THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
No believer can dismiss the continuing relevance of the Law without first establishing the original purpose for God giving the Law. We are compelled to ask and answer the question posed by Paul to the Galatians, “Why the Law?” (Gal 3:19). Among the many benefits, the Law:
1) Reveals the nature of the Creator to the creation,
2) Teaches the creation the proper response to the grace given, and
3) Preserves the world until the coming of the Messiah.
The Law Reveals the Nature of the Creator:
Since “God is spirit,” (John 4:24), “No one has ever seen God,” (John 1:18)(1 John 4:12). Therefore, the creation only comes to know God by the election of the Creator to reveal Himself to the creation; “the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever,” (Deut 29:29). God reveals Himself to the mankind in three ways.
1) God reveals Himself through the creation, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psa 19:1), and “Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Rom 1:20),
2) God reveals Himself through His word, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” (Psa 119:105), and
3) God reveals Himself through obedience to His commandments, “He (the king) shall write for himself a copy of the law on a scroll…that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statues,” (Deut 17:18-20).
In the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel, there are
“three starting points of contemplation about God; three trails that lead to Him. The first is the way of sensing the presence of God in the world, in things; the second is the way of sensing His presence in the Bible; the third is the way of sensing His presence in sacred deeds…These three are one, and we must go all three ways to reach the one destination.” (God in Search of Man, page 31)
The Law is a fundamental component of God’s revelation; one said to contain “the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,” (Rom 2:20). We learn about the Creator both from the words of the Law and through acts of obedience to the commandments. The Law was present at creation, “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old,” (Prov 8:19). In the Law, the LORD speaks of His Own nature to the creation saying,
“The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keep lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of father on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” (Ex 34:6-7)
From the Law, mankind came to understand that the LORD is holy, righteous, and good because “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteousness and good,” (Rom 7:12). In scripture, God is shown as being faithful, merciful, and just because these are the “weightier provisions of the Law,” (Matt 23:23). The Law remains “a shadow of the good things to come” (Heb 10:4). Although the Law has many commandments, it is consistent with the unity of God that the word “Law” is singular because “God is one,” (Jam 2:19) (Deut 6:4) (Zech 14:9) (1 Cor 8:4-6) (Gal 3:20) (Eph 4:4-6) (Rom 3:29-30). In short, “the law of the LORD is perfect,” (Psa 19:7) since the “heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48), and the Son Who walked in obedience to the commandments was made perfect, (Heb 2:10). In turn, “through recognizing Hashem’s goodness a person comes to serve God.” (The Power of Teshuvah, Rabbi Hershey Klieman, page 197)
Believers are correct in asserting that Jesus revealed the Father to the creation, because “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” (John 14:9). Jesus did reveal the Father, to the fullest measure, as the living word by living in obedience to the Law (Gal 4:4), and performing the works of the Father, (John 14:10). In Jesus, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,” (John 1:14) and the Word John referred to is Jesus Who walked in obedience to the Law. Only once in scripture did Jesus say, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you,” (John 13:34). This “new commandment” actually builds on the existing commandment, “love your neighbor as yourself,” (Lev 19:18). The newness comes in the demonstration of loving one another, “even as I have loved you.”
By living in complete obedience to the commandments, Jesus demonstrated the original intent of each commandment and revealed the nature and character of the Father to the creation. By “fulfilling” the commandments (Matt 5:17), Jesus become the perfect offering bringing salvation to all who believe.
The Law Teaches the Proper Response to the Grace of the Creator:
“The word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it,”
(Deut 30:14).
In addition to displaying the attributes of God, the Law teaches the proper and appropriate response of each person to the grace shown by the Creator. Obedience “to keep the commandments” enables the believer “to walk in His (the LORD’S) ways,” (Deut 30:15, 13:5). The principle of “walking in His ways” runs throughout scripture, as John wrote, “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked,” (1 John 2:4). The translated words “to walk” are derived from the Hebrew word “halakaha,” meaning “the way to go,” and is seen as the practical application of the commandments to an individual’s life.
Obedience to the commandments leads a believer to a greater understanding of scripture enabling a person to hear from the LORD. This understanding is derived, in part, from the response the people gave in the wilderness to the words of the LORD,
“All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" (Ex 24:7, NASB)
The word translated as “obedient” comes for the Hebrew word “shema.” Shema literally means “hear” and is more frequently translated as “hear” throughout the Hebrew text. The more accurate rendering of this passage would be “we will do, and we will hear.” Although this translation appears backwards to our reasoning and that of the NASB, the rabbis saw significance in this word order.
The rabbis believed that performing the commandments reviled the deeper truths that God was conveying to His creation and would lead to understanding and obedience.
“A man should always occupy himself with Torah and the commandments, even if not for their own sake, for even if he does them with an ulterior motive, he will eventually come to do them for their own sake.” (Babylonian Talmud)
For this reason, each king of Israel was required to write a copy of the Law so “that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statues,” (Deut 17:18-20). “Learn by doing” might be our present day vernacular. The rabbis understood that obedience developed the believer’s ability to hear the LORD, just as practice gives the believer the ability to “discern good and evil,” (Heb 5:14).
While most believers understand the legal implications of the Law, few appreciate that the “Law is spiritual,” (Rom 7:14), instructing the obedient man to “not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit,” (Rom 8:4). The Law was delivered through Moses “by the finger of God” (Deut 9:10), which is identified as the “the Spirit of God,” (Matt 12:28)(Luke 11:20). Therefore, walking in obedience to the commandments is seen in scripture as walking by the Spirit, (Rom 8:4)(Gal 5:16). The close relationship between the Law and the Spirit is reinforced by the fact that both were given by God on the same day of Pentecost (Shavuot in Hebrew).
Scripture tells us that the Law is capable of teaching man how to walk in the ways of the LORD, (Deut 28:9). The Law is capable of increasing the longevity of life (Deut 6:2), bringing prosperity (Deut 6:24), and making men “holy to…God,” (Num 15:40). The Law can instill “righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all…the LORD our God…has commanded us,” (Deut 6:25, ESV). The Law exists as the primary component of “All Scripture,” that is…
“God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16).
Paul called the Law, “a law of righteousness” (Rom 9:31), because there is “the righteousness…that comes from the Law,” (Phil 3:9). Personal righteousness came from “walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the LORD,” (Luke 1:6). “For it is not those who hear the Law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the Law who will be declared righteous,” (Rom 2:13, NIV). Zechariah and Elizabeth are given as New Testament examples of individuals who were declared “righteous” through personal obedience to the Law prior to the cross. Other examples include Mary, Joseph, and Simeon, who was “righteous and devout…and the Holy Spirit was upon him,” (Luke 2:25). Paul quoting the Hebrew text said this,
“Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the Law: ‘The man who does these things will live by them,’” (Rom 10:5)(Lev 18:5).
The phrase “live by them” is understood to mean that the Law is capable of giving eternal life, as it is written, “listen to the statues and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live,” (Deut 4:1). In the gospel of Luke, Jesus also relates eternal life to obedience of the commandments.
“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 26 ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’ 27 He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 28 ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’ (Luke 10:25-28)
“Do this and you will live,” is a quotation of the original passage from Moses (Lev 18:5), and a response to the question of the lawyer, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” The story in Luke frames the lawyer as a person who already possessed faith in God since his faith led him to seek out Jesus. Jesus then reinforced the principle of obedience to the commandments to make the man’s faith complete.
Jesus’ obedience to the commandments is seen by John as the standard to which believers are called to walk.
“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, " I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he bides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” (1 John 2:3-6)
Righteous Acts of the Law Preserve the World Until the Coming of the Messiah:
“Why the Law? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to who the promises had been made.” (Gal 3:19). According to Maimonides,
“The purpose of the laws of Torah…is to bring mercy, loving-kindness and peace upon the world” (Moses Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Sabbath 2:3)
From the beginning of creation, the LORD sought to dwell among His people. Before the fall, we are told that God was “walking in the garden in the cool of the day,” (Gen 3:8). After the fall, the sin of Adam created a barrier between God and His creation since God cannot dwell in the presence of sin. Although scripture provides examples of individuals who walked with God, such as Enoch (Gen 5:23), increasing sin in the world caused God to distance Himself from His creation. In the days immediately preceding the flood, “the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,” (Gen 6:5). At that time, only Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
By the tenth generation after creation, the world became exceedingly wicked. In addition to scripture telling us the world was wicked, the increasing age of the fathers at the birth of their righteous sons infers the progression of the world toward wickedness: Adam (130 year old when Seth born), Seth (105), Enosh (90), Kenan (70), Mahalalel (65), Jared (162), Enoch (65), Methuselah (187), Lamech (182), Noah
(500). If the LORD had not brought the flood, the descendants of Noah would not have lived long enough to have righteous sons and the world would have become completely wicked.
After the flood, we again see the progression toward wickedness repeated as the age of the fathers increased before the righteous son was born: Shem (100), Arphaxad (35), Shelah (30), Eber (34), Peleg (30), Reu (32), Serug (30), Nahor (29), Terah (70), Abram
(100).
If the LORD had not interceded in the days of Abraham after the flood, God would have been obligated to destroy the world because of its wickedness, just as He had destroyed the world in the days of Noah, and about every ten generations thereafter. The world would have been destroyed before “the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4), designated by God as the time when He would send His Messiah into the world.
The flood removed the wicked from the world, but it did not solve the “evil inclination,” frequently referred to in the New Testament as “the flesh” (Matt 14:38)(1 Pet 3:18), that remained in the hearts of Noah’s descendants. “The flesh” is seen in scripture as the corrupt component of mankind (Gal 6:8), that constantly “sets its desire against the Spirit,” (Gal 5:17). The Spirit is seen in scripture as the Godly component that gives life (John 6:63), and is capable of overcoming the flesh, (Gal 5:16)(Rom 8:13). Without the Spirit, the world would rapidly descend toward judgment, (2 Thes 2:5). The Spirit was integral in the creation process and remains essential to preserving the creation.
To preserve the world, it was necessary for God to elevate righteousness in the world to oppose the wickedness that resided in the hearts of men. The source of this righteousness came through the Law. Although given to the Jewish people through Moses at Mount Sinai, the Bible implies that Abraham received a form of the Torah from the LORD, as is written, “Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statues and My laws,” (Gen 26:4-5). The phrase “My commandments, My statues, and My laws” is synonymous with the totality of the Law. As we have read in the Torah Club,
“Traditional Jewish interpretation took this passage to mean that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob kept the whole Torah, despite the fact that the Torah had not yet been given.”
(Torah Club 5, page 164)
The Jewish sages identified three activities that preserve the world all originating from the Law.
“The world endures because of three activities: Torah study, worship of God, and deeds of loving-kindness.” (Ethics of the Fathers 1:2)
The study of the Law leads to the worship of the Creator and acts that mirror the character of the Creator, loving-kindness. As previously discussed, there is “the righteousness…that comes from the Law,” (Phil 3:9).
The Law was authored by the Spirit, fosters righteousness in the believer, and creates an environment for the Spirit to come upon individuals such as Moses and the seventy elders. The Spirit was subsequently passed on through the prophets and righteous individuals onward to the first century. The New Testament examples of Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna, Joseph, and Mary testify to this truth. Although not as widespread as is possible through the righteousness that comes from Jesus, the Spirit was active and essential in preserving the world prior to the cross.
So “Why the Law?” The Law was given to elevate the righteousness and holiness of the Hebrew people. Through the Law, the LORD made a distinction separating the Hebrew people from the other nations in the world.
“I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples. 25' You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean… 26'Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.” (Lev 20:24-26)
By separating the Hebrew people from the other nations, the LORD protected the nation from the unrighteous and idol worshiping practices of the pagan world. Not just the dietary laws, but the entire Law of Moses was essential in protecting and preserving the nation. Without the Law, the nation would have quickly assimilated into the world. The nation, which was essential to God’s plan for the coming of the Messiah, would have ceased to exist.
Through the Law, individuals within the nation of Israel could walk with the Spirit in ways pleasing to the LORD as “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” (Ex 19:9).
To the degree the nation was obedient to the Law and taught Gentiles in the ways of the LORD, the nation reflected the nature of the Creator and preserved the world until the appointed time when the Messiah was to come. Without the Law, the world would need to be judged and destroyed about every 10 generations before the coming of Jesus Christ to the earth.
The phrase “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22), has numerous connotations and reaches its greatest fulfillment in the appearing and offering of Jesus on the cross. The phrase can also be understood as the faithful obedience of the Hebrew nation to the commandments that enabled God to place His Spirit on individuals within the nation, (Num 11:17). The Spirit then opposed the deeds of the flesh (Gal 5:16-17), to preserve the world. It was the faithful walk of the Hebrew people demonstrating the word of the LORD that elevated and preserved the world for 1500 years from the time of Moses, “until the seed would come to who the promises had been made,” (Gal 3:19).
At the appointed time, Jesus came and walked in complete obedience to the commandments demonstrating a perfect understanding and application of the Law, (Matt 5:17-18). Through his obedience and suffering, Jesus “fulfilled all righteousness” (Matt 3:15), was “made perfect” (Heb 5:8-9), and “perfected for all time those who are sanctified,” (Heb 10:14). Believers have access to the Spirit not because of our obedience to the commandments, but “apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe,” (Rom 3:21-22). As it is written of Jesus atoning work, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” (2 Cor 5:21).
Does the righteousness that comes from Jesus and the giving of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost mean the Law no longer has value? On the contrary, receiving the Spirit does not remove the obligation of the believer to be obedient to the commandments of God. The Spirit is not given as a substitute for the commandments, but as a helper (John 14:16), to enable believers to walk in obedience to the commandments, as it is written,
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh,” (Gal 5:16). Ezekiel prophesized of the Spirit Who was to be poured out on mankind by saying,
“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances,” (Ezek 36:27)(Ezek 11:19-20).
Prior to the offering of Jesus, obedience to the commandments elevated the righteousness of an individual and the nation allowing the people to receive the Spirit. The Spirit in turn preserved the world until the coming of the Messiah. Although Jesus has come, the world must still be preserved until the return of Jesus. This is accomplished through Spirit filled believers "who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit,” (Rom 8:4).
(See you soon - Scott)
