Did Christ come to abolish or to destroy the law?
Answer
"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.
NOTES - The law; broadly, the writings of Moses; specifically, the Ten Commandments, or moral
law, from which the writings of Moses primarily derived their name. The prophets; that is, the writings of
the prophets. Neither of these Christ came to destroy, but rather to fulfil, or meet their design.
"The laws of the Jews are commonly divided into moral, ceremonial, and judicial. The moral laws
are such as grow out of the nature of things, which cannot, therefore, be changed---such as the duty of
loving God and His creatures. These cannot be abolished, as it can never be made right to hate God, or to
hate our fellow men. Of this kind are the Ten Commandments; and these our Savior neither abolished nor
superseded. The ceremonial laws are such as are appointed to meet certain states of society, or to regulate
the religious rites and ceremonies of a people. These can be changed when circumstances are changed, and
yet the moral law be untouched.' Dr. Albert Barnes, On Matt. 5: 18.
"Jesus did not come to change the law, but He came to explain it, and that very fact shows that it
remains; for there is no need to explain that which is abrogated. . . . By thus explaining the law He
confirmed it; He could not have meant to abolish it, or He would not have needed to expound it. . . . That
the Master did not come to alter the law is clear, because after having embodied it in His life, He willingly
gave Himself up to bear its penalty, though He had never broken it, bearing the penalty for us, even as it is
written, 'Christ bath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.' . . . If the law had
demanded more of us than it ought to have done, would the Lord Jesus have rendered to At the penalty
which resulted from its too severe demands? I am sure He would not. But because the law asked only what
it ought to ask, namely, perfect obedience and exacted of the transgressor only what it ought to exact,
namely, death as the penalty for sin-death under divine wrath therefore the Savior went to the tree, and
there bore our sins, and purged them once for all." --- 'The Perpetuity of the Law of God," by C. H.
Spurgeon, pages 4-7.
"The moral law contained in the Ten Commandments, and enforced by the prophets, He did not
take away. It was not the design of His coming to revoke any part of this. . . . Every part of this law must
remain in force upon all mankind and in all ages, as not depending either on time or place, or any other
circumstance liable to change, but on the nature of God, and the nature of man, and their unchangeable
relation to each other.' -- John Wesley, in his "Sermons," Vol. I, No. 25, pages 221,222.
What gave special force to the oath of an angel?
What shameful treatment did Christ receive from the soldiers?
How does he emphasize the reliability of prophecy?
What relation does the earthly sanctuary sustain to the heavenly?
What has God promised His children when passing through trials and afflictions?
What is to be the reward of those whose works are good?
Of what are the twelve gates composed?
Questions & Answers are from the book Bible Readings for the Home Circle