Repudiating, Replacing, and Reappropriating Mosaic Instruction for New Covenant Saints
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Jason S. DeRouchie, PhD
Research Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
www.jasonderouchie.com
ITS Symposium, January 6, 2020
Repudiating, Replacing, and Reappropriating
Mosaic Instruction for New Covenant Saints
1
“‘To run and work the law commands,
Yet gives me neither feet nor hands;
But better news the gospel brings:
It bids me fly and gives us wings.”
––J. Berridge
2
Some contemporary challenges
Legalism
Anti-Nomianism
Anti-Old Testament
Our goals
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The Mosaic law bore a ministry of death.
Rom 7:10
. The very commandment that promised life proved to
be death to me.
2 Cor 3:7–9
. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on
stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at
Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an
end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For
if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry
of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.
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The age of the Mosaic law was not characterized by faith.
Gal 3:12
. But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does
them shall live by them.”
The Mosaic law multiplied transgression, exposed sin, and
brought wrath.
Rom 5:20
. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but
where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. (Cf. Gal 3:19)_
Rom 3:20
. For by works of the law no human being will be
justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of
sin.
Rom 4:15
. The law brings wrath, but where there is no law there
is no transgression.
Because all are sinners, no one is justified by doing the
Mosaic law.
Rom 3:28
. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from
works of the law.
Gal 3:10
. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse.
Jas 2:10
. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point
has become guilty of all of it.
Christians are free from the death-bringing Mosaic law.
Rom 6:14
. Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not
under law but under grace.
Rom 7:6
. But now we are released from the law, having died to
that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of
the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Gal 3:23–26
. Now before faith came, we were held captive under
the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So
then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that
we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we
are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all
sons of God, through faith.
3
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Christians are directly bound not by the law of Moses but
by the law of Christ––the law of love.
1 Cor 9:20–21
. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win
Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law
(though not being myself under the law) that I might win those
under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside
the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of
Christ) that I might win those outside the law.
Gal 6:2
. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ.
Jas 1:25; 2:8, 12
. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the
law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a
doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing….. If you really
fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love
your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well…. So speak and so
act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
Today, the direct authority for guiding Christians is not
Moses’s instructions but Christ’s words through his
apostles and not Moses’s.
Deut 18:15–16
. The LORD your God will raise up for you a
prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to
him you shall listen—just as you desired of the LORD your God at
Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let me not
hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire
any more, lest I die.”
Matt 17:5
. This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased;
listen to him!
Matt 28:19–20
. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, …
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
John 16:12–14
. I still have many things to say to you, but you
cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will
guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own
authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will
declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for
he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Acts 2:42
. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’
teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the
prayers. (Cf. Eph 2:20)
NT authors do not hesitate to reappropriate OT laws.
Paul says that
all
the Mosaic commandments are
summarized in the call to love one’s neighbor (Rom 13:9).
o
Rom 13:9
. For the commandments, “You shall not commit
adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not
covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this
word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Paul uses Moses to stress that a workman is worthy of pay (1
Cor 9:7–9; 1 Tim 5:18; cf. Deut 25:4).
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.
Paul charges children to heed one of the Ten Words that
contains a promise of life (Eph 6:1–3; cf. Exod 20:12).
Peter urges Christians to pursue holiness because an old
covenant charge in part of Christian Scripture.
o
1 Pet 1:15–16
. But as he who called you is holy, you also be
holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy,
for I am holy.” (Cf. Lev 11:44; 20:26)
Fulfilling OT predictions, when Gentile Christians
without the Mosaic law actually “do/keep” the law,
they identify that Christ has transformed them.
Rom 2:14–15, 26–29
.
For when Gentiles, who do not have the
law by nature,
do
what the law requires, they are a law to
themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show
that
the work of the law is written on their hearts
…. So, if a man
who is uncircumcised
keeps
the precepts of the law
, will not his
uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is
physically uncircumcised but
keeps
the law will condemn you
who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.
For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is
circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly,
and
circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit
, not by the
letter. (Cf. Deut 30:6; Jer 31:33; Ezek 36:27)
NT authors believed all the OT is profitable for
Christians and can instruct and guide them.
Rom 15:4
. For whatever was written in former days was
written for our instruction, that through endurance and
through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have
hope.
2 Tim 3:16
. All Scripture is breathed out by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for
training in righteousness.
Fulfilling Moses’s own prediction, Jesus stressed the
lasting validity of Mosaic instruction for new covenant
saints when read in light of how he fulfills the law.
Deut 30:6, 8
. And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart
and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD
your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may
live….. And you shall return and listen to the voice of the LORD
and keep all his commandments that I command you today.
Matt 5:17–19
. 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. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is
accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of
these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be
called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them
and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
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Three ways the Mosaic law bears lasting value for
Christians:
The Mosaic law portrays the character of God.
o
Exod 19:5–6
. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and
keep my covenant, … you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and
a holy nation.
o
Lev 20:26
. You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and
have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.
o
Rom 7:12
. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and
righteous and good.
o
1 Pet 1:15–16
. As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all
your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
The Mosaic law anticipates Christ as the perfect law keeper,
who became righteousness for us.
o
Rom 5:19
. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were
made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be
made righteous.
o
Rom 8:3–4
. For God has done what the law, weakened by the
flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the
righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us.
o
2 Cor 5:21
. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
o
Phil 2:8
. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by
becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
o
Heb 5:8
. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through
what he suffered.
The Mosaic law clarifies the makeup of love and wise living.
o
Matt 7:12
. So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do
also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
o
Matt 22:37
. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and
first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all
the Law and the Prophets.
o
Rom 13:8–10
. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for
the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the
commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not
murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other
commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor;
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Employing Brian Rosner’s alliteration, the biblical authors
repudiate
the Mosaic law covenant,
replace
the Mosaic
law with the law of Christ, and
reappropriate
Mosaic
instruction as prophecy and wisdom.
None of the Mosaic law is directly binding on Christians,
but all the Mosaic law is indirectly binding through the
mediation of Christ.
When we read the Mosaic law through the lens of Christ,
Christ
maintains
some laws,
transforms
others,
extends
others, and
annuls
some.
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Contemporary challenges like legalism and anti-nomianism are addressed as the biblical authors repudiate the Mosaic law, emphasizing the shift to the new covenant law of Christ, highlighting freedom from the death-bringing aspects of the old law and the importance of faith over works.
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The Old Testament The Old Testament Law & the & the Christian Repudiating, Replacing, and Reappropriating Mosaic Instruction for New Covenant Saints Jason S. DeRouchie, PhD Research Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary www.jasonderouchie.com ITS Symposium, January 6, 2020 1
To run and work the law commands, Yet gives me neither feet nor hands; But better news the gospel brings: It bids me fly and gives us wings. J. Berridge 2
1. Introduction 1. Introduction Some contemporary challenges Legalism Anti-Nomianism Anti-Old Testament Our goals
2. The biblical authors 2. The biblical authors repudiate covenant. covenant. repudiate the Mosaic law the Mosaic law The Mosaic law bore a ministry of death. Rom 7:10. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 2 Cor 3:7 9. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.
The age of the Mosaic law was not characterized by faith. Gal 3:12. But the law is not of faith, rather The one who does them shall live by them. The Mosaic law multiplied transgression, exposed sin, and brought wrath. Rom 5:20. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. (Cf. Gal 3:19)_ Rom 3:20. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Rom 4:15. The law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
Because all are sinners, no one is justified by doing the Mosaic law. Rom 3:28. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Gal 3:10. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse. Jas 2:10. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
3. The biblical authors 3. The biblical authors replace of Moses with the new covenant law of Christ. of Moses with the new covenant law of Christ. replace the old covenant law the old covenant law Christians are free from the death-bringing Mosaic law. Rom 6:14. Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Rom 7:6. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. Gal 3:23 26. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Christians are directly bound not by the law of Moses but by the law of Christ the law of love. 1 Cor 9:20 21. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. Gal 6:2. Bear one another s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Jas 1:25; 2:8, 12. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing .. If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well . So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
Today, the direct authority for guiding Christians is not Moses s instructions but Christ s words through his apostles and not Moses s. Deut 18:15 16. The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers it is to him you shall listen just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die. Matt 17:5. This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to him! Matt 28:19 20. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
John 16:1214. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Acts 2:42. And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Cf. Eph 2:20)
4. The biblical authors 4. The biblical authors reappropriate Moses when teaching the law of Christ. Moses when teaching the law of Christ. reappropriate the law of the law of NT authors do not hesitate to reappropriate OT laws. Paul says that all the Mosaic commandments are summarized in the call to love one s neighbor (Rom 13:9). o Rom 13:9. For the commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet, and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Paul uses Moses to stress that a workman is worthy of pay (1 Cor 9:7 9; 1 Tim 5:18; cf. Deut 25:4).
Paul charges children to heed one of the Ten Words that contains a promise of life (Eph 6:1 3; cf. Exod 20:12). Peter urges Christians to pursue holiness because an old covenant charge in part of Christian Scripture. o 1 Pet 1:15 16. But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. (Cf. Lev 11:44; 20:26)
Fulfilling OT predictions, when Gentile Christians without the Mosaic law actually do/keep the law, they identify that Christ has transformed them. Rom 2:14 15, 26 29. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law by nature, do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts . So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. (Cf. Deut 30:6; Jer 31:33; Ezek 36:27)
NT authors believed all the OT is profitable for Christians and can instruct and guide them. Rom 15:4. For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 2 Tim 3:16. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
Fulfilling Mosess own prediction, Jesus stressed the lasting validity of Mosaic instruction for new covenant saints when read in light of how he fulfills the law. Deut 30:6, 8. And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live .. And you shall return and listen to the voice of the LORD and keep all his commandments that I command you today. Matt 5:17 19. 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. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The Laws Fulfillment Through the Lens of Christ The Law s Fulfillment Through the Lens of Christ
Three ways the Mosaic law bears lasting value for Christians: The Mosaic law portrays the character of God. o Exod 19:5 6. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. o Lev 20:26. You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine. o Rom 7:12. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. o 1 Pet 1:15 16. As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.
The Mosaic law anticipates Christ as the perfect law keeper, who became righteousness for us. o Rom 5:19. For as by the one man s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man s obedience the many will be made righteous. o Rom 8:3 4. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us. o 2 Cor 5:21. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. o Phil 2:8. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. o Heb 5:8. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
The Mosaic law clarifies the makeup of love and wise living. o Matt 7:12. So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. o Matt 22:37. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. o Rom 13:8 10. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet, and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
5. Summary 5. Summary Employing Brian Rosner s alliteration, the biblical authors repudiate the Mosaic law covenant, replace the Mosaic law with the law of Christ, and reappropriate Mosaic instruction as prophecy and wisdom. None of the Mosaic law is directly binding on Christians, but all the Mosaic law is indirectly binding through the mediation of Christ. When we read the Mosaic law through the lens of Christ, Christ maintains some laws, transforms others, extends others, and annuls some.
The Laws Fulfillment Through the Lens of Christ The Law s Fulfillment Through the Lens of Christ
