According to "A.D. 70" doctrine, the Law of Moses would be in effect until ALL prophecy is fulfilled. This doctrine teaches that all prophecy was fulfilled at the fall of Jerusalem on that date. In this article we will examine the words of Christ in Matt. 5:17-18. "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."

In the last article we looked at prophecies in Psalms 110:1,102:25, Gen. 3:15, and Hosea 13:14 to show that there indeed are prophecies that are yet unfulfilled and will not be fulfilled until Christ returns. Since this is so, and it is obvious to all {of the truth} that the law of Moses is now done away; let us look at what Jesus is saying in this and other related contexts. I believe that Matt.5:17-18 must be understood with Luke 24:44.

There He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms CONCERNING ME." In John 17:4, Jesus said that He had finished the work God the Father had given Him to do. In John 19:30, He said "It is finished" as Jesus gave His life on the cross. Jesus even quoted Ps.22:1 as He was dying to show that this context was being fulfilled at that time. Certainly, He had fulfilled all prophecies concerning His earthly ministry and redemptive work in dying on behalf of the sins of the world.

The apostle Paul said that Jesus had taken the law Moses out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. {Col. 2:14}. The Hebrew writer spoke of Jesus as the 'Mediator of a better covenant, which WAS ESTABLISHED on better promises.' Paul spoke of the veil of Moses being taken away in Christ.{2 Cor. 2:16} The law of Moses was a 'tutor' to bring the children of Israel to Christ, but now that 'the faith' had come, they were no longer under a tutor. {Gal. 3:24-25} The law of Moses ended, in the Mind of God, when the law of Christ began on the day of Pentecost. {Acts 2: 38-42}

What about the phrase 'till heaven and earth pass away'? In the context of Matt. 5:17-18, Jesus is establishing not the time frame, but the CERTAINTY that the words of the prophets concerning Him will be fulfilled. Similar language is used in Isaiah 54:10 involving the certainty of the establishment of His covenant of peace. {10- "For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed,..."} This language is used by Isaiah to describe the end of certain governments or kingdoms. {Isaiah 13:13; 34:4}