Of the Torah What Was Fulfilled?
- Ephraim D'Angelo
- Dec 1, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Dec 4, 2025
Ephraim D’Angelo
MO December 1st, 2025
Intro is AI Produced:
The question of what Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled in the Torah often sparks deep discussion among believers and scholars alike. Yeshua Himself said He did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them. This statement raises important questions: What exactly did He fulfill? What does it mean to fulfill the Torah? Did He do away with the Law, or did He complete it in some way? This post explores these questions by examining Yeshua’s words, the meaning of fulfillment, and how His life and teachings relate to the Torah.
Examining Yeshua’s Words
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” ~Matthew 5:17
The crux of every discussion with Christians, of which I have personal direct experience having been born into a Christian family tradition and as a practicing Christian for 20 years, is the definition of the word Fulfill from this verse.
To 98% of Christians this word fulfill ends any discussion concerning the keeping of the Law of God known as the Torah. As a student of the Bible for most of my life, I am now 52 years old, it is clear throughout the Bible that Yeshua’s intention in His statement clearly did not allude to an end to Torah observance, even though statements made by Paul seem to say otherwise.
I say this because Yeshua’s own words following this statement makes this clear:
“For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law (Torah) until all is accomplished. 19“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
One of the Christian concepts that refute the keeping of the Torah are found in Paul’s writings primarily in letters he wrote to the Galatians and Colossians. He uses the phrase works of the law, and sadly the real error for this phrases has to do with Pharisaic (now Rabbinic) Judaism. The translators of the New Testament translated various words used for law as the same word; Law. When in reality there are more than one word or phrases used for law in Hebrew. This phrase is relating to the added laws of Pharisaic law known at Pirke Avot or Traditions of the Fathers, but even if it did not relate to literal works of the law it’s error lies in the idea that people cannot use works to justify themselves and thereby get to heaven based on those works.
Yeshua himself in His words in Matthew actually refutes that idea when He says in verse 19:
“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments (Torah Law) and teaches others to do the same, he shall be least in the kingdom of heaven.”
He literally tells us that keeping the commandments (Torah Law) is still required, and that whoever teaches others that these commandments don’t apply anymore, thereby taking away from the Word of God; He will still get to heaven, since Yeshua died for him, but he will be least in the kingdom. So, Yeshua’s words quite clearly debunks that argument of that Christian doctrines teach against the keeping of the Torah or Laws of God. So, what does He mean fulfill?
Well, the best and easiest way to discuss this is to start at the Death sentence assigned to Adam and Eve from the beginning. Eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil came with a death sentence. According to scripture this death of an innocent animal was required to cover Adam and Eve’s shame or nakedness since their disobedience ended their first state of beings of light and descended them into an existence of want and flesh.
The Aaronic Priesthood was needed for a few reasons. Most reasons are obvious through scripture, other reasons may be less obvious. The most obvious is that of Sin and guilt, hence the Sin offerings and the guilt offerings in Leviticus and the most important, the most sacred ceremony performed yearly at Yom Kippur a.k.a., the Day of Atonement. These three sacrifices were what Yeshua was referring to as fulfilled. His sacrifice did away with or fulfilled these obligations. His innocent blood atoned for the sin, guilt and obligatory requirements of the Torah. The reason Abram became Abraham, the H or Hey denoted one who is obligated. There is a lot that could be said here, but to keep it simple I won’t get into too much of that.
To cover those unsaid things topically, suffice it to say that this “guilt” and “sin” goes all the way back to Adam and Eve’s disobedience, and the obligatory goes back to Adam and Eve as well but more specifically back to the Covenant God established through Abraham and his descendants, i.e., the Covenant of the Pieces, the sacrifice of Isaac replaced by a Ram, and the obligations of the Levitical Priesthhood such as the yearly ritual on Yom Kippur.
It was always God’s intention to be the King/Priest of His set-apart people, it was only because the children of Israel requested a King like the other nations that a Priesthood and a Kingship became separated. Judah being chosen to hold the scepter and Levi the rod.
We no longer stone people anymore for committing sins against the law, although the death penalty is still applied in some states in the US as well as other countries for certain crimes. That’s what stoning was at its essence, it was a death penalty executed by the community. Yeshua did away with this Torah practice by appealing to men’s conscience. Saying, “whoever is without sin cast the first stone.” This effectively ended stoning in His day and thereafter.
God said to Hosea,
“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
What else did Yeshua fulfill? Since fulfilling the obligations of the Aaronic Priesthood, that priesthood ended. According to Psalm 110 and Hebrews 7:17 there is another priesthood spoken of and that is the Order of Melchizedek. This priesthood is defined as an Eternal priesthood of which Yeshua was the re-establisher. This priesthood existed in ancient times and the term means King or Sovereign of Righteousness. Melchi = Melek - King or Sovereign, Zedek = Tzadok - Righteous or Holy which is to say King-Priest; the two concepts that represent God’s intention in creating humans.
God, Yehovah himself said, “Be ye Holy for I am Holy. He expects his children to uphold the established character He expresses throughout His INSTRUCTIONS for which the term Torah directly translates. He still expects us to strive for holiness, if this were not true than why did Yeshua himself conclude His comments about the Law with the following words?
“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
That is a high bar Yeshua is establishing in those words. No matter what it seems like Paul is stating to the Galatians and Colossians that sound like he is saying the Torah is no longer, he directly contradicts himself in Romans:
“Do we then make void the law (Torah) through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law (Torah).”
Romans 3:31
Replacement theology is real, and those who perpetuate it will be held accountable, the book of Jeremiah speaks of the judgment that will come upon shepherds as such here are some short excerpts:
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the LORD.”
Jeremiah 23:1,2
As well as Ezekiel:
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: 'Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.”
Ezekiel 34:2,3
The Death, Burial and Resurrection of Yeshua express the fulfillment of the aspects of the Torah that I defined. Adam and Eve were given a promise of death if they disobeyed God’s instruction to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they disobeyed and that brought death in to the world, this death required a grave or burial. Yeshua being innocent and obedient to the Law’s of God accomplished destroying the sting of death and the grave. He resurrected and thus became the first-fruit of the resurrected.
To conclude this discussion I will point out that the book of revelation states clearly that the books will be opened and we will all be judged.
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
What books could this passage be talking about? It can only be talking about the books of the Law, the books that establish God’s covenant relationship with His chosen people whether we are native born or grafted in we will all be judged by our WORKS or DEEDS. So, replacement theology is not going to help us in that situation. As a matter of fact Yeshua himself says that He will tell some people who think they are going to be let into heaven:
“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’”
Lawlessness? That’s very a specific concept that cannot be denied as apply to the Torah, or Law of God. I urge you today, to consider my argument for the keeping of the Torah as necessary. I pray that you feel a deep desire to move away from the traditions of men and the doctrines of men in order to cleave to the Testimony of the Testator the Creator of us all Yehovah Sabaoth.
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