesus as Israel's King, the long view was the kingdom (Clip 3). Jesus began preaching "the gospel of the kingdom" because the nation was already in the land and He had come to present Himself as their King (Clip 2). His signs, wonders, and miracles were all intended to demonstrate to the Jew of His day that He was this promised King (Clip 0). But Israel never comprehended it (Clip 4). Because these covenant promises rested on the Abrahamic covenant, Les says they included "no one but Jews"—which is why Jesus' earthly ministry was directed first to Israel (Clips 5, 7). The law itself was given to prepare Israel for the fruition of the covenant (Clip 6). So fulfilling the law and the prophets did not mean abolishing them; it meant completing what they promised.
According to Les Feldick, Jesus was fulfilling the covenant promises made to Israel through Abraham. Those promises included Israel becoming a nation in a geographical land, and then God Himself coming in the person of the Messiah to be their King and Redeemer (Clip 7). The law was given to prepare Israel for that fruition (Clip 6), so Jesus' fulfillment was directed to the covenant promises rather than to removing the law.
Les teaches that the covenants rested on the Abrahamic covenant, and that included no one but Jews (Clip 5). Jesus was the minister to the Jews first and foremost, and John 1:11 records that He came to His own and they received Him not (Clip 7). This is why Jesus could instruct His disciples not to go to the Gentiles—He had not come except to fulfill these covenants (Clip 5).
Jesus' signs, wonders, miracles, and teachings were designed to prove to Israel that He was the promised Messiah, the King ready to give them the kingdom (Clip 1). When John asked from prison, Jesus rehearsed the evidence: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them (Clip 0). Israel should have understood from all of this who He was (Clip 4).
Jesus' Miracles Proved He Was the Promised King
Les Feldick explains that everything Jesus said and did, including healing the blind, lame, lepers, deaf, and raising the dead, was to prove to the Jews that He was the promised King from Isaiah 9:6-7.
Signs, Miracles, and Resurrection as Proof of the King
Les teaches that Jesus performed signs and wonders to prove He was the promised Messiah and King, and that His death and resurrection fulfilled what David prophesied so He could be Israel's Redeemer.
Jesus Presented Himself as King to Israel
The nation was already in the land, and Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom as the fulfillment of promises made through the Abrahamic covenant.
The King and Kingdom Must Come Together
Les explains that the Abrahamic covenant promised that God Himself would come as Israel's King, and that a kingdom requires a king just as a king requires a kingdom.
Israel Should Have Recognized Their Messiah
Les teaches that Israel should have known from His signs, miracles, and teachings that Jesus was the promised Messiah and Son of God, but they never comprehended it.
Jesus Came to Fulfill the Covenants—Including No One but Jews
Les explicitly teaches that Jesus came to fulfill the covenants, which rested on the Abrahamic covenant and included only Jews, explaining why His ministry was directed to Israel.
The Law Was Given to Prepare Israel for the Covenant
Les shows that Israel received the law to be a prepared people for the fruition of the covenant, so the law was preparatory, not an obstacle to fulfillment.
Jesus Was Minister to the Jews First
Les summarizes that God promised Abraham a nation in a land, and then God in the person of the Son would come as Messiah, King, and Redeemer—so Jesus was the minister to the Jews first and foremost.
Isaiah 9:6-7: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
This is the Old Testament promise of the King whose government and kingdom would have no end.
Matthew 5:17: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Jesus explicitly describes His mission in relation to the law and the prophets.
John 1:11: He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
It records that the promised Messiah came to His own people, Israel, but was rejected.
No. Jesus said He did not come to destroy but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). Les Feldick explains that this fulfillment was about bringing to completion the covenant promises made to Israel, especially the promised King and His kingdom.
He fulfilled the promises tied to the Abrahamic covenant: the nation of Israel in the land, and God Himself in the Messiah coming as King, Redeemer, and Priest. His signs, miracles, and resurrection proved He was that promised King.
Because the covenants He came to fulfill rested on the Abrahamic covenant and included no one but Jews (Clip 5). He was the minister to the Jews first and foremost (Clip 7).
Watch the Teaching: Why Jesus Came to Israel First — Luke 1 Explained