Tag Archives: Matthew 5:17

Not to Abolish, But to Fulfill: Greek Grammar and the Mission of the Messiah

In one of the most important programmatic statements of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses the nature of His relationship to the Law and the Prophets. The grammar of Matthew 5:17 — Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι — is rich in negative imperatives, complementary infinitives, and parallel contrast. The syntax not only clarifies His intent but builds tension and resolution through repetition and emphasis.

The Greek Text in Focus

Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι (Matthew 5:17)

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”… Learn Koine Greek

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