Law of Moses
1n 1993, several articles were published on
Eschatology – When Was the Law of Moses
Fulfilled?, and were designed to clarify issues
related to that question.
Today, it yet remains a problem that many
are challenged by what the Scriptures teach
on this subject.
For this reason, we have decided to revise
and present more information on those
articles to assist others who may not have access to that material. We
continue to receive requests and have long delayed making it available until now.
What Is The Law of Moses?
A good starting point will be the defining of our subject. By the Law or Torah as it is called, we refer, not merely to the 10 commandments. Some think the Torah only consisted of ten laws, but rather there were 613 commandments in the law.
However, the laws did not make up the totality of the law. For this reason, we wanted to introduce a few more facts about the law of Moses related to how the Lord and the Apostles viewed it.
Unity of the Law
The Old Covenant, though conveniently referred to as the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets, are not separate, but are one indivisible whole. For this reason, the Lord spoke for fulfilling all things written in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets concerning him, (Luke 24:44–47)
Abolish the Law?
Another challenge faced when considering the law is the meaning of abolish or destroy (from kataluo). This word means to nullify, to dissolve; destroy, overthrow and abrogate.
Christ did not come to nullify the law, or to overthrow it. The Jews held this view of his mission. Christ came to express how the new covenant fulfilled and superseded the shadow by realizing all its goals and purposes.
Fulfillment of prophecy and obedience to its commands does not break or abrogate the law, it establishes it in the way that is impossible for either delay, non-fulfillment or destruction could ever do. More on this in part two.
Civil and Religious
Another key point is the civil and religious nature of the law. The challenge of when the law is fulfilled befuddles some to the degree they must find a remedy by using “ghinzu knife” theology.
In other words, they want to cut the law into pieces, severing the religious and ceremonial from the civil state. This allows them to argue, erroneously that the religious state ends with Christ’s suffering on the cross, while the civil state continues till 70 A.D.
Some go even further to say it’s prophecies continue until the end of time. This all results from Christ’s words, primarily in the Sermon on the Mount.
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, til heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (Matt. 5:17,18).
Thus, in Christ’s words, non passes till all passes, not even the smallest jot or title.
When Was the Law of Moses Fulfilled?, Part 2.
In our next study, we include more facts of the law of Moses relatively to its composite versus segmented character. We also make very clear what the apostles intended and how they understood the question of what is the law of Moses?”
In future lessons, we examine the role of the law of Moses and the Christian. By this we mean the alleged dilemma of having two laws, that of Moses and Christ in effect at the same time.
Download Eschatology Chart? When Was The Law of Moses Fulfilled?
File Attachment: LawofMoses.pdf (85 KB)
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6