The Ten Minute Bible Hour Podcast

Host: Matt Whitman
Episode: GAL129 - How Exactly Does One Go About Fulfilling a Law?
Date: February 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Matt Whitman unpacks the unusual biblical phrase "fulfill the law," focusing on its appearance in Jesus' words in Matthew 5:17 and Paul's explanation in Galatians 3:19. Through humor and clear examples, Matt explores what it means for Jesus to "fulfill" the law and why this verb, rarely paired with "law" in everyday language, is essential to understanding the relationship between the Old Testament, Jesus, and Christian faith.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Peculiar Use of the Verb "Fulfill" (00:00 – 03:00)

• Matt begins with a playful examination of specific verbs and their common pairings (“hoist a flag,” “spruce up a living room”), using this as a segue into the strange biblical usage of "fulfill" with "law."

• Noting that while we “obey” or “keep” the law, we usually don't "fulfill" it—except in the key biblical context.

  “Fulfill the law. That’s a weird one. … It doesn’t seem like it agrees, like hoist the cranberry sauce. Huh? Even if you lift cranberry sauce over your head, you don’t say hoist.”—Matt (01:45)

2. Jesus' Statement in Matthew 5:17 (03:00 – 05:00)

• Matt explains Matthew 5:17 as a “crucial verse” serving as the bridge between the Old and New Testaments.

• Jesus says, “Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

• The phrase indicates that Jesus sees himself as completing the overarching story and prophecies of the Old Testament.

  “Jesus, I believe, is clearly saying that he is the fulfillment of all those loose ends from the Old Testament.”—Matt (04:32)

3. What "Law and Prophets" Really Means (05:00 – 06:30)

• "Law and Prophets" signifies the entire Old Testament story, not just the rules or predictions.

• The use of “fulfill” means Jesus is the completion of everything that came before: stories, prophecies, rituals.

  “We gotta remember that law and prophets doesn’t just mean the rules and the predictions—it means the whole Old Testament.”—Matt (05:50)

4. Paul’s Parallel in Galatians 3:19 (06:30 – 10:00)

• Matt transitions to Paul’s rhetorical questions in Galatians 3, specifically, “What then was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions. …until the seed to whom the promise referred had come.”

• Explains that the promise to Abraham predated the law; the law was added to bring order and highlight the need for God’s mercy, not to replace the promise.

  “The law is meant to make order out of chaos and also to point out the sinfulness of humankind, the character of God, and to point people…toward the mercy of God.”—Matt (08:05)

• The law is not the main thing; it's a tool to serve the bigger purpose—the promise made to Abraham and ultimately realized in Christ.

5. Seed = Christ (10:00 – 12:00)

• Matt clarifies the Biblical use of “seed” (with a capital S in most translations) as directly referring to Jesus.

• Recaps Paul’s argument: the promises made to Abraham and to his “seed,” not seeds—so it’s pointing forward to Christ specifically.

  “Paul has already established that when he says seed, he’s talking about Christ.”—Matt (10:40)

6. Summing Up: Jesus as the Fulfillment (12:00 – 14:00)

• Reinforces that Jesus is the “fulfillment” of the law—he completes its purpose, fulfills prophecy, and is the realization of God’s redemptive plan.

• All the narrative themes, history, ritual, law, and prophecy of the Old Testament find their end and purpose in Christ.

  “He is the fulfillment of the whole story, the fulfillment of all the narrative themes of the Old Testament, the fulfillment of the redemptive plan that pops on every single page of the Old Testament…”—Matt (13:30)

• "Fulfill" is not a natural choice for us, but is uniquely appropriate for Jesus' role in salvation history.

  “For him, it just makes dang perfect sense to use that verb, fulfill, to describe exactly what his relationship is with the law.”—Matt (13:55)

7. Playful Closing: Fulfilling a Promise (14:00 – 15:00)

• Matt circles back to the idea of “fulfilling” by sharing a fun commitment: sending a “snow baby” figurine to a supporter, emphasizing the importance of actually fulfilling promises—tying back to the episode’s theme in a humorous, light-hearted way.

  “It just kills me to part ways with this thing, but a promise is a promise and I intend to fulfill it.”—Matt (14:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why "fulfill" is the crucial verb:

  “But Jesus is unique and different from us and plays a very different role in the history of everything and redemption. And for him, it just makes dang perfect sense to use that verb, fulfill, to describe exactly what his relationship is with the law.”—Matt (13:55)

• Connecting Old Testament history to Christ:

  “The plan never fluctuates. The law then is doing a different thing than the promise.”—Matt (08:20)

• A playful example of ‘fulfilling’ a modern promise:

  “It just kills me to part ways with this thing, but a promise is a promise and I intend to fulfill it. So, Nate Bocca…you’re getting the snow baby…”—Matt (14:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – 02:00: Exploring strange verb-object pairings; introducing “fulfill the law”
• 03:00 – 05:00: Analysis of Matthew 5:17 and its significance
• 05:00 – 06:30: Explaining “Law and Prophets” as the full Old Testament
• 06:30 – 10:00: Paul's question in Galatians 3:19; purpose of the law
• 10:00 – 12:00: Breaking down “seed” as a reference to Christ
• 12:00 – 14:00: Jesus as the fulfillment of the entire biblical narrative
• 14:00 – 15:00: Playful story about “fulfilling” a modern promise

Tone & Delivery

• The episode is marked by Matt’s signature mix of honest, approachable scholarship and self-deprecating humor.
• He uses relatable analogies to demystify dense theological topics, maintaining a friendly, inviting tone throughout.

This summary provides a clear roadmap through Matt's exploration of what it means for Jesus to "fulfill the law," connecting both Old and New Testament themes in a way that's accessible and insightful for listeners new or seasoned.