πληρόω in Matt 5:17

[Abram K-J]

By the time Jesus says:

 

Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι (NA28)

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill" (NRSV)

 

in Matthew 5:17, Matthew has used πληρῶσαι six times to show how Jesus has fulfilled what came before. Interestingly, though, Matthew only mentions prophets (five of the six uses before Matt. 5:17) and not the law per se. All the same, the listener/reader is likely thinking of the uses in the book so far when Jesus talks about fulfillment in 5:17 (as he did also in 3:15 at his baptism).

[Abram K-J]

Interestingly, Matthew himself has already talked about how Jesus's birth (and circumstances surrounding it) are in fulfillment of the prophets. Now Jesus turns his attention after Matthew 5:17 to the law, so that between Matthew's narration and Jesus's sermon, both prophets and law are shown to be fulfilled in Jesus.

[jkgayle]

I reached my quota of "like"s again by liking your post here. And so let me just say out loud and write it in letters too that I also "like" your additional comment here that notes Matthew's use of language to show "both prophets and law are shown to be fulfilled in Jesus."