Can a christian theologist clarify this?

Question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApiqjPqnFAzaKd1QUbX.oBDsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071030114826AAmTXs8

I honestly didn't expect quite -this- much difference of opinion on such a relatively straight-forward question.

So, can some one break it down into simple terms for me? Is it generally beleived that Jesus said to obey the old laws, or did he say that they should be disregarded?

Answer 1

It's a matter of interpretation. Jesus effectively said both that he was ending the Law and fulfilling it. What he was ending was the literal, miniscule, technical observances typical of the Pharisaical interpretation of Torah. What we was fulfilling was the spirit of the Law, meaning an observance that goes to the purpose of the Law, not what the words literally say.

One might technically observe the finest points of the Law for an evil or self-serving purpose. Or one might technically break one of the laws of Torah for a good purpose. When he was condemned for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus used the example of an ox fallen into a pit on the Sabbath. If the ox will not survive until the Sabbath is over, the farmer will get the ox out regardless of the Law, unless he can afford to lose the ox. As Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." This was the opposite of the type of religiosity the Pharisees taught. So, depending on your viewpoint, Jesus was either attacking the Law or perfecting its observance.

Jesus said the whole of the Law was summed up in, "Love God completely, love your neighbor as yourself." This was the spirit and purpose of the Law for him: honoring God and doing good to the people you live with, loving both as fully as possible.

Answer 2

Oh goodness, that's a whopper of a question! I can see why you got so many diverse responses. This topic is controversial, and there are alot of different oppinions on it because there are different parts of the New Testament that, at least at first glance, appear to contradict each other on this subject. But, if you look at it closely, it all lines up rather nicely. I'm going to try to be thurough, so please bear with me.

Read Matthew 5:17-19. Here, Jesus is saying that all of the Old Testament laws and commandments must be kept. There is simply no other way to interpret it. However, we then find verses elsewhere that seem to contradict this. Examples include Matthew 15:11, 17 which seem to contradict OT dietary laws ; Matthew 12:1-13 which seems to contradict laws of the Sabbath ; many places in Paul's writings which state we are not under the law (ie: Galatians 5:18) ; Acts 15:23-29 where the Apostles instruct gentile believers that they do not need to keep all of the commandments ; and Hebrews 7:12 which states that there was a change in the law. How can these things be reconciled?

The first clue is in the above verse Hebrews 7:12, which states that there was a change in the law when Jesus Christ died, rose again, and entered heaven as our High Preist. This change does not mean that any point or portion of the law has passed away or should not be kept- rather it means that many points and portions were kept, and have been fulfilled by Jesus Christ. We still have to keep them, but we do so a little differently.

A few examples of this. The sacrifices of the Old Testament law are now kept through Christ's sacrifice, we have no need to slaughter animals anymore. The sacrifices didn't pass away, they were fulfilled once for all. We keep them when we accept Christ's sacrifice. The Sabbath will be fulfilled through the 1000 year reign of Christ (Hebrews 4:1-11 ; Colossians 2:16-17), so we keep the Sabbath now by surrendering our lives to the Lord so we may enter His Sabbath rest with Him when Jesus returns. Dietary laws and other ritual uncleanliness laws have also been fulfilled through Christ's sacrifice because He made the unclean clean (Acts 10:9-16). The cleanliness laws were created to put a barrier between God's chosen people and the unclean pagan and vulgar world, and as a symbolism for this in their own conduct. When Jesus died and rose again, and made a way for the unclean pagans to be cleansed of their sins, there was no more barrier. None of these laws passed away- rather they were ammended, and the circumstances that they affected changed.

Similarly, other commandments are now kept differently. Now that we have the Holy Spirit to teach us about God's kind of love, and to override our sinful nature, we can walk by the spirit of the law instead of the letter of the law. When asked what the greatest commandment in the law was, Jesus said “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-10) This means that the ENTIRE law can be summed up as "Love God with your all" and "Love others as much as you do yourself". By doing these two things, we keep the entire law, every commandment ever spoken in scripture (Romans 13:8-10 ; Galatians 5:14). Just walk through a few of the 10 commandments and see. If you love God, you won't go worshipping other gods or making idols. If you love others you won't murder them, steal from them, or testify falsly about them. If you love your parents you will honor them. If you love your spouse, you won't commit adultery.

If you want to get more into this, 2 books in the Bible specifically are essential reading: Romans and Hebrews. Galatians chapter 5 also has some important insight. I suggest that you keep in mind the things I've said here, and go study these books for yourself. They have certainly changed my way of thinking about the law.

If we are in Christ, we no longer live as slaves to a long list of rules. We live free, with God's Word and Spirit to teach us to walk in His love and holiness. If we do that, we will keep His commandments.

I really hope and pray this has helped. God bless!

Answer 3

The Old Covenant (or Testament) was between God and the Jews. The Old testament prophets spoke of a New Covenant that God would make not only with the Jews, but with all people. ( Jeremiah chptr. 33)

Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the coming Messiah ( Born in Bethleham, of a virgin, from the tribe of Judah, betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, executed as a criminal, rose from the dead). He also fulfilled the law by living a sinless life. He then fulfilled the penalty of the law ( death) on our behalf.

Now that all that is accomplished, the New Covenant is in place. The Church is the body of believers ( both Jew and Gentile) who are born again spiritually through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Under this New Covenant, there are some commands from the Old Testament that are repeated to the Church, either by Christ Himself or by the Apostles who act in His authority.

Lying, theft, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, greed, idolatry, blasphemy, murder, dis-honoring parents are all condemned in the New Testament.

Sabbath keeping is left as a matter of conscience (col. 2 :16)

The only dietary laws to the Church are not to drink blood, eat meat killed by strangulation or sacrificed to idols.

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

We must understand that at this time, the Pharisees and Saducees had, over time, added laws upon laws, rules upon rules. They made outward actions or outward things equal to holiness and keeping the law. Jesus would have none of that. He Himself broke the Sabbath laws they had constructed. When asked what the greatest commandments were, Jesus answered:

Mat 22:36 Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?
Mat 22:37 And Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Deut. 6:5)
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Lev. 19:18)
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments all the Law and the Prophets hang.

The whole of the law, the law handed down to Moses, can be encompassed by these two commandments. The law was never meant to save or bring redemption, it could only point out sin, and convict. The whole sacrificial system pointed to Christ and His final, complete sacrifice. So, in essence, His commandments exceed the old law and transcend past His death and resurrection, love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself, and dump the extra "stuff" added by the Pharisees.

Answer 5

Jesus didn't say either of the things you said exactly.

Matthew 5:17
[ The Fulfillment of the Law ] "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:18
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.


I'm not sure what exactly "the law" is - it's not easy to pick that out from the Bible.

Answer 6

Following the invitation to come to the higher laws and covenants of the gospel, the Savior stated: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17). To understand this statement, four things must be understood:

* The phrase “the law, or the prophets” means the Old Testament.[xv]
* The Greek word translated “fulfill” means to bring to a completion.[xvi]
* The law of Moses was given with the intent of bringing Israel to Christ and the higher law, a law that they were not ready to understand at the time of Moses
* The prophets of the Old Testament prophesied of the coming of Jesus Christ.
* Therefore, Christ had come to fulfil the intent of the Law of Moses and the prophecies of the prophets.

With this in mind, the Savior taught that the disciples’ righteousness must “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees” (Matt. 5:20). The Greek word translated “righteousness,” is a legal term meaning ‘observance of the law’ or ‘right conduct.’ The Savior would have used the term differently from the scribes and Pharisees. They would have used the term to mean strict legal correctness or “the letter of the law.” What motivated them to observe a strict observance of the law is hard to. But an examination of the four gospels would suggest that their motivation was not their love of fellowman.[xvii]

But “righteousness” as employed by the Savior meant to honor the intent and goal of the law. Paul tells us that the goal of keeping every commandment should be love (see 1 Tim. 1:5). Therefore, the motivation for keeping every commandment should be love ― love of God and fellowman, the first two great commandments. In so doing, by keeping the commandments, one is developing “the pure love of Christ” and therefore becoming even as God is.

Therefore, the Savior commanded his disciples, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

. When comparing one’s personal performance with the supreme standard of the Lord’s expectation, the reality of imperfection can at times be depressing.” But he added, “The moment [the Savior] uttered the words ‘even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,’ he raised our sights beyond the bounds of mortality. Our Heavenly Father has eternal perfection. This very fact merits a much broader perspective.”[xxxix]

This is implied in the Greek word teleios, translated perfect in Matthew 5:48. Teleios means "complete," "brought to an end," "finished," "full grown," or "mature." The Savior’s command to become perfect means that each commandment or law should be brought to full maturity in ourselves

Answer 7

Jesus said that He did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it... I think. In some places, it seems as if Jesus and the Old Testament are in contrast, but for example Solomon said "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to kill and a time to heal... a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace., while Jesus said "Turn the other cheek" and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Now while skeptics say they are pointing in opposite directions, Jesus was talking about it on a personal level while Solomon was talking about it on a level that involves the world.

Answer 8

under the "New Covenant" the whole of the law..and the prophets were summed up in these two things that Jesus spoke...to Love the Lord you God with all your heart, mind and soul and strength, and your neighbor as yourself...with this in mind, as a born again christian...you follow to know what these mean, then you will do well...(matt;5,6,7) then, add the epistles of Paul, and the rest of the apostles of Jesus we have record of....you will do even better..... "Peace!" :)

Answer 9

To obey the laws of his father. The Christians came up with a bunch of stories to justify their religion. Look no further than King James and all the foolishness added and removed from the Bible by his command.

All the religions are a compilation of one liners and nonsense used to control the Bird-Brained.

Answer 10

Jesus was very clear about this. He said He did not come to abolish the law (but to fulfill it). Mostly, He enables us to understand the true spirit and meaning of the law...