Introduction. The transition from the Old Covenant with its Ten Commandments on stone to the New Covenant of the gospel was not a smooth one for many in Israel. Though God had foretold this change, some in Israel were unprepared to give up their customs and traditions. As long as the gospel was preached only to Israel, they were content to continue to keep the law and follow Christ, but when the gospel went to the Gentiles, the Jewish Christians sought to add the Law to the gospel: “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses” (Acts 15:5).
The problem centered on authority. The Law of Moses was God’s revelation to Israel. It’s laws guided that nation for centuries and its authority was absolute. They served God and received salvation based upon that Law. But after Jesus died on the cross, everything changed. All the authority of the Law came to an end. This was made clear to the apostles at His ascension when Jesus revealed that “all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Me (Jesus)”. Israel should have been well prepared for this moment since it had been foretold since the days of Moses.
The problem centered on authority. The Law of Moses was God’s revelation to Israel. It’s laws guided that nation for centuries and its authority was absolute. They served God and received salvation based upon that Law. But after Jesus died on the cross, everything changed. All the authority of the Law came to an end. This was made clear to the apostles at His ascension when Jesus revealed that “all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Me (Jesus)”. Israel should have been well prepared for this moment since it had been foretold since the days of Moses.
- “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.” (Deut. 18:18-20).
Jesus was the prophet like Moses. Just as Moses gave a law, Jesus gave a law. All the authority God had given to the Law through Moses was given to Christ. God now spoke through Jesus. Israel had a clear choice: Moses or Christ. Those who affirmed that the authority of both laws co-existed were wrong, and Paul, “an apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13) “had no small dissension and dispute with them.”
Paul was then told (by revelation) to go to Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1-2). After meeting with the apostles and elders, the first NT letter was written. It began: “we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, "You must be circumcised and keep the Law — to whom we gave no such commandment.” The authority of the Law had ceased. Those who “make disciples of all the nations,” must only be “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:18-20).
This did not stop the problem, and two gospels were preached. The one Paul preached (1Cor. 15:1-3) and the “different” gospel with circumcision and keeping the Law. Paul was amazed that those in Galatia had accepted this “perverted” gospel.
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.“ (Gal. 1:6-8).
They were warned: “if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” The heart of this “different gospel:” “Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace.“ (Gal. 5:2-4).
The gospel stands alone. Any attempt to bring the authority of Moses’ Law into the gospel makes one accursed, severs one from Christ, and causes one to fall from grace. Though it sounded good that one should respect and obey Moses law, it is disrespectful to Jesus Christ. When we honor Christ as “Lord of lords and King of kings,” we give Him absolute and complete submission. The purpose of the Law of Moses was to bring Israel to Christ. Once Christ came, that purpose was fulfilled and its authority ceased.
“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.“ (Gal 3:24-25)
There was no excuse for Israel to misunderstand. Even in Jeremiah God had revealed that since “they did not continue in My covenant,” “I will make a new covenant.” The gospel is the “new covenant.” The Scriptures then reveal what that should have meant to Israel. “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.” The old covenant (Law of Moses), became obsolete. Jesus is now “also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Heb. 8:1-13).
Conclusion. The law of Moses holds no authority over a Christian. The 10 commandments were “nailed to the cross” having become “the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones.” Jewish “days” (Sabbath, new moons and annual feasts) no longer matter. Forbidden foods are now lawful (Acts 10; Rom. 14). We, like Isaac are children of promise, no longer under the slavery of the Law.
Paul was then told (by revelation) to go to Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1-2). After meeting with the apostles and elders, the first NT letter was written. It began: “we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, "You must be circumcised and keep the Law — to whom we gave no such commandment.” The authority of the Law had ceased. Those who “make disciples of all the nations,” must only be “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:18-20).
This did not stop the problem, and two gospels were preached. The one Paul preached (1Cor. 15:1-3) and the “different” gospel with circumcision and keeping the Law. Paul was amazed that those in Galatia had accepted this “perverted” gospel.
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.“ (Gal. 1:6-8).
They were warned: “if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” The heart of this “different gospel:” “Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace.“ (Gal. 5:2-4).
The gospel stands alone. Any attempt to bring the authority of Moses’ Law into the gospel makes one accursed, severs one from Christ, and causes one to fall from grace. Though it sounded good that one should respect and obey Moses law, it is disrespectful to Jesus Christ. When we honor Christ as “Lord of lords and King of kings,” we give Him absolute and complete submission. The purpose of the Law of Moses was to bring Israel to Christ. Once Christ came, that purpose was fulfilled and its authority ceased.
“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.“ (Gal 3:24-25)
There was no excuse for Israel to misunderstand. Even in Jeremiah God had revealed that since “they did not continue in My covenant,” “I will make a new covenant.” The gospel is the “new covenant.” The Scriptures then reveal what that should have meant to Israel. “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.” The old covenant (Law of Moses), became obsolete. Jesus is now “also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Heb. 8:1-13).
Conclusion. The law of Moses holds no authority over a Christian. The 10 commandments were “nailed to the cross” having become “the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones.” Jewish “days” (Sabbath, new moons and annual feasts) no longer matter. Forbidden foods are now lawful (Acts 10; Rom. 14). We, like Isaac are children of promise, no longer under the slavery of the Law.
- “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 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. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward,“ (Col 2:13-18)
- “Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. ... these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. ... and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. ... Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. ... So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.“ (Gal 4:22-31)
- “my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ ... 6 now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.“ (Rom 7:4-6)
- “ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. ... 3:6 as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. ... But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, ... how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? ... 9 if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory“ (2Cor. 3:3-9)