Law and Grace

“Sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.”

Throughout the book of Romans, Paul is encouraging us not to judge.  He is primarily speaking about Gentile worthiness to come to Jesus without any hindrances, but he could be talking about homosexuals, drug dealers, prostitutes or Republicans.  He says that we are unworthy to judge sinners, because we are sinners ourselves.  He says that both the judged and the religious are saved by living out their faith in Christ.  He says that Jesus came to save his enemies, and that means sinners.

Then the question comes up, as it always does, “But if you are soft on sin, then you might as well be encouraging people to sin.”  Paul says that, to the contrary, we are unified with Christ through baptism, which gives us the power to live in Jesus, not a life of sin.  And he also says that when we are in Christ, we transfer our certificate of slavery from sin—so we were forced to commit sin—to Jesus, who gives us grace.

Paul says, though, that the real transfer is from the Law to Grace. 

“Law” is specifically the Mosaic law, but it can be any law that is not governed primarily by Love. It could be a church law, or even a national law.  It is a list of policies or rules that take God’s active place in our lives, to tell us how to live right before God.  Law is a principle that says that as long as we obey the law, then we are okay before God.

Grace, however, is the way of Jesus.  This doesn’t mean that the way of Jesus doesn’t have specifics that we should follow.  However, Jesus’ way is different.  Because Jesus is less interested in giving us rules as he is principles.  Jesus re-interpreted the law of Moses with the more basic principle “love your neighbor as yourself”, and the law looked very different, being both more encompassing, and more lenient.  The law of love takes in every action, whether big or miniscule.  But love also permits failure.

If you had known what this means: "I desire compassion and not sacrifice", you would not have condemned the innocent   (Matthew 12:7)

The law is a set list of rules.  You either obey or disobey.  If you disobey, even once, you have broken the law, and it is determined from that point on that you are a law-breaker.  The law is like pottery.  Once it is broken, it cannot be repaired.  You can put a pot back together, but the break will always be seen.

Grace is a principle we are learning to live like.  We have received grace by being forgiven by God when we were a law-breaker.  This makes us want to give grace to others, because grace produces grace.  We sometimes break grace—the principle of love—but Grace always gives us another chance to live in grace.  As long as we repent of our failures to be compassionate, to forgive, to be merciful, to help in times of need, then there will always be an opportunity to return to grace.  Grace is like flesh—you can cut it and make it bleed, but it will heal.

If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  I John 1:9

Law is a curse to all.  Once you break the law, you are a law-breaker and nothing changes that and all law-breakers are cursed.  Both the lovers of the law and the haters of the law have this in common—they are all cursed by the law, because they have all broken the law.  This curse leads to death.  All who live under the law die, because no one is able to live according to the law a hundred percent.  Those who live under the law are punished while under the law for their lapses, and they eventually die eternally.

Grace is a blessing to all.  Grace calls out to law-breakers, law-lovers and law-haters and calls them to live out the principle of love.  Grace gives a second (and third) chance to all.  Not because it loves sin, but because grace understands that walking in love and the Holy Spirit takes time, and that time is the only way to heal the wounds of judgment, and to learn to live in love.  Grace grants life to those near and to those far away, and everyone can feel the radiation of the love of Grace.

Do good and lend money expecting nothing in return and your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.  (Luke 6:35)

Law produces fear and judgment.  It makes people think that people are looking at them, that God is staring down at them, waiting for them to fail, to break the law.  Those under the law feel the eyes of law everywhere and are reduced to guilt, even when there is nothing to be guilty of.  Because they feel judgment everywhere, they consider it only normal to judge others, and to consider others to be worthy of judgment.  They see others’ worth only as good as their obedience, and most everyone is, at the end, unworthy of life, only death.

Grace produces grace.  To be given a chance to make right, gives freedom to do the same to others.  The grace-full God encourages his followers to forgive, to give to those who are unworthy, to bless all, without regard to worthiness. Those living in overflowing grace find it the easiest thing in the world to allow that overflow of blessing to go to others because they have so much.  The graceful one is only more rich in grace as they give it away.  Grace multiplies when it is given away.

Law shrinks the world.  The hearts of those under the law shrivels into a hard, black rock.  The gaze of those under the law wither the worth of those around them.  Action is difficult, and the freedom to love cannot be granted.  The law must restrict love to retain control.  The successful man under Law is the one who controls and stamps out freedom.

Grace expands the world.  Grace is open to anyone, anything.  Grace invites people to live freely in love.  Grace grants full freedom to love, in any expression that is truly love.  Grace does limit actions of hate and judgment and harm, for these are not love.  But there is freedom for all else.  The successful one under Grace is the one who freely blesses and gives the most to the most people.

Whenever you stand praying, forgive whatever you have against another.  In this way your Father in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. (Mark 11:25)

To be faithful under Law is defined only by obedience to rules. Either you are true to the Law or you are a failure.

To be faithful under Grace is defined by how one appropriately loves others.  One is faithful to our God, our spouse, our friends, our enemies in different ways, but they are all based in how we can best love them with all we have and are. 

Grace isn’t a license to sin, but a freedom to love.  Law isn’t a restriction to sin, but it actually increases sin by increasing the laws that “make” sin.  To increase law is to increase sin.  To increase grace is to give freedom to live apart from sin.

Moving Right Along...

Okay, we're done with The Knowledge of the Holy. Good stuff, but time to move on. So, for a while, I'll be reading essays from Readings in Christian Theology, vol. I edited by Millard Erickson. I won't begin from the beginning, but I'm doing readings from his section on Revelation. No, not the book, but the idea of God revealing Himself through the Bible. If you want to read about the book, check out my blog on Revelation: An Illustrated Commentary.

For the next few blogs, I'll be posting about a conversation myself and some other Mennonite pastors had about theology. Then I'll begin posting from Erickson's Readings, beginning with Kenneth S. Kantzer's "The Authority of the Bible".

Since we are in "meta" mode, I'd like to mention briefly about my series of postings on The Law. I think I mentioned in a comment that they are intended to be read as a whole, not any as an individual part. Sometimes I get an idea in my head and it takes a while to state the whole thing. Sorry if you find my posts too long or dull. Other blogs have shorter posts. But when discussing theology, I like to get a whole idea out, if I can.

Paul and the Law

Paul had the law woven into his life. He grew up submitted to the law, studied it, became an expert in it and on the basis of that law he persecuted Christians. Then he saw Jesus as Lord of heaven and everything he once knew changed. He was still an expert in the law, but he submitted it all to Jesus’ understanding and will.

There has been much disagreement throughout church history about what Paul’s opinion about the law is. Some believed that Paul held that Satan wrote the law and Jesus delivered us from it. Others have said that Paul completely supported the law. A popular opinion is that Paul was opposed to following any laws—whether Moses’ or a church’s— holding only to faith in Jesus. To understand Paul’s perspective, we have to read him carefully, and not place our own opinions about the Law in his mouth. When we read Paul carefully, we find that he at least had these opinions about Moses’ law:

Paul was in agreement with Jesus and the early church about the Law
The Law was from God
Paul firmly acknowledged that the Law of Moses was good, not evil, and that it came from God to Moses (Romans 7:12; Galatians 3:19, 21)

Everyone born under Moses must submit to the Law
Like Jesus, Peter and the other apostles, Paul lived in full submission to Moses Law all of his life, even after he was a Christian (Acts 21:24). He also affirmed that Jews under the Law were given a special gift from God to preserve the Law and keep it.

Jesus gave us a higher law to live by
Paul agrees with Jesus and James that Jesus gave us a law to live by, and it is that higher law—not the law of Moses—by which we will be judged. If we live by that higher law, Paul writes, we will have fulfilled all of the law of Moses and more. (Romans 13:8-10)

Gentiles are not required to live under Moses’ law, but Jesus’ law and faith
Paul was in full agreement with the early church that Gentiles did not need to follow the law of Moses because they were never put in submission to it. It is enough that they have faith in Jesus, even as Abraham did. (Galatians 2:15-16)

Paul said the law has no power to help people obey it
Although the law is good and comes from God, it is weak. All it does is communicate what sin is, but it doesn’t give any power to help a person get sin out of their lives. It is a standard, but it has no ability to assist a person who wants to live it, even the one who fully loves the law. (Romans 7:14-15, 8:3)

Paul said the law condemns everyone who lives under it
Because the law has no power to help those submitted to it obey it, everyone who attempts to live under the law will disobey it. Every human is weak, and we are tempted by Satan to disobey God, and, left to our own devices, that is exactly what we will do. We will disobey the very thing we have submitted ourselves to. But the law also makes it clear, if we disobey it or rebel against it, then we will die. Thus the law ends up condemning and killing everyone who is under it. (Romans 7:13-20, 3:9-20)

Paul said that Satan uses the law to destroy people
God gave the Law to Israel to point the way to life, to be holy and pure before God. But Satan recognized the weakness of humans and used the Law as a tool of disobedience. He deceived them to be unfaithful to the law and to God, and so be condemned to death. Once they were condemned to death, Satan had them under his power, for Satan has authority over all who are judged. And Satan desires lordship over people in order to destroy them. In this way, the Law became the tool of Satan for destruction, instead of what it was originally made for. (Romans 6:16; 7:7-12, 25)

Paul said the law is a part of the powers that Jesus delivers us from
Jesus not only delivers us from Satan and death, but from everything that led us to death—including the Law. Again, Paul says that the Law became the tool of Satan, and so it is no longer worthwhile for salvation. But through Jesus’ death and resurrection we have gained freedom from all of that. We no longer must go to God through the Law, instead we go to God through Jesus. Thus, we must not consider that the law is what will bring us to God, for we need only Jesus. (Romans 8:1-4; Colossians 2:11-17). In this way, Jews who follow Jesus obey the law, but only in the way that a Christian would submit to the laws of the nation he or she is living under—because we submit to worldly authorities while we live under them (Romans 13:1-7)

Paul said that gentiles should not put themselves under the law, if they need the Law to save them
There were many in Paul’s day who thought that every Christian—even those who were not born under the law—needed to submit themselves to Moses’ law before they could be truly pleasing to God. Many gentiles under Paul’s care were influenced by this and felt that they needed to put themselves under Moses’ law through circumcision in order to be truly saved. Paul was firm in his understanding that to submit to Moses’ law was to seek salvation from the world, and to separate oneself from Jesus. In Jesus alone is found salvation, and to share that place with any other power is to deny Jesus. (Galatians 4:1-9; 5:1-4)

Paul said that a gentile can put himself under the law in order to minister to Jews
This did not mean, however, that a gentile could not be circumcised. Paul himself circumcised Timothy (a gentile), thus placing him in submission to the Law, not to save Timothy, but to help him fulfill God’s calling on his life. Timothy was called to be an evangelist, with Paul, and in that he would have to be submitted to the Law in all things. This was to make it so that Jews would listen to Timothy when he preached the gospel. Thus some can willingly put themselves in slavery, if it would allow the gospel to be preached. (Acts 16:1-3; I Corinthians 9:19-23)

The Law is God’s will, circumvented by Satan.
But Jesus set us free from the Law.

Notes on the Jerusalem Church and the Law

James, the brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church, was a completely observant Jew, honored for his righteousness within Jerusalem. This is spoken of by Josephus. James was later martyred for his belief in Jesus, and then mourned by the whole of Jerusalem.

James held that the “royal law” was to “love your neighbor as yourself.” The blessings of the kingdom are promised to those who live according to this law. If anyone judges this law they are declared disobedient to God, and the judge of the law is the one who judges his brother for loving. James 2

Peter was also a completely observant Jew. Peter refused to disobey the law, even when commanded by God to do so in Acts 10. Peter was submissive to Jewish authorities, established by the Mosaic Law, but disobeyed them when they commanded contrary to Jesus. (Acts 4)

Peter was commanded by God to eat unclean food—disobedient to the Mosaic Law— in a vision. (Acts 10) The specifics of the Mosaic law is now optional, dependent on God’s will for that person.

Peter welcomed Gentiles as the faithful in Jesus apart from the Mosaic Law. The tradition of Peter’s people is to not enter or fellowship with Gentiles. However, when Peter had a vision to go to a Gentile’s home, he immediately obeyed God’s new command, although it differed from the old. Peter saw Gentiles receive of the Holy Spirit apart from the Mosaic Law. The Gentiles received tongues from the Holy Spirit, proving their place in God’s new kingdom, apart from any commitment to Moses’ law.

The Jerusalem Church recommended that Gentiles in Jesus not be joined to the Mosaic Law.
(Acts 15) In accord with the actions of the Spirit, the church held that Gentiles who had made no commitment to Moses’ law, but were committed to Jesus are full members of the Kingdom of God.

The Jerusalem Church recommended that Gentiles in Christ obey these universal laws:
a. Be pure from sexual immorality
b. Do not eat blood or things that are strangled
c. Be separated from things contaminated by idolatry
d. Give to the poor
The church did give the Gentiles some regulations to follow, but these are basic commands, apart from Moses’ law.

Cramming for the Final Exam

The final day is coming!
There are many Christians today who want to keep quiet about Jesus’ coming, about the fact that he is coming to judge the world with all of his warrior angels, that he will be accompanied by all the saints and gather every person—living or dead— on the earth to judge them (Matthew 25:31-33; John 5:25-29). We do not know when he is coming, only that he could come any time. We see signs and possibilities all the time that his coming could be right around the corner. The question is, are we ready?

The final day is like a final exam. We have studied and worked hard all of our lives, but we still aren’t sure how we’ll do on the last test. We will be tested on everything that we’ve learned—but are we really ready? Can we cram in the last few minutes, in order to pass? Is there a bribe we can pass to the Examiner, to make sure we pass?

But the real question is: What is on the test? We need to know what will be on the test, so we can pass. If we pass the test, we will have great joy and reward from God. If we fail the test, we will live in eternal torment. So what is on the test is exceedingly important—it means life or death for us. So how can we be prepared?

Although many people make many grandiose claims of knowing how to help us through the Final Exam, there is only one person who has already passed through it, so he KNOWS. That is Jesus—he has already been tried by men and God, and God declared him righteous. Jesus knows what the judgement is going to be like, and he knows the reward. No one else has had this experience like Jesus, because no one else has been given their final reward already. So let’s listen to him, and let him tell us what he knows about the judgement day:

Content of the Final Exam: Our lives
a. We will be held account for every action and speech, no matter how unimportant seeming
The first principle of judgement has to do with the content. What will be examined? What is the content of the test? We need not carry pencils around or be gathering up bits of knowledge. The fact is, we are taking the final exam every day. Jesus says, it is our whole lives—our words and deeds (Matthew 16:27; John 5:29). Not just our lives in a general way, but a specific sifting, looking for every single pertinent act or word—no matter how small or carelessly spoken (Matthew 5:22, 28; 12:36). We may think that a single action is too small to be noticed, or that something is just “small potatoes” to God—but God is concerned about every small step, and will hold us account to it all.

b. Anything we repent of in Christ we will not be accounted for
This sounds so harsh of God, to not overlook anything. But God is a God of mercy and forgiveness, not of judgement. He doesn’t want to condemn us unnecessarily. So he gave us the Giant Loophole to judgement: the Cross of Jesus. Because Jesus died on the cross, we will not be judged for our sins. We have only two requirements: we must commit ourselves to Jesus, so the cross will wash away our sins. Secondly, we need to repent of our sins. Any of the sins we repent of in Christ, under his authority, will be wiped away and completely forgiven—if we would only repent. We need to depend on Christ and His Spirit to lead us into repentance, and then all the evil things we have done will be cleansed, never to be spoken of again. More importantly, these things will not be brought up on the judgement day. (Ezekiel 18:30; Luke 13:5; Luke 17:4)

How to get prepared for the Test : the principles of judgement
The next question then is: How will God look at our lives? Does he have a list of secret sins that no one knows about that he will insist that we have all repented of? God is also merciful in his examining of our lives. There are three basic principles that he will follow in looking at us.

c. However you treat the Lord, that is how you will be treated
First of all, He will examine closely how we treated Him and His Son. And however we treated Him, that is how He will treat us. Did we praise Him before others? Then he will also praise us. Or did we curse his name? Then he will also curse us (Matthew 10:32-33). Did we take his word seriously and listen and obey him? Then he will listen to our cries. Or did we disregard his commands and teachings? Then he will also not listen to us, and our needs. (Zechariah 7:13; Matthew 12:50; Luke 11:28). Were we completely devoted to God, serving him with a single mind? Then he will be devoted to us and reward us. However, if we were not devoted to him, but desired other powers before Him, then he will not be devoted to us, but punish us. (Matthew 5:8; Judges 10:10-13). Thus, to pass our Final Exam, we must treat the Lord as he deserves.

d. Whatever you give to others, that is what you receive
The second principle that God will use in examining our lives is an extreme version of the Golden Rule—However we treat others in our lives, that is how God will treat us on the judgement day. Do we treat others with mercy, with concern for them and their ultimate benefit, giving others what they need? If so, then the Lord will treat us with that same merciful care and give us what we need (Matthew 5:7). Do we forgive others’ of their weaknesses and take the difficulties they give us without any harm back to them? Then God will treat us with forgiveness and care (Matthew 18:21-35; Luke 6:35-37). Do we treat those with lowliness around us with care and assistance—then we will get such assistance from God when we are lowly before Him (Matthew 25:35-40). On the other hand, if we judge and condemn others, then we will be judged by God (Luke 6:37). If we hate our enemies, and treat them wickedly—with insults and threats— then God will visit evil—insults and punishments— upon us (Matthew 5:22; I John 4:20). If we cause others to sin, and show no care for their needs, then God will throw us in prison and show no compassion on us (Mark 9:42; Luke 12:45-46).

e. Whatever you receive from others, you will receive the opposite
The third principle that God will examine our lives with is one that isn’t thought of as much, because it seems to have little to do with things under our control. However the principle is clear: However we have been treated by others, especially while doing God’s will, we will receive the opposite. It is assumed in Jesus’ teaching that anyone who is truly following God and his ways will face opposition, oppression and anger from those who oppose God. Thus, if you are struggling with oppression or hatred against you; if you are suffering because of poverty or injustice; if you are in terrible circumstances in life because of following God; if you are disenfranchised or outcast—Jesus says then to be glad! Because God will reward us so greatly in heaven, that all of this life will be but a distant memory (Matthew 5:3-6, 10-12; Luke 6:20-23; Luke 16:25; Luke 14:7-11).

On the other hand, if we are greatly praised by everyone—even God’s enemies; if we live in comfort and entertainment all the time; if we are considered important and take the opportunity to command many for our own good—then God figures that we have had enough of the good life. We have sought out salvation on our own, worldly, terms, and so have rejected his salvation (Luke 6:24-26; Luke 16:25; Matthew 6:1-5). Again, we may feel—how can I control what circumstances give me? But it is clear, if we follow Jesus’ way completely—confessing Jesus publicly (even if it is not acceptable), sell our possessions and give to the poor, reject the ways of our family and friends—then we will gain much disrespect and even hatred. So we can control it somewhat.

f. The more you have, the more is required of you
God is not severe with us, but he is completely just. If we know much of God’s will and desires, he will judge us more severely. However, if we do not understand much of God’s will, God will show us mercy, according to what we know. That doesn’t mean that he won’t judge us according to the above three principles—he will. But the severity of the judgement will be lessened if we don’t understand it all. (Mark 4:25; Luke 12:47-48)

The last thing we need to remember about these three areas of examination by God—we need to pass in all three areas. If we do not repent in any one of these areas, then we will fail our exam. We must seek to be completely devoted to God, completely merciful to others’ and always lowly before others. If we fail, then we repent. But if we reject any of these ways, we reject our hope of success on judgement day

What are the grades?
g. It is eternal satisfaction, or eternal torment
Perhaps this seems too difficult, too other-worldly for you. But remember the cost that is at stake—it is your eternal soul. Our lives right now are but a small, paltry thing. It is little for us, compared to all eternity. Eternity is forever—that’s not just a long time, it is the real Reality. A bit of suffering or self-control or repentance for a few years on earth—maybe sixty, maybe twenty years, whatever you have left—is nothing compared to a thousand years, a million years, a hundred billion. The numbers of eternity are so large, that you can realize that our current life—in comparison—doesn’t even exist. And we have a choice—follow these principles and gain eternal life and joy and contentment (remember, this is FOREVER), or ignore them and face eternal torment—unhappiness, suffering, fear, frustration. These are the consequences (Matthew 25:46; John 5:29; 3:36)

It isn’t too late!
Perhaps you think that it is hopeless. But God is so merciful, so kind, he is willing to bend over backwards to help you pass the Final Exam. All you have to do is ask. He has already given his Son to die for us, so we can be delivered from judgement—won’t he give us more so we can make it the rest of the way? Of course! He promises to give the Holy Spirit—the Helper—to anyone in Christ. He will give us all the resources in heaven and earth to help us pass. All we need to do is ask, and allow Him to give us the help to pass!

Judgement Day is serious,
But God is merciful

What Is Jesus' Perspective On The Law?

So we have learned that Jesus did not oppose the Law in any of his teaching, but affirmed it and even strengthened it. At the same time, we learned that it is now impossible to obey Moses’ law in all its details, for there is no possibilitiy for sacrifices, and there are no priests to consult. So how can one follow Jesus without the law? It would be easy to go to Paul and hear his answers. First, let’s look deeper at what Jesus says about the Law and see if He has anything more to say.

1. The Law is to teach people about it’s fulfillment
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" John 5:45-47
Jesus, throughout his discussion of the Law, is always talking about the fulfillment of the Law. If you think about it, that makes sense—any law isn’t about some abstract code, but about real people living it out. The difficulty with this is that no one ever fully fulfilled it. It was broken by everyone at one point or another, no matter how much they wanted to obey it—even Moses himself broke the law he gave.
That would be frustrating to any lawgiver. But there is one who fulfilled it completely, both in letter and in spirit, both in story and in prophecy. Jesus fulfilled it. Therefore, the law was an ideal for God’s kingdom that was never realized except by one person. And that same system the law created also completely rejected the one who fully fulfilled it. That would indicate that there is a problem.

2. The Law was given by God and would endure until the next age
For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Matthew 5:18
Jesus here teaches that the law is a solid wall that cannot be revoked. It cannot be bent or broken in any way—until. Until it has been fulfilled. And that fulfillment happened in Jesus. Jesus fulfilled the law in every particular, even taking upon himself the curse of the Law that he did not deserve. And when it was all finished, Jesus declared it finished by saying, “It is completed.” What was finished? First, His obedience of the law, but also His rejection by the Law. Only when both acts were completed can a new kingdom be established. Finally, the law is broken, which opens up the possibility for Jesus to begin a new nation, with all the power of God at its back. With Jesus’ death and, later, the destruction of the Temple and Jewish priesthood, a new age has begun.

3. The Law is to prepare people for kingdom living
Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19-20
The purpose of the Law, Jesus says, is not so much for living in the here and now, but to test us for kingdom living. The law was to mark people for their place in God’s kingdom. God’s kingdom is all about doing God’s will, and the law was to train a group of people to live according to God’s will. However, it is sad that those who most focused on the Law and knew it best failed the main purpose of the law—to be ready to live in God’s kingdom. How did this happen?

4. The Law was inadequate for passing God’s judgment
Ultimately, the law, according to Jesus, was imperfect, it was weak. The law, it turns out, did not train people to do God’s will. How did this happen?
They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?" He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." Matthew 19:7-9
Here, Jesus demonstrates that the Law was imperfect from its inception. Moses weakened the Law by recognizing human weakness. This does not mean that Moses was an inadequate lawgiver—on the contrary, Moses knew his people well and gave laws to curb their lusts. Moses never said that divorce was in accord with God’s will, but he said that if one makes the wrong move of divorcing, then he gave the rule of how to do it. The law interpreters assumed that this was passive agreement to divorce in general. Jesus disagrees, because the law was not supposed to be the tool of hatred. But because of human misinterpretation of the law, it was used that way.

"And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house--for I have five brothers-- in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'" Luke 16:27-31
Secondly, the law was used very selectively. In the case of the parable Jesus gave, the wealthy man was interested in obeying the law, but not about what the law says concerning helping the poor. In another place, Jesus mentions that the Pharisees focus on lesser laws like about tithing, but miss the larger standards of justice and mercy. If people are picking and choosing what they desire to focus on in the Law, then the law is pointless.

5. The Law needed to be re-focused to be useable
Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.
Matthew 12:3-7
In this place, Jesus demonstrates that it is necessary, in order to obey the greater commands of the law, to disobey lesser ones. The law is not perfect because it cannot all be obeyed in all circumstances. Sometimes the cultic law is in opposition to the ethical law. In this case, then, Jesus says that the focus of the law has wrongly been placed on ritual and authority. Rather, the focus of the law should be on love and compassion. For this reason, Jesus commands that the “greatest” laws are to be the focus—the laws of love. To love all people is to fulfill the law, and the first is like it, for we are to love God as in a relationship—not loving God as in a code or an entity. We are to live our lives focused on doing what is a benefit to God and to others.

6. Jesus was giving a higher law to help us be rewarded by God on the final day
You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER ' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
Matthew 5:21-22
You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:26-27

In the end, Jesus re-focused the whole of the law, even the ten commandments, to be adjusted to have two goals—to love all; and to be prepared for God’s rule. We need to remember, first of all, that we are going to be judged for every act that we do, whether it is in accord with God’s will or not. And we will be rewarded or punished according to that obedience or disobedience. We need to desire God’s will above all, so that in our eternity we will be treated well. But secondly, we need to recognize that on the last day, God will not judge us according to obedience to the 618 laws or the laws of our nation. Rather He will judge us according to how we had mercy on the needy, on how we remained humble, and on how well we followed Jesus.

Thus, under Jesus, the Law looks very different. It is simply a law of love—both of God and others—and we do it not to rebuke others, but so we can humbly be right before God on the final day. Jesus never denied that we needed a law. Rather, He said that the law we must follow be that of love.

Did Jesus Oppose The Law of Moses?

At least some in Jesus’ day claimed that Jesus was attempting to set aside Moses’ Law. And certainly many of Jesus’ Gentile followers thought that he did. On the one hand, Jesus claims to not be opposed to the Law in any way (Matt 5:17). He opposes anyone who lessens the Law (Matt. 5:19). On the other hand, he claims that a law of Moses was given just to appease the children of Israel’s “hardness of heart”. And he seemed to have many instances in which he opposed Moses’ Law. Or did he? Let’s look at some of Jesus’ teachings that seem to contradict Moses:

1. Divorce—
Matthew 19:1-9 v Deuteronomy 24:1
When confronted with Moses’ command to give a certificate of divorce, Jesus claims that the law was a concession to the disloyal hearts of Israelites, and that divorce was never in God’s plan. He uses another part of the Law which confirms that marriage is established by God (Genesis 1:24). Thus, he concludes, divorce should only be allowed if adultery is found—because adultery would break the covenant of marriage even without divorce. While it seems that Jesus is contradicting Moses, on the surface, Jesus is not actually opposing the law, here. The original law was to make a divorce official by having it be written in order to prevent remarriage. Thus the certificate is less about divorce than to disallow remarriage. Thus, Jesus is bringing the law back to its original intent—preventing remarriage, rather than allowing divorce. Jesus then expands the law opposing remarriage in Deuteronomy 24 to include any kind of remarriage except that following adultery, based on Genesis 1. Thus, Jesus is not opposing Moses, but making the law more consistent with itself and God’s plan in creation. The higher law of faithfulness to a covenant and preventing others from sinning trumps the allowance of divorce.

2. Cleanliness—
Matthew 15:10-20 v. Leviticus 5:2
Jesus claims that it is not what one touches or eats that makes one unclean, but the intent of one’s heart. This seems to contradict Moses who says that what one touches can make one unclean. Jesus, however, does not deny the actions that one should do to remain clean in the law—he is not opposed to bathing, but only mandatory washing before meals (which is found in the oral law, not the written). He could be speaking about the “real” cleanness that will matter on the judgement day, not the day to day cleanness that is significant in contemporary human society. Jesus is not contradicting Moses, but highlighting the moral law.

3. Loving enemies—
Matthew 5:42-48 v. Deuteronomy 23:6
The Law tells the Israelites who to hate, while Jesus says to hate no one—to even love one’s enemies. However, the Law is very specific about who one is to hate—Moabites, Amorites and Canaanites. Other nations are not to be “hated” or done evil to, even if they do evil (Edom and Egypt—Deut 23:7). Yahweh rescinded his command about the Canaanites (Deut. 20:17; Judges 2:20-3:6). The separation was later to be not to intermarry with these tribes (Gen. 28:1; Judges 3:5-7;Ezra 9:1-3). The Canaanites survived to the time of Jesus, but he granted them the eschatalogical promise to Israel if they displayed faith (Matthew 15). Thus, Jesus is not contradicting Moses, but taking a basic principle of the law—“Love of neighbor” and applying it more broadly.


4. Oaths—
Matt. 5:34-37; Matthew 23:16-22 v. Numbers 30:3
Rather than just emphasizing the keeping of oaths, Jesus is denying any oath-speech used in a promise. Moses’ law just demands that one keeps the oath one makes. Moses, of course, is not demanding that people make oaths. So Jesus is not contradicting Moses, but heightening the demand. Jesus is emphasizing honest speech for the sake of others in Matthew 5. In Matthew 23, Jesus argues against oath-taking for the sake of devotion. Overall, Jesus is saying that oath-making is less important than integrity and faithfulness to God. Thus, the higher law trumps the allowance of oath-making.

5. Harvesting and preparing food on Sabbath—
Matthew 12:1-8 v. Leviticus 25:4
In Matthew, the disciples are plucking and eating grain as they pass through a field on the Sabbath. Harvesting food is forbidden on the Sabbath, according to the law and Jesus is attacked by the Pharisees for allowing them to do it. Jesus, however, gives a number of examples showing in the Scriptures how one law is contradicted and set aside for a greater one: a. David ate the consecrated bread intended by law only for priests (I Samuel 21:1-6; Leviticus 24: 5-9). Thus, the cultic demand is marginalized due to the need of doing mercy to the King's servant b. The priests do not keep the Sabbath, but do their work during the Sabbath. Thus, the Sabbath command is marginalized by the need to maintain the temple pure. Thus, the disciples are innocent of wrongdoing before God, because although they may have technically broken the Sabbath laws against harvesting and preparing food (Exodus 20:10; 31:14-15), but they were living out the law of mercy for the sake of the ministry to a king— even as David did of old. Again, Jesus is not contradicting Moses, but prioritizing the law in an internal conflict

6. Honoring Father and Mother—
Matthew 8:21-22 v. Exodus 20:12
One should always honor one’s parents, and one kind of honoring is to bury the dead. However, when a potential disciple asks Jesus to bury his father, Jesus refuses him, telling him to let the “dead bury their own dead”. This seems to contradict the command to honor one’s parents. However, Jesus is not contradicting it. First of all, Jesus is prioritizing work for God’s kingdom before participating in honoring one’s parents, just as Jesus prioritizes God’s kingdom work over many other necessary things (Matthew 6:33). On the other hand, burying is not so much a sign of honor, unless there is no one else to bury them. The important thing is that the body gets buried, and not left exposed. As long as someone is burying the body—as Jesus says there is—then no dishonor is there.

7. Tithing—
Matthew 23:22-23 v. Leviticus 27:30
Jesus states that tithing is a less significant law than mercy and justice. Jesus is not opposed to tithing in this verse. Rather, he is saying it is a less important matter than mercy, justice and devotion to God. Some tithing might very well display mercy, but not the tithe of herbs, which is what Jesus is discussing. Jesus often opposes the oral Torah (Matthew 15:1-15; 23:16-31—opposing the traditions of the “fathers”), but he usually speaks of obeying the “commands” of God instead—the true Torah.

8. Welcoming sinners into the Eschatalogical blessing—
Matthew 9:10-13; 21:21-22 v. Deuteronomy 28:15
The Law makes it clear that those who are under the law but disobey it will die and not receive the blessings of God (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). Jesus, though, is granting God’s kingdom to sinners, and welcoming them through eating with them. However, there is always a place in the Law and prophets for those who regret and repent of their deeds (Deut. 19:1-7; Ezekiel 18; Psalm 51; II Samuel 12). Their repentance displays faith, and so they must be welcomed and forgiven. Forgiveness of sin is not foreign to the Law, even for intentional sins (Genesis 50:17; Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14)—Jesus is just emphasizing forgiveness with an eschatalogical spin. Thus, Jesus is in agreement with Moses.

9. Welcoming Canaanites and Gentiles into the Eschatalogical blessing—
Matthew 8:5-13; 15:21-28 v. Deuteronomy 7:1-2
Jesus supports the welcoming of outsiders into the blessing of God in the kingdom. This seems opposed to the Torah (Exodus 34:24; Leviticus 18:24) on the surface, which does not readily grant the blessings of God to Gentiles. Jesus, however, seems to determine that some Gentiles that display true devotion to God and to the coming King deserve a place with Abraham Isaac and Jacob better than some who live within their earthly realm at present (Matthew 8:5-13). This is not opposing the Torah, but making the shift that Isaiah made, determining that the “nations” is anyone who is opposed or unfaithful to God, while the “servants” are those who are faithful to God (Isaiah 65:8-17; 66:17-23). Jesus is not contradicting Moses, but interpreting those who are “inside” God’s kingdom by the standard of faith.

Jesus does not contradict Moses
Jesus does not oppose the Torah in any way. Often Jesus is seen as doing away with Sabbath and cleansing laws of Moses’ law, but he is not doing so. At times he is prioritizing them, so that if they are in conflict, it can be seen which laws should be obeyed in a certain context. At times he is adjusting them, to make them be interpreted in light of compassion and justice. And at times he is heightening them, so they are to be interpreted in light of God’s higher laws. But never does he just say that this law has no place; nor does he set aside any command.

Jesus and the Law

Jesus never disobeyed the Mosaic Law
Jesus was a fully observant Jew, and obeyed the Law of Moses in all of it’s particulars. Jesus said that he had come to “fulfill” the law (Matthew 5:17-18). Part of the meaning of that is that Jesus did obey the law in all of it’s particulars (see below). And, in fact, he obeyed the law better than Moses or David. Jesus’ opponents were looking to catch Jesus in a sin, but they never did. When they brought him to trial, they accused him of false crimes—things he never did. Jesus even invited them to publicly state what part of God’s word he had broken—but they came up with nothing (John 8:46).

Jesus never taught in opposition to the Mosaic Law
Although it may seem like it at times, Jesus never taught against the Law of Moses. Every one of the cases where it seems that Jesus opposed the law of Moses, he was interpreting it, but not disagreeing with it (see the next tract—“Did Jesus oppose the Law?”) In fact, Jesus said that the one who taught anyone to disobey even the least of God’s commands would be least in God’s kingdom. Jesus himself did not in any way teach anyone to disobey the law of Moses.

Jesus’ view of the Law
1. The Law was given by God and would endure until the beginning of next age
Jesus made it clear that the Law was God’s word, and it is God’s standard. He said that as a standard, it would be protected and stand firm until the next age began. Jesus actually placed the Law of Moses on a similar level with his own words. (Matthew 5:18; Matthew 24:35).

2. The Law was given for God’s people on earth to live in Israel
At the same time, Jesus was saying that the Law of Moses was the law for this age—it would not continue into God’s kingdom. God’s kingdom would see a greater law come about, one based on Jesus’ words.

3. The Law can contradict itself
Jesus showed that different laws within Moses’ law contradicted each other. In Matthew 12, Jesus showed that the sabbath law could contradict the law of love, and that the law for priests can contradict the sabbath law. In these cases, Jesus said, one law was greater than the other, and so the greater law is the one to be followed. Jesus stated that the cultic law was less than the ceremonial law, and the ceremonial law is less than the civic law and the civic law is less than the ethical law.

4. The Law was inadequate for passing God’s judgment
The problem with the law, Jesus felt, is that humans interpret it. The two main schools of thought about the law in Jesus’ day—the Sadducees and the Pharisees—were wrong in their interpretations and obedience of the law. Thus, Jesus said, if one’s obedience of the Law was only up to the standard of the Sadducees and the Pharisees, then one would be judged inadequate by God’s standard. Thus, just having the Law is not enough—one must also have the proper interpretation of it.

Jesus often opposed the traditional interpretation of the Law
There were many cases in which Jesus was confronted with a traditional interpretation of the law. He opposed these interpretations on two bases. He said, first of all, that often the interpretations oppose the true obedience of other commands. For instance, he said that a traditional understanding of surrendering wealth to God (known as “corban”) was in opposition to honoring one’s father and mother with one’s wealth when they needed it in their old age (Mark 7:1-13). Second, Jesus said that requiring all Israel obey their interpretations hurts the needy among them. Jesus said that sacrifice—the obedience to the Temple laws—comes secondary to mercy—obedience to meet the needs of one’s neighbor. Thus, Jesus said, there should be no mandatory imposing of a strict law if it harms the needy (Matthew 12:7). In this way, Jesus opposed many of the requirements that modern Jews (and even Messianic Jews) impose upon their followers based on the Talmud.

Jesus taught submission and disobedience to Pharisee’s authority
On the one hand, Jesus taught that his disciples should recognize that the Pharisees had the authority of Moses, and so they were to be obeyed. Then, immediately after, Jesus described the areas the disciples should disobey the Pharisees. Fundamentally, Jesus taught obedience, except where the teachings or actions of the Pharisees contradicted the higher law of God. (Matthew 23:1-2)

Jesus saw himself as fulfilling the Law
Jesus said, “I did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.” (Matthew 5:17-18). However, when Matthew uses the word “fulfill”, he means it in three ways in connection with Jesus:

a. Jesus would obey the Mosaic Law to the full extent
As stated above, Jesus was a fully observant Jew, and never disobeyed the law of Moses. Not only did Jesus obey the law that was written down to the letter, but he obeyed the Greater Law that stood behind the Mosaic Law.

b. Jesus would fulfill the paradigms that were only partially fulfilled in the Mosaic Law
All throughout the books of Moses, as well as the rest of the Hebrew Bible, there were many examples of God’s people, but all of them failed in some way. Moses and David were murderers, Aaron participated in idolatry, Abraham was a deceiver and Jacob was greedy. The children of Israel failed God’s law again and again. However, Jesus took Moses’ and David’s place, as well as the nation of Israel as a whole, and he fulfilled all of their roles perfectly, without any fault before God. Thus, Jesus fulfilled every role the Hebrew Bible presents—he was an obedient deliverer, a just judge, a devoted mediator, and a holy nation who endured through testing. Many of the Scriptures that Jesus was fulfilling were not prophecies at all, but simply stories that needed to be completed (see Matthew 2:15 and Hosea 11:1-2).

c. Jesus would fulfill the prophecies that are stated in the Hebrew Bible
Jesus stated many times that the Scripture would be fulfilled in him (for example, Matthew 26:31, 54). By this, he meant that there were many things in the Hebrew Scriptures that God says would happen. However, they had not occurred yet. Jesus said that he himself would be the focus of the completion of these promises.

Jesus taught a higher law
In order to assist us to be fully acceptable and obedient to God, Jesus taught us how to follow the law. He did this by teaching us the greater law by which one would be acceptable on the judgement day. This higher law is: The one who is faithful to God will receive reward from God; The one who is merciful to others will receive mercy from God; The one who is lowered by others will be raised by God; Whatever one repents of will not be held against them. These laws do not replace the law of Moses, but they adequately explain how anyone could obey any law and be right before God. This could be another way in which Jesus fulfills the law: by teaching the true obedience of it.

Jesus blessed Gentiles apart from the Law
There were two times that Jesus was asked by a Gentile to give them the power of the Spirit, which is only offered to the children of Israel (Matthew 8:5-13; 15:21-28; 10:1, 5-6). Jesus provided the blessing of God to them, as they asked—but only because of the faith they had shown. But either before or after this, Jesus made no requirements that they follow the law of Moses, and there was no expectation that they would, especially for one. Thus, Jesus showed that the blessing of God could be given to non-Jews, even though they did not follow Moses’ law.

The Law is good, but Jesus’ higher law is better.

What Is The Law?

The “Law” is a portion of the Hebrew Bible
In both the New and the Old Testaments of the Bible, the word “law” is used as a title for God’s word that he revealed to Israel. Sometimes “the law” is speaking about the whole of the OT, and sometimes it is only used as a portion of it, such as when it is used in the phrase, “the law, the prophets and the psalms” (Luke 24:44). Often the Law (or in Hebrew, Torah) is used to speak of the first five books of the Bible, also called the “books of Moses” (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). When Jesus speaks of the Law, he is usually speaking of these books.

The Mosaic Law is the instructional material of the Hebrew Bible
The Law is also used to speak of certain kinds of writings in the Hebrew Bible. Specifically, it describes the commands and ethical stories of the first five books of the Bible. In this sense, the “Law” is the commands of God, given through Moses. When Paul speaks of the “law”, he is usually speaking of these commands. There are more than six hundred legal commands given to Israel in the books of Moses. Modern Judaism, when it speaks of the “Torah”, would also include their book of interpretations of the Mosaic Law, which is called the Talmud.

The Mosaic Law contain many kinds of commands.

a. Cultic Laws—These laws have to do with the priesthood, sacrifices and the Temple. These laws are no longer able to be obeyed because there has been no recognized Temple or priesthood since the Temple was destroyed in 70AD.
If the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. Leviticus 4:3
The high priest shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. Leviticus 16:2

b. Cleansing Laws—These laws have to do with cleanliness laws and community acceptability. Some have to do with hygine and others with acceptable food, but those who violate these commands will be separated from the community and from the Temple.
If a person touches any unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean cattle or a carcass of unclean swarming things, though it is hidden from him and he is unclean, then he will be guilty. Leviticus 5:2
If a woman has a discharge of her blood many days, not at the period of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond that period, all the days of her impure discharge she shall continue as though in her menstrual impurity; she is unclean. Leviticus 15:25

c. Ceremonial Laws—These laws have to do with feasts, memorials, months and Sabbaths. They command the people of Israel what days are set aside to rest and to celebrate before the Lord.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8
This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you… The tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household… It is the LORD'S Passover. Exodus 12:2-3, 11
Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. Exodus 23:14

d. Civil Laws—These laws have to do with practical concerns of justice. They are the kind of laws that were common in every legal code throughout the Ancient Near East in Moses’ day. They mostly speak of what are legal wrongs that need to be sentenced by a judge.
If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. Exodus 22:1
You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people. Exodus 22:28

e. Ethical Laws—These laws have to do with underlying principles of moral goodness. Rather than speak to a specific wrong, they speak of general principles that other laws are based on.
You shall have no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3
You shall love the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Leviticus 19:23

The Mosaic law is impossible to obey today in every specific.
Many of the laws of Moses have to do with priests and a temple or tabernacle that no longer exist. And other laws have to do with peoples—such as Cannanites or Moabites—that no longer exist. Thus, the Mosaic Law, as a whole, no longer is able to be obeyed to the letter. Those who claim to obey the Mosaic Law are only obeying a part of it that they chose, or an interpretation of it, which changes what it literally says. There is no one today who can truthfully say that they obey the Mosaic Law in all of its specifics.

What are the Prophets?
The Prophets in Ancient Judaism are the “historical” books of the Old Testament of Joshua through Nehemiah and the “prophetic” books of Isaiah through Micah. These books apply the law to different circumstances and interpret the law within those circumstances. These explanations are a new part of God’s command.

There are greater and lesser commands in the Law
One thing that the prophets make clear is that there are greater and lesser parts to the Law. For instance, in Isaiah 1, the people’s obedience to the ceremonial and cultic laws are rejected because they failed to obey the civil law. If justice is not found in Israel, then one’s obedience to the other laws are of no use to be acceptable to God. The prophets also say that sacrifice is no use if there is no devotion to God or compassion for other’s needs. (Hosea 6:6).

There have been many schools of the Mosaic Law
Throughout history, and today, there are different ways to understand and apply the Mosaic Law. In Jesus’ day, it was said, that there were four main schools of thought about how to interpret Moses’ law—but there were many more beyond that even then. One of those schools of thought over time became Rabbinic Judaism that is the basis for the varieties of Judaism that we have today. Another school of interpretation was started by Jesus and was interpreted by the early church to become Jewish and Gentile Christianities. And throughout the last two thousand years quite a variety of thought about the Law has occurred. But any Christian understanding of the Law needs to be based on the teaching of Jesus and the apostolic teachings of the New Testament.