The Jewish Law

The study of the Jewish Law that God gave to His people through the man of Moses is important and interesting.  I cannot even begin to cover all aspects of the Law in this blog; but lets look at some of the basic facts about it.

Jesus said, as He began His sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."

Jesus kept the Law during His lifetime.  He was born a Jew, of the tribe of Judah, a descendant of king David.  He demonstrated His keeping the Law, even to the last, as He took the passover feast just before His death.  But His death was to begin a totally new era.  As he took the Passover feast, He instituted the Communion, the Lord's Supper.  "..this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."  There never had been remission of sins under the Jewish Law.  But Jesus was bringing a "new covenant."

In Colossians 2, Paul compares the circumcision of the flesh, the Law (Jewish) to a new circumcision "made without hands.."  He says in verse 14, "..having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."  The conclusion here is that the Law of the Jews has now been "nailed to the cross," taken out of the way, fulfilled, to be followed no more.  It ended with the cross, the death of Jesus.

The entire book of Hebrews is a treatise that makes clear that Jesus has replaced the old Law, the old covenant with a new one, with a new way.  Hebrews 7:22 says, "..Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant."  Hebrews 8 and 9 give much more detail and explanation of the significance of this change.  In discussing the old covenant made with the Jewish people, he says at the end of Hebrews 8, "In that He says, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete.  Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away."

So what good was the Law?  Was it never useful?  This is answered in Galatians 3:19-29.  Verse 24: ".the Law was our tutor (schoolmaster) to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith (in Jesus) has come, we are no longer under a tutor."  Thus it is clear that the Jewish Law has been fulfilled, and was fulfilled with the death of Jesus.  It is no longer in effect....and is no longer to be followed....and was not followed by the apostles.

Thanks for reading and have a great week.