Jesus said and did many things that puzzle us…until we understand them in the wider context of His role as a Jewish rabbi. He was trained in the Tanach, and was not only thoroughly familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures but was also Himself the Word of God in human form.

John 1:14 NIV
[14] “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Who, but Jesus would know and fully understand what the Scriptures meant and what God intended by what was written. His every thought and action were the expressions of the written Word. His clash with His arch enemy, the devil, for example, and His victory over him, rested on these three words, “It is written.”

Matthew 4:4 NIV
[4] Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Let’s examine some of His words and deeds and try, through them, to get to the heart of what He and the Scriptures meant.

L Iet’s consider His relationship to the Father. In John’s presentation of Jesus as the Son of God, he records Jesus’ claim to be both the Son of God and the Son of Man, God and Messiah. These claims would be outrageous if they were not true.

As the Son of God, Jesus linked Himself with David’s prophetic word in Psalm 2.

Psalms 2:7 NIV
[7] “I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.”

Hebrews 1:5 NIV
[5] For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?

This statement has nothing to do with human procreation but rather the expression of relationship. In ancient Hebrew, the word “son”, meant “one who continued the house”, that is, one who perpetuated the life, character, and standards of that household in the next generation.

Hebrews 3:5-6 NIV
[5] “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. [6] But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.”

A son had a specific role in a Hebrew household. The eldest son stood in the place of and represented the father in all family matters. He took responsibility for all his “second born” siblings’ actions, hence Reuben’s attempt, as Jacob’s eldest son, to rescue Joseph from the pit into which his brothers had thrown him because he would be held accountable.

Genesis 37:21-22 NIV
[21] “When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. [22] “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.”

A firstborn son’s role was to submit to and obey his father and to learn the father’s trade so that he would carry on the father’s business in the next generation. For example, Jesus found James and John working with their father, Zebedee in the fishing business.

Now let’s examine Jesus’ words…

Matthew 5:17-18 NIV
[17] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

As God’s Son, Jesus was committed to absolute obedience to every detail of God’s covenant with Israel, not only in letter but in spirit. When Jesus said that He came to “fulfill” the law, He meant that He would complete God’s instructions by obeying the law perfectly according to God’s intention, including His attitude and motive.

His perfect interpretation of and obedience to the law clashed with the religious leaders’ interpretation and brought their wrath down on Him because He exposed their hypocrisy. They claimed to be righteous because they obeyed every commandment to the letter but…the pride of their own self-righteousness obliterated all their claims.

Matthew 23:23-24 NIV
[23] “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. [24] You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”

Jesus obeyed God’s law to the letter, not because of pride but because He loved the Father! His passion was to do the Father’s will. As David prophesied,

Psalms 40:6-8 NIV
[6]”Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened— burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. [7] Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. [8] I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”

Jesus also claimed to be the Son of Man. What did He mean? Was this only a reference to His humanity or did He mean something more?

Daniel 7:13-14 NIV
[13] “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. [14] He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

In Daniel’s vision, he saw a human figure approaching God and acting as someone much more than just a man. He was receiving the rewards that imply deity…authority, glory, and sovereign power, the worship of all nations, and an eternal kingdom. These descriptions fit only one person, Jesus, God’s Messiah.

Jesus’ death on the cross as a blasphemer was a travesty of justice because His accusers ignored the evidence. They condemned Him because He did not meet their standards rather than the standards of God’s law. Although they had no answer to His question,

John 8:46 NIV
[46] “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?”

… the Sanhedrin still condemned Him to death for answering the high priest’s question …

Mark 14:61-62 NIV
[61]… “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” [62] “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

What an indictment against Himself! Son of God, Son of Man! Jesus deliberately and clearly stated both claims so that His resurrection would vindicate Him. The very purpose for His coming! He was saying, in His reply, “I am both God’s Son, and God’s Messiah,” in perfect fulfilment of God’s Word… and for that they killed Him.

Was He “guilty” of the claim He made? What was the final proof of His “guilt”?

Romans 1:4 NIV
[4] “… and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We can conclude, then, that Jesus’ claim to fulfill the law was both accurate and accomplished. He was crucified as a blasphemer and law-breaker, but the Father raised Him from the dead, vindicating Him as Son of God and Son of Man because He spoke the truth. Nothing He ever said or did contradicted His intention…

17] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Acts 2:23-24 NIV
[23] “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. [24] But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”

Jesus died as a sinner but death could not hold Him. He has the right to accredt His own righteousness to everyone who believes in Him.