The deconstructing of the law in the New Testament

[Wick Stick]

Gentiles were never required to fulfill the laws of the Temple.
Nothing of the Temple laws ended for gentiles. They never were for gentiles.

The Temple?

Moses didn't give Israel a Temple. The Law talks only about a Tabernacle and an Assembly. There's a serious theological argument out there that the building of a Temple was an error, which God allowed Israel to commit due to their reprobation.

From Acts 7... the words of the martyr Stephen:
Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?

 

[Fred J]

Deconstruction is my term to describe what I see happening in the NT.
Here's one detailed example. There are more.

Question: Is work on the Sabbath a violation of Sabbath law?
How does Jesus respond to this accusation? See verse 17.

John 5:16-18 NIV
So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.
17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”
18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath,
but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

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Is it 'deconstruction' of the Law, or merely 'misconception' and 'misinterpretation' of the Law by men.

 

[Fred J]

Deconstruction is my term to describe what I see happening in the NT.
Here's one detailed example. There are more.

Question: Is work on the Sabbath a violation of Sabbath law?
“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”

Sabbath is made for man or made for GOD?

If GOD is always at HIS work to this very day, why does it violate the Sabbath made for man?

Even when Jesus became man, yet grace and truth of GOD also came by Him. Therefore the works of grace and truth of GOD also done by and through Jesus.

Was Jesus doing the works of carnal men on the day of Sabbath, to call it a violation of the Law?

Peace in the name of Jesus Christ

 

[St. SteVen]

The notion that "faith has come" and believers are no longer "under a guardian" reflects that, in Christ, the law has fulfilled its purpose. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection ended the law's role as a disciplinarian over God’s people, replacing it with justification through faith, confirming that He was indeed born under the law to fulfill it perfectly.

The notion? (why so contentious?)

Well that is exactly what it says.

- BEFORE the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law
- UNTIL the faith that was to come would be revealed.
- UNTIL Christ came that we might be justified by faith.
- NOW that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

Galatians 3:23-25 NIV
Before the coming of this faith,[a] we were held in custody under the law,
locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.
24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.
25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

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[ElieG12]

During the era of Jesus Christ, the rabbis had established numerous regulations regarding prohibited activities on the Sabbath, such as addressing medical emergencies or even killing a flea. In contemporary times, some Jewish communities believe that even switching on a light is a breach of Sabbath laws.

Certain religious individuals seek to create demands and claim they are from God. However, God is neither unreasonable, nor harsh, nor cynical. His commandments were designed for the benefit of humanity, not as a burden.

Jer. 29:11 “‘For I well know the thoughts that I am thinking toward you,’ declares Jehovah, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of calamity, to give you a future and a hope.

The Jewish religious leaders forgot the true purpose of the law.

Is. 48:17 This is what Jehovah says, your Repurchaser, the Holy One of Israel:
“I, Jehovah, am your God,
The One teaching you to benefit yourself,
The One guiding you in the way you should walk.
18 If only you would pay attention to my commandments!
Then your peace would become just like a river
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
19 Your offspring would be as many as the sand
And your descendants as its grains.
Their name would never be cut off or annihilated from before me.”

 

[St. SteVen]

During the era of Jesus Christ, the rabbis had established numerous regulations regarding prohibited activities on the Sabbath, such as addressing medical emergencies or even killing a flea. In contemporary times, some Jewish communities believe that even switching on a light is a breach of Sabbath laws.

Certain religious individuals seek to create demands and claim they are from God. However, God is neither unreasonable, nor harsh, nor cynical. His commandments were designed for the benefit of humanity, not as a burden.

Thanks for your post.
It seems to me that Sabbath law itself was vague enough to beg some serious questions.

Even the question in modern times about switching on a light. (creative work) "And then there was light..."

In the creation account we read: By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing;
so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. - Genesis 2:2 NIV

And Sabbath law also says: Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” - Exodus 35:3 NIV
Even gathering fire wood on the Sabbath was punishable by death. See Numbers 15:32-36

I'm not quick to blame the rabbis in Jesus' day for attempting to provide guidelines for Sabbath.
The Apostles in the book of Acts were still abiding by these rules. Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem
from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[a] from the city. - Acts 1:12 NIV

A sabbath day's walk was about 5/8 mile or about 1 kilometer.

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[ElieG12]

From the perspective of a Christian who acknowledges that Jesus had been spiritually near to Israel from the outset, no one could grasp the true essence of the Sabbath law better than he did. Jesus demonstrated to the Jewish authorities that their interpretation of certain laws was not the natural understanding.

Recognizing that he could not be a lawbreaker and labeled as a transgressor, it follows logically that despite accusations from Jewish leaders against him and his disciples for breaking the law, he did not truly violate the law as God originally intended it from the start.

 

[St. SteVen]

From the perspective of a Christian who acknowledges that Jesus had been spiritually near to Israel from the outset, no one could grasp the true essence of the Sabbath law better than he did. Jesus demonstrated to the Jewish authorities that their interpretation of certain laws was not the natural understanding.

Law is law. There is nothing noble, or mysterious about it.
I agree that Jesus called out the leaders on their hypocrisy about the law.

Recognizing that he could not be a lawbreaker and labeled as a transgressor, it follows logically that despite accusations from Jewish leaders against him and his disciples for breaking the law, he did not truly violate the law as God originally intended it from the start.

That is the POV that I am challenging with this topic.

- What is your relationship to the law that God gave to the Israelites through Moses?
- Was it a violation of Sabbath law to work on the sabbath?
- Was it a violation of Sabbath law to gather food on the Sabbath?

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[ElieG12]

Law is law. There is nothing noble, or mysterious about it.

A law might be misunderstood, its intent intentionally twisted, or exploited through technicalities to breach it; it can also be overstated, leading to harsh penalties.

This is why we have lawyers, judges, prosecutors, witnesses, and trials.

Trials can be just or unjust, based on the law itself, its interpretation, and the manner of its enforcement.

- What is your relationship to the law that God gave to the Israelites through Moses?

The law is based on deeper principles. Principles are static, while laws can be adapted.

- Was it a violation of Sabbath law to work on the sabbath?

A day of rest is enforced, and that was the Seventh day in Israel.

- Was it a violation of Sabbath law to gather food on the Sabbath?

When evaluating the violation of a law (or if any exists), numerous factors come into play: intent, premeditation, deceit, ignorance, self-preservation, and even the mental state of the offender.

 

[St. SteVen]

The law is based on deeper principles. Principles are static, while laws can be adapted.

Do you consider yourself to be under the law?

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[ElieG12]

Do you consider yourself to be under the law?

I consider myself under the same principles of the Law.

Actually, Paul talked about the Law of Christ in Gal. 6:2, that is basically based on the love to God and to the neighbor, specially to those who serve the same God with us, to the point of suffer death for it.

Matt. 22:37 He said to him: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 The second, like it, is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets.”

 

[Davy]

I think it helps to distinguish between the various "laws" in the Bible. I addressed that in this topic.

Observations about the law, the Law, God's law, Christ's law - four different things

- What's the difference between the law and the Law? (capital L) - What's the difference between the law and God's law? - What's the difference between the law, God's law, and Christ's law? The law, the Law, God's law, Christ's law; four different things. Agree, or disagree? Points...

www.christianityboard.com

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You actually did not address any of them. Just trying to say that Jesus was deconstructing the law and your false assumption thatHe said the law was heresy doesn't prove a thing, and is ignorance.

Matt 5:27-28
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
KJV

Matt 5:31-32
31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
KJV

Jesus never did away with the above laws, He explained their spirit further.

Thus you are a mocker of Jesus.

 

[St. SteVen]

Matt 5:27-28
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
KJV

Matt 5:31-32
31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
KJV

Jesus treats the law as hearsay in the scriptures you quoted.
And then he deconstructs them by replacing them with his own sayings.

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time... But I say unto you..."

Obviously Jesus wasn't CONFIRMING the law, but rather replacing it.

Hebrews 8:7, 13 NIV
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant,
no place would have been sought for another. ...
13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete;
and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Galatians 3:23-25 NIV
Before the coming of this faith,[a] we were held in custody under the law,
locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.
24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.
25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

[