Jesus - världens räddning. Lagen och profeternas uppfyllelse enligt Matteusevangeliet

Sammanfattning: In Matt 5:17 Jesus is declaring the purpose of his mission to this world, announcing that he is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. How should these words be understood? In what way is Jesus the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets? Taking its starting-point in the works of John P. Meier (Law and History in Matthew´s Gospel – A Redactional Study of Mt. 5:17-48) and Roland Deines (Die Gerechtigkeit der Tora im Reich des Messias – Mt 5,13-20 als Schlüsseltext der matthäischen Theologi), this thesis is searching the answer to these questions. While Meier is applying methods of historical criticism, i.e. mainly form criticism and redaction criticism, and Deines is primarily making use of literary criticism, this thesis is combining methods from both disciplines in the analysis of the text: contextual analysis, structural analysis, redaction analysis and conceptual analysis. That the canonical text in its final form is a coherent carrier of meaning is assumed. One of Meier’s findings is that Jesus actually did abolish parts of the Old Testament Law. The teaching of Jesus in Matt 5:21-48 is therefor in this thesis analysed with the purpose to see how it is related to the Old Testament Law, and if it can be seen as abolishing this law. The findings of this investigation is that Jesus is the prophetic fulfilment of the righteousness that was anticipated in the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness is characterized by acting in accordance with God´s eschatological purpose to save the world. The fulfilment entails that the Law is no longer a means to obtain righteousness. The Law continues, however to be a valid witness to the will of God, until heaven and earth passes away and until all of God’s promises have been fulfilled. Jesus’ fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, is also taking place in the lives of his disciples. By receiving his overflowing righteousness, they will gain access to the kingdom of heaven. As a response to this gift, it is now their mission to act according to Jesus’ example and according to his teaching, and also teach others to do the same. In the centre of these acts and this teaching is the love of God and the love of the neighbour. These acts, performed in love, will cause other people to praise their heavenly father. In this way God’s purpose to save the world will be accomplished. Keywords: Christology, fulfilment, Gospel of Matthew, Law, Prophets, righteousness,