Did Messiah End or Terminate the law?

The King James reads: “For Messiah is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”The International Standard Version is much closer to the meaning of the Greek: “For the Messiah is the culmination of the law as far as righteousness is concerned for everyone who believes.”

That this verse abolishes the law is one of the most popular misnomers today. “End” here is the Greek telos and means goal. It doesn’t mean to cease or bring to a close. He is the goal to which the law brings us. The purpose of the law is to make us more like Him in behavior and thinking.

We can demonstrate that telos does not mean termination, but rather goal, by looking at other passages where it is found:

• James 5:11 uses the same term telos when it says “You have heard of the patience of Job and seen the end of Yahweh.” Our Creator has certainly not come to end, and neither has His law. But properly translated, through the patience of Job we can see the ultimate object or aim of his patient suffering, which is Yahweh and His purpose to teach His ways.

• 1Peter 1:9 also uses telos in speaking of the Savior, it says, “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” Certainly your faith doesn’t end with the Messiah. But He is surely the goal of faith. “End result” would have expressed the Greek far more precisely.

Here’s telos in 1Peter 1:9 as trans-lated in other versions:

God’s Word Translation: “As you obtain the salvation that is the goal of your faith.” The International Standard Version: “Because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

• The word telos is also used in 1Timothy 15: “Now the end (telos) of the commandment is love.” The commandment certainly doesn’t end with love. But the goal of the commandment is love, a fact expressed by Yahshua in the two great laws: love Yahweh and love your neighbor as yourself, Luke 10:27.

For an in-depth look at the Law read: Yahweh’s Perfect Law