Wet en Profeten vervullen: een dubbelthema met een apostolische dubbelrol

Where fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets is a leading theme in Matthew, Scripture itself can be considered as Jesus’ ‘Sender’, thereby providing a key to reading Jesus’ first and last words. The fulfilment of ‘all righteousness’ (Matt. 3.15) primarily refers to the righteousness of Scripture, and the concluding Mission Commandment refers to the fulfilment of Law and Prophets. This theological double theme argues for a double role for the apostles who are called righteous ones and prophets, a role which might function as a new, meaningful exegetical perspective on the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, where Jesus’ disciples are blessed as righteous and prophets.