It is the old ministration that is done away with.
We are the new ministration. Ministers of the New, having the Laws of God, His Commandments, His Word through Christ in our hearts and minds. No longer on tables of stone for an outward observance, but on the fleshly tables of the heart. Now we obey God not because we have to but because we want to. For we are a new creation in Christ Jesus, behold all things are new and of God. For it is God that works in us both to will and do His good pleasure.
Not just the ministration of the old covenant, but the actual covenant itself given at Horeb.
Jesus fulfilled that covenant.
We are the
new ministration of the
new covenant.
Never said anything different.
However in respect to the Law Jesus had something different to add in Matt 5:17. He said he came not to destroy it. The Greek word translated to destroy in the KJV actually means loosen down. In other words he did not come to lesson it or mind you loosen any responsibility we have to it.
The word translated fulfill is a pretty interesting word in the Greek also. Bauer thought so much that he actually had an entry for it specific to Matt 5:17 here is the excerpt from the BDAG.
From the BDAG "Mt 5:17; depending on how one prefers to interpret the context, πληρόω is understood here either as fulfill=do, carry out, or as bring to full expression=show it forth in its true mng., or as fill up=complete"
It seems he was afraid to commit. However it matters not. It is not one understanding or the other. Put it all together, Jesus came do the Law, show forth it's full expression by completing it.
Thayer in his lexicon was bit more direct. He said, "universally and absolutely, to fulfil, i.e. "to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment": Mat 5:17"
Considering the Law, the Word through Christ is to be in our hearts and minds; "to fulfil, i.e. "to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be" is definitely the best understanding in respect to the passage in it's entirety. It is true many of the prophecies prophesied by the prophets were completed, brought to fulfilment, fulfilled. But Jesus had something entirely different to say about the Law within the passage. He said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
As we know heaven and earth have not passed away. And since Jesus has not returned and some of the prophecies are still yet fulfilled all has not been fulfilled yet either. Incidentally in case you did not know the word fulfilled in that verse is a different Greek word. It means cause to be.
If that is not enough Jesus has even more to add in respect to the the law not being loosened down. He narrows it down by using the word commandments in respect to the Law. And He says the one who breaks and teaches men to break the least of these commandments shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
To be called least in the Kingdoms of Heaven? I wonder what that means? No worries, Jesus elaborates. He starts the very next verse with the word "for". It says they who break the commandments and teach men so shall no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Sadly some say the Law has been done away with. Yet the very Covenant in which we stand in Now, the New Covenant says the the Law is in our hearts.
Like was said in the post to which you responded to. The ministration changed. It went from being on tables of stone and parchment to fleshly tables of our hearts.
Matt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matt 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 9:16-17 (ESV) No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”
We are the new wine skins made anew by the blood of Jesus. The wine is the Spirit, Christ whereby the commandments, God's Law, His Word is in our heart, minds and mouths. We needed to be cleansed, purged to be filled or we would have been destroyed. We would have burst as Jesus put it.
Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
