Are we under the Law of Moses? What did Jesus mean? I did not come to abolish?

In 2 Cor. 3 Paul taught we are not under the Law of Moses, and specifically not under the Ten Commandments. People struggle with this because they want to hold on to the morality of the Ten Commandments. However, the Ten Commandments are simply part of one of several law codes God has given in history. The majority of the Ten Commandments are moral laws and the moral law of God is always in effect whether or not a specific law code is in effect, such as the Law of the Garden, the Law of Noah, the Law of Moses, the Law of Christ or the Law of the Kingdom. Some moral laws are incorporated in all of these law codes. Thus, we are not under the Ten Commandments in the Law of Moses, but we are under nine of the Ten Commandments that are repeated in the Law of Christ. Paul stated clearly in 1 Cor. 9:20-21 that he was not under the Law of Moses but under the Law of Christ, “not being myself under the Law…but under the Law of Christ.” In this context someone asked, 

However, if we are not under the Law of Moses, then what did Jesus mean when He said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matt. 5:17-18)?

First of all, the phrase “the Law or the Prophets” refers to the entire Old Testament (OT), but here we will focus on “the Law.” Jesus’s statement, “Do not think that I came to abolish…” is meant to protect against the possible objection that Jesus’s interpretations of the Law of Moses effectively abolished the meaning since it did not agree with the Pharisaic interpretation. The word “abolish” is from kataluo and means “to dismantle so as to tear down.” It was actually the Pharisaic interpretations of the Law that had dismantled the true intent of the Law, and what Jesus had come to do was establish the Law! The meaning of the word translated “fulfill” can be “establish,” and that is the meaning here. Jesus proceeded to establish the true meaning of the Law by a series of contrasts, “you have heard it said….but I say to you” (5:21-22ff). He was explaining the true meaning of the Law of Moses and thereby establishing it. 

Ephesians 2:14-15 explains that when Jesus died on the cross He “abolished the law of commandments”. The word “abolished” here is from the word katargeo and means “to render inoperative.” Paul means the law of Moses is no longer the rule of life for believers. This was essential to getting Jewish and Gentile believers unified in the body of Christ. The Law of Moses had been a barrier for centuries dividing Jews and Gentiles. Now that Christ removed the barrier the two groups could become one new man. Four Gentile concessions were decided upon at the Council of Jerusalem to help early Jewish believers adjust to the solidarity they had with Gentile believers in Christ (Acts 15:19-21, 29; 21:25). 

Romans 10:4 explains that the Law of Moses is only rendered inoperative for believers, “For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” As far as unbelieving Jews, they are still under the blessings and cursings outlined in the Law (Lev. 26:1-46). The problem for Jews is that the temple was destroyed in AD70 and so only 50-70 of the commandments can be kept today. This means that they cannot keep most of the Law and be blessed (Lev. 26:1-14), and so they are under the cursings (Lev.26:14-39). Church history describes the cursings Jews have been under as described in Leviticus 26:34-39 and include such things as the Holocaust. 

The Law of Moses remains in force in this one respect, and in this way, as Jesus said in Matthew 5:18, “until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” But that obviously does not mean the Law of Moses is the rule of life for believers today. The rule of life for believers today is the Law of Christ and this is also described as the law of liberty (2 Cor. 3:17; Js. 1:25; 2:12) and the law of the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2). When we walk by the Spirit we fulfill this law (Gal. 5:16; 6:2).

Grace to you,
Jeremy