This week we hear Matthew portray Jesus as the fulfilment of Sacred Scripture. Throughout his gospel, Matthew is at pains to demonstrate that Jesus fulfils prophecy. The purpose in doing this was not only to tie Jesus into the prophecies of the Messiah but to demonstrate that Jesus was part of God’s plan all along. This gospel was written at a time when there were growing tensions between early Christian communities and mainstream Jews. By highlighting the fulfilment of Scripture, Matthew attempts to firstly reassure the Christian community in the face of aggression and resentment from the mainstream Jews and secondly, challenge those who oppose the Christian sect to see this movement as just another thread in the ancient story of their people. Jesus’ call to repent is a call to see our relationship with God in a whole new way.