Here are some conclusions I came to about the Jewish Law after comprehensively studying what Paul had to say about it.
The Law’s Function before Christ
The Old Covenant was a “ministry of death” and “condemnation” (2 Cor 3:7-18). It was an unbearable yoke of bondage (Act 15:10) that could not bring justification and life (Acts 13:39, Gal 3:21). The Law was also not of faith; “He who practices them shall live by them” (Gal 3:12, Rom 10:5).
The Law was temporarily added to produce transgressions until Christ came, and it did not invalidate or change God’s covenant with Abraham (Gal 3:15-19). It was not contrary to God’s promises to Abraham because it was not a new way of attaining life (Gal 3:21). Its only purpose was to shut every one up under sin and lead them to Christ so that they would be justified by faith (Gal 3:22, 3:24, Rom 10:4).
The Law’s Function after Christ
In His death, Christ abolished the Law/Old Covenant (Eph 2:15) and established a new covenant (which is, in a way, a fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant) founded upon faith and the regenerating power of the Spirit (Gal 4:21-31, 6:15). Now that this has happened we are no longer under the tutorship of the Law (Gal 3:23-25) and should not subject ourselves again to a yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1).
There is also a sense in which the application of this took place in an individual way for Jews even after Christ. They considered themselves under the Law (and were in bondage). But then the Holy Spirit would take that Law, bring conviction of sin, and lead them to Christ. They were then released from the Law and began to serve in the Spirit and not the letter. Paul is an example of this (Romans 7). “Through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20).
Conclusion
For Paul, the Law had a temporary function that ended with Christ. In his mind, if you are a believing Jew after Christ, the Law may have played some role in bringing you to salvation, but now you are freed from it to serve the law of Christ. And if you are Gentile, don’t even think about the Law!
Bryan Elliff © 2008 www.bryanelliff.wordpress.com
