Is there a law in the new covenant?
Is there a law in the new covenant?
There is a law in the new covenant. It is the law of Christ:
Paul wrote of "not being myself under (the) Law" (1 Corinthians 9:20) that has to do with "the Jews" (1 Corinthians 9:20). Yet Paul said that he was "not being without(-the)-Law (of) God, but within(-the)-law (of) Christ" (1 Corinthians 9:21) in the new covenant. Paul mentioned this law again to the Galatians when writing about "the law (of) Christ" (Galatians 6:2).
There are commandments in a law. Christ gave commandments:
There are commandments in a law, as it is for example written about a "commandment in the Law" (Matthew 22:36).
Christ gave commandments, as for example He said: "I-am-giving you (a) new commandment — that you may-be-loving one-another; just-as I-loved you, that you also may-be-loving one-another" (John 13:34).
Christ gave commandments in a similar manner as Moses did:
In Exodus 19, Moses gave commandments, after going up a mountain.
In Matthew 5, Christ gave commandments in a similar manner as Moses did, after going up a mountain.
It is written about Moses that "the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up" (Exodus 19:20). Moses then gave commandments.
It is written about Christ that "He-went-up on the mountain" (Matthew 5:1). Christ then gave commandments, saying: "whoever breaks one (of) the least (of) these commandments and in-this-manner teaches people, he-will-be-called least in the kingdom (of) the heavens" (Matthew 5:17).
In Exodus 20, Moses gave commandments.
In Matthew 5, Christ gave commandments in parallel to commandments that Moses gave in Exodus 20.
Moses said: "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13).
Christ said: "You-heard that it-was-said (to) the ancient (ones), ‘You-shall not murder’" (Matthew 5:21), "BUT I say (to) you that everyone being-angry (with) his brother shall-be liable (to) judgment" (Matthew 5:22).
Moses said: "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14).
Christ said: "“You-heard that it-was-said, ‘You-shall not commit-adultery’. BUT I say (to) you that everyone looking(-at a) woman so-as to-desire her already committed-adultery (with) her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).
Christ gave blessings (and non blessings) in a similar manner as Moses did:
In Deuteronomy 11, Moses gave blessings (and non blessings).
In Matthew 5, Christ gave blessings (and non blessings) in a similar manner as Moses did.
In Deuteronomy 11, it is written: "Behold, I set before you this day a BLESSING and a CURSE: the BLESSING, if you listen to the COMMANDMENTS of the LORD your God, which I command you this day; and the CURSE, if you do not listen to the COMMANDMENTS of the LORD your God, as many as I command you this day" (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).
In Matthew 5, it is written that Christ said: "having-opened His mouth HE-WAS-TEACHING them, saying: “BLESSED (are) the poor (in) spirit, because the kingdom (of) the heavens is theirs. BLESSED (are) the (ones) mourning, because they will-be-comforted. BLESSED (are) the gentle (ones), because they will-inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:3-5).
In a similar passage in Luke, Jesus added: "BLESSED (are) the (ones) hungering now, because you-will-be-filled-to-satisfaction. BLESSED (are) the (ones) weeping now, because you-will-laugh" (Luke 6:21), "BUT WOE (to) you rich (ones), because you-are-receiving-in-full your comfort. WOE (to) you, the (ones) having-been-filled now, because you-will-hunger. WOE, the (ones) laughing now, because you-will-mourn and weep. Woe — when all people speak well (of) you" (Luke 6:24-26).
Jesus then added in Matthew 5: "Therefore, whoever breaks one (of) the least (of) these COMMANDMENTS and in-this-manner TEACHES people — he-will-be-called least in the kingdom (of) the heavens. But whoever does and TEACHES (them) — this (one) will-be-called great in the kingdom (of) the heavens" (Matthew 5:19).
In Matthew 25, Jesus is said to judge at some point some as "the (ones) HAVING-BEEN-BLESSED (of) My Father, inherit the kingdom" (Matthew 25:34) and others as "the (ones) HAVING-BEEN-CURSED, into the eternal fire" (Matthew 25:41).
Christ is the mediator of the new covenant:
Moses was the mediator of the old covenant.
Christ is the mediator of the new covenant.
After giving commandments in Exodus 20, Moses then referred to "BEHOLD the BLOOD (of) the COVENANT which God commanded to you" (Exodus 24:8). The old covenant was announced in the blood.
After giving commandments in Matthew 5, Christ then referred to "THIS cup (is) THE NEW COVENANT in My BLOOD — the (blood) BEING-POURED-OUT FOR YOU" (Luke 22:20). The new covenant was announced in Christ's blood.
Peter, who was present when Christ spoke these words, wrote later to his audience: "YOU-WERE-REDEEMED from your futile way-of-life handed-down-from-your-fathers not (with) corruptible (things), silver or gold, but (with the) precious BLOOD (of) CHRIST" (1 Peter 1:18-19). People were now being redeemed with the blood of Christ (in which is the new covenant). They were in the new covenant which is in the blood of Christ.
One can be put to death with reference to the law (linked to Moses) to come to a different One:
Paul wrote that Christ came under the law (given through Moses): "God sent-forth His SON, having-come from (a) woman, HAVING-COME UNDER (the) LAW" (Galatians 4:4). For someone to come UNDER the law would mean that the law would lord-OVER that one. When the law lords-OVER a person, that person has to keep it.
Paul wrote that the law (given through Moses) only lords OVER someone until that one dies: "THE LAW lords-OVER the person FOR AS-MUCH TIME AS HE-LIVES" (Romans 7:1).
Christ came "UNDER (the) LAW" (Galatians 4:4), so the LAW did lord-OVER Him as long as He lived, so as to keep it, which He did. Christ then later DIED on the cross. As a result, the LAW could not lord-OVER him anymore, for "THE LAW lords-OVER the person FOR AS-MUCH TIME AS HE-LIVES" (Romans 7:1).
When Christ DIED, the law of Moses (which was linked to THE OLD COVENANT) did not lord-OVER Him anymore, for "THE LAW lords-OVER the person FOR AS-MUCH TIME AS HE-LIVES" (Romans 7:1). When He was dying, Christ poured out His blood in which is THE NEW COVENANT, as He said about "THE NEW COVENANT in My BLOOD — the (blood) BEING-POURED-OUT FOR YOU" (Luke 22:20). Christ thus passed from the old covenant (linked to Moses), to the new covenant, by His death. And He passed from being under the law (linked to Moses), to not having the law lord-over Him anymore, by His death.
Paul wrote that believers "DIED WITH Christ" (Romans 6:8), and so could come to a different One, Who is Christ, as it is written: "WE-WERE-BURIED-WITH Him through baptism INTO DEATH" (Romans 6:4) and so "YOU also WERE-PUT-TO-DEATH (with reference to) THE LAW THROUGH THE BODY (of) CHRIST so-that YOU (might) COME (to a) DIFFERENT (One) — (to) the (One) having-arisen from (the) dead" (Romans 7:4).
Because the law lords-OVER someone only "FOR AS-MUCH TIME AS HE-LIVES" (Romans 7:1), after that one "DIED with Christ" (Romans 6:8), one can be found to not have the law (linked to Moses) lord over them anymore.
Paul was not under the law of Moses anymore:
Paul wrote of "not being myself UNDER (THE) LAW" (1 Corinthians 9:20) that had to do with "THE JEWS" (1 Corinthians 9:20).
Here "(THE) LAW" (1 Corinthians 9:20) that has to do with "THE JEWS" (1 Corinthians 9:20) would be THE LAW OF MOSES, as Jesus Himself said to "THE JEWS" (John 7:15): "Has not MOSES given YOU THE LAW?" (John 7:19) and mentioned then specifically "THE LAW OF MOSES" (John 7:23).
Paul was not "UNDER (THE) LAW" (1 Corinthians 9:20) of Moses anymore.
Paul was "as" under the law of Moses to gain the Jews to Christ:
Paul wrote "(while) being free from all (people), I-enslaved myself (to) all in-order-that I-might-gain the more. Indeed I-BECAME (to) the Jews AS (A) JEW, IN-ORDER-THAT I-MIGHT-GAIN JEWS; (to) the (ones) under (the) Law, AS UNDER (THE) LAW, NOT BEING MYSELF UNDER (THE) LAW, IN-ORDER-THAT I-MIGHT-GAIN THE (ONES) UNDER (THE) LAW" (1 Corinthians 9:19-20).
For example, in Acts 16 it is written: "(a) certain disciple was there, TIMOTHY (by) name, (the) son (of a) believing Jewish woman, but (of a) Greek father, who was-being-attested by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium. PAUL wanted this (one) to-go-forth with him. And having-taken (him), HE-CIRCUMCISED HIM BECAUSE-OF THE JEWS BEING IN THOSE PLACES, for they all knew that his father was (a) GREEK" (Acts 16:1-3). Here PAUL CIRCUMCISED (in the flesh) TIMOTHY.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7 that: "Has anyone been-called in uncircumcision? LET-HIM NOT BE-CIRCUMCISED. CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING and uncircumcision is nothing" (1 Corinthians 7:18-19).
Paul indicated that being CIRCUMCISED (in the flesh) was "NOTHING" (1 Corinthians 7:19), but in order to gain "THE JEWS BEING IN THOSE PLACES" (Acts 16:3), PAUL made TIMOTHY to become "AS (A) JEW" (1 Corinthians 9:20), "for they all knew that his father was (a) GREEK" (Acts 16:3), and to be "AS UNDER (THE) LAW" (1 Corinthians 9:20) as "HE-CIRCUMCISED HIM" (Acts 16:3).
Paul was not without a law of God:
Paul said that he was "not being without(-the)-Law (of) God, but within(-the)-law (of) Christ" (1 Corinthians 9:21) in the new covenant.
Paul was keeping the commandements of the law of God given through Christ:
Paul now would keep the commandments given by God through Christ (not through Moses) in the new covenant.
For example circumcision was a commandment found in the law of Moses in the old covenant, as it is written: "THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES, SAYING, “SPEAK TO THE SONS OF ISRAEL, AND YOU WILL SAY TO THEM: ‘Whatever woman shall conceive and give birth to a male (child) will be unclean seven days, she will be unclean according to the days of separation for her menstruation. And on the eighth day she WILL CIRCUMCISE THE FLESH OF HIS FORESKIN" (Leviticus 12:1-3).
Christ confirmed that not doing circumcision would break the law of Moses as He said to "THE JEWS" (John 7:15): "Has not MOSES given YOU THE LAW?" (John 7:19) and mentioned that "(a) man receives CIRCUMCISION on (a) Sabbath IN-ORDER-THAT THE LAW (OF) MOSES MAY NOT BE-BROKEN" (John 7:23).
Yet Paul wrote about circumcision in the new covenant, saying: "Has anyone been-called in uncircumcision? Let-him NOT BE-CIRCUMCIED. CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING and uncircumcision is nothing, BUT keeping (the) commandments (of) GOD" (1 Corinthians 7:18-19).
Here someone not getting circumcised would still be "keeping (the) commandments (of) GOD" (1 Corinthians 7:19) as to get circumcised was not a commandment given in the law of God given through Christ for the new covenant.
Christ came to fulfill the law of Moses:
Jesus said in Matthew 5: "DO NOT THINK THAT I-CAME TO-ABOLISH THE LAW or the prophets. I-did-come not to-abolish, but TO-FULFILL" (Matthew 5:17)
To fulfill can mean: to fill to the full.
For example, the law of Moses commanded: "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13).
Christ filled this law to its fullest intent, by saying: "You-heard that it-was-said (to) the ancient (ones), ‘You-shall not murder’" (Matthew 5:21), "BUT I say (to) you that everyone BEING-ANGRY (with) his brother shall-be liable (to) judgment" (Matthew 5:22).
Another example, the law of Moses commanded: "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14).
Christ filled this law to its fullest intent, by saying: "“You-heard that it-was-said, ‘You-shall not commit-adultery’. BUT I say (to) you that everyone LOOKING(-AT A) WOMAN SO-AS TO-DESIRE HER already committed-adultery (with) her IN HIS HEART" (Matthew 5:27-28).
The law of Christ can be understood in light of the Law of Moses and the prophets:
The law of Moses and the prophets can be used to better understand the content of what Christ commanded.
For example, Christ commanded: "Be compassionate, JUST-AS YOUR FATHER ALSO IS COMPASSIONATE [oiktirmón 3629 in Greek]" (Luke 6:36).
It is written in the law of Moses about "THE LORD GOD, COMPASSIONATE [oiktirmón 3629 in Greek] and merciful" (Exodus 34:6 (LXX)). Examples can be found in the law and the prophets where the LORD God was compassionate, so as to better understand what Christ was referring to.
The laws of the LORD are on the hearts of people in the new covenant:
It is written about the new covenant: "This (is) the covenant which I-will-covenant with them after those days, says (THE) LORD: Giving MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEARTS" (Hebrews 10:16).
The new covenant has the LORD's LAWS upon people's hearts.
Under the old covenant, THE LAWS OF THE LORD were given through Moses. This is what we can call "the law (of) Moses" (1 Corinthians 9:9).
Under the new covenant, THE LAWS OF THE LORD were given through Christ. This is what we can call "(the)-law (of) Christ" (1 Corinthians 9:21).
THE LAWS OF THE LORD were given by Christ under the new covenant "UPON THEIR HEARTS" (Hebrews 10:16), in contrast to THE LAWS OF THE LORD given by Moses under the old covenant upon tablets of stones.
For example, it was given by Moses upon tablets of stones: "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14).
But Christ said: "“You-heard that it-was-said, ‘You-shall not commit-adultery’. BUT I say (to) you that everyone looking(-at a) woman so-as to-desire her already committed-adultery (with) her IN HIS HEART" (Matthew 5:27-28).
THE LAWS OF THE LORD given by Moses were given "on tablets made-of-stone" (2 Corinthians 3:3), fit for "the stony heart" (Ezekiel 36:26) of the people, because of their "hardness-of-heart" (Mark 10:5) under "Moses" (Mark 10:4).
THE LAWS OF THE LORD given by Christ were given "on tablets (which are) HEARTS made-of-flesh" (2 Corinthians 3:3), fit for a "new heart" (Ezekiel 36:26) being a "heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26).
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