[This is Part 8 of the series Did Jesus Christ Abolish the Law?]
KJV used throughout, unless otherwise stated.
“Sacrificial Lamb”Is this a valid point? Or is it just another alibi for rejecting the entire law of God?
Let’s face it, somehow we know that there are certain things in the “law of Moses” that can’t be observed today – such as the stoning of criminals. On the other hand we know that killing our fellow is still wrong today.
But how can we be sure? Is it by finding out if an Old Testament command is repeated or not in the New Testament, as most Bible teachers today say we should?
If we follow that line of reasoning, then how do we know if it is still wrong or bad:
- to “take God’s name in vain”
- to marry our own sister (or brother)
- to eat cockroach
Or is it now okay for us to do any of these Old Testament prohibitions since they cannot be found in the New Testament?
Fortunately for us, we don’t need to rely on some kind of guesswork. The apostle Paul had left us with ample explanation of the transition from the “old” to the “new” – and its attendant “changes”. Paul’s discussion of the old and new may actually surprise you!
What I am talking about is thoroughly discussed in Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews – his only epistle to the Jews. While its authorship is debated by some, there are ample reason to ascribe it to Paul, who understandably had “security” reason not to affix his name to it. But that is beyond the scope of this post.
Anyway, in the epistle to the Hebrews Paul described Jesus Christ’s various roles and offices. In chapter 1, Jesus is described as a [latter day] Spokesman or Prophet of God [v.2] , Son of God [v.5], firstborn [v.6] as well as God [v.8].
Chapter 2 further describes the full implication of Jesus being our firstborn brother – that is, that His transformation from flesh-and-blood being to an immortal, fully-glorified state is prototypical of what God had long planned to accomplish also in us humans [v.1-10]! It also explains that Christ’s experience as a man enabled Him to have an actual taste of the kind of problems and tests that we humans suffer daily. Paul explains:
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Notice the office of “High Priest” attributed by Paul to Christ [also mentioned in Heb.4:14-16]. This is the office of Christ that we would like to focus on in connection with the objective of this post.
Christ – Our Permanent High Priest
Paul begins his more in-depth discussion of the subject of priesthood in Hebrews 5.
1 Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.
Heb 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec
Notice v.6 where Jesus is referred to as “a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec”. To emphasize its importance in what he was driving at, Paul actually repeated it six times [Heb.5:6,10,6:20,7:11,17 and 21]
The next verse shows why Paul felt it necessary to belabor his point:
In Hebrews 7 Paul continued his discourse on priesthood:
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
What law was Paul talking about here?
Clearly not the Ten Commandments, because verse 11 says this “law” was received under the Levitical Priesthood. The Levitical priesthod itself was created or inaugurated long after the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai [Ex.40:12-17]!! And Moses who alone received the tables containing the Ten Commandments was never part of the Levitical [or more properly, Aaronic] priesthood!
Did you catch that?!!
I hope that that makes abundantly clear the delineation between the Ten Commandments and the law governing the Levitical Priesthood and rituals which most Bible teachers insist on lumping together.
Now, the word “changed” in verse 12 comes from the Greek word that means “transferred”. In other words the priesthood function was transferred to Christ – who is of the tribe of Judah [not Levi!]. And the law that was “changed” is the law given under the Levitical priesthood – not the Ten Commandments!
It tends to be repetitive here because as in the days of Paul, people today had become “dull of hearing”!
Now in verse 16-19 Paul continues contrasting Christ’s priesthood against the Aaronic priesthood which was created “after the law of carnal [animal, fleshly] commandment” [v.16]. The same “commandment” would be “disannuled” for its “weakness and unprofitableness”. Again, on pain of being repetitive, this “carnal commandment” [singular] cannot refer to the ten commandments which Paul himself describes as spiritual law – “…holy, and just, and good [of benefit, beneficial]” [Rom.7:12,14; compare v.7].
Now continuing on to Chapter 8:
Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
Heb 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Now, I’d like you to focus on the very next verse:
Or as NIV more clearly puts it:
There it is! Paul is talking of symbolism that God used in connection with the Levitical priesthood. The sanctuary where the priests performed their priestly services is but a representation of what is actually in heaven. In Hebrews 9:1-7 Paul gives pertinent details of this sanctuary and the symbolism involved in the priestly service.
Now notice the following verses:
Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
In other words, while the symbolic sanctuary stands, priestly services would continue the rituals that involved offering of “gifts and sacrifices”, “meats and drinks”, “divers washings” and “carnal ordinances” [v.10] – meaning, only the Levitical high priest would have access to the real Holy Place – yet.
Of course, we now know that a series of events had occurred that signaled – and left no doubt – that this symbolism had ended -– namely the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ to heaven and finally the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
Conclusion
So to sum it up, which Old Testament laws do not apply to us today?
Simply the “gifts and sacrifices”, “meat [food] and drink” offerings , [ritualistic] washings, “carnal ordinances” [rites and ceremonies pertaining to the body – Clarke] and of course the whole old priesthood system.
Animal sacrifice is not what God wants in the first place [Heb.10:6]. And it was not intended to clean our sins [v. 1, 4]. Rather these offerings served as yearly reminder of our sins [v.3]. They are but symbols that presaged the redemptive work of Christ [v.12-14]. With the coming of Christ – especially His death, burial and resurrection those symbols has become unnecessary and therefore the entire law or commandment that governed the Levitical priesthood itself has become irrelevant to us today!
Now, after all that is said about the law regarding the old symbolisms, Paul wrote:
This shows beyond any doubt that God’s spiritual law is distinct and different from the temporary ritualistic laws of the Levitical priesthood! And this spirtual law remains in force today – and as Christ says in Mat. 5, not one iota or stroke shall pass from that law “till heaven and earth pass“!
This law – the Ten Commandments [all ten], at least – has to be kept today!
[Read Rev.22:14!]
You’ll also notice that nothing was said about any change on the law about “clean and unclean” animals and a number of other laws. This will be discussed in a future post.
God smiles to see this blog. This is great! Keep preaching. I am glad found it in MyBlogLog.
God bless you!
[...] contained in the law given to Moses under the Levitical priesthood [see the previous post titled "Which Old Testament Laws Should We Keep Today"]. These curses are found in Deuteronomy 27. Curse is pronounced for every infraction against the [...]