Today’s blog post examines the Mosaic Law found in the Old Testament of the Bible and how the Law of Christ brought about the end of the Law. As a Jew who has come to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, I have struggled to fully understand Jesus’ passage in His Sermon on the Mount where He says:
“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.” – Matthew 5:17
If Jesus did not abolish the Law or the Prophets, then why do Christians say that the time of the Mosaic Law has ended? And if Christ fulfilled the Law, then why do Christians continue to follow many of those same Mosaic Laws? (Think of the Ten Commandments.) As a Jew who now recognizes Jesus’ divinity, am I required to follow the Mosaic Law in addition to the new Laws of Christ? I’ve been pondering these issues for many years. Then, recently, I began reading a book entitled Basic Theology, by Charles C. Ryrie. In it, the author tackles the issue of the end of the Law. It was so helpful to me that I wanted to share the section in its entirety. I’ve added just one note in the midst of his excerpt to clarify a particularly confusing issue. I hope you enjoy the passage.
Excerpt from Basic Theology, by Charles C. Ryrie, pgs 348-352
The End of the Law
“An important benefit of the death of Christ was the inauguration of the faith-righteousness principle to replace the law-works principle. However, Paul’s statement in Romans 10:4 that Christ is the end of the Law might be understood as either signifying termination or purpose. In other words, either Christ terminated the Law, or the purpose of the Christ’s coming was to fulfill the Law (Matt. 5:17). However, termination seems clearly to be the meaning in this context because of the contrast (beginning in Rom. 9:30) between the Law and God’s righteousness. Paul’s argument that follows is not that the Jew was incomplete and needed the coming of Christ to perfect his position before God, but that his position under the law-works principle was absolutely wrong because it sought to establish righteousness by human effort rather than be accepting God’s gift of righteousness. Though it is true that our Lord fulfilled the Law, this passage is not teaching that, but rather that He terminated the Law and provided a new and living way to God.
The Nature of Law
The Law that our Lord terminated was, of course, the Mosaic Law according to the contrast in the passage itself. In order to develop the importance of this benefit of the work of Christ, it is first necessary to observe some features of the Mosaic Law.
First, the Mosaic Law was a unit.
Generally the Law is divided into three parts: the moral, the ceremonial, and the judicial. The Ten Commandments comprise the moral part (Exodus 34:28). The judgments begin at 21:2 and include a list of various responsibilities with attendant judgments on offenders. The ceremonial part begins at 25:1 and regulated the worship life of Israel. Though this threefold division is almost universally accepted in Christian theology, the Jewish people either did not acknowledge it or at least did not insist on it. Rather they divided the 613 commandments of the Law into twelve families of commandments, which were then subdivided into twelve families of positive and twelve families of negative commands. Specific commands that fell into these various categories were drawn from many places within the Law simply because the Law was viewed as a unit.
Noticing the penalties attached to certain commands further emphasizes the unitized character of the Law. When the command to keep the Sabbath (one of the “commandments”) was violated by a man who gathered sticks on that day, the penalty was death by stoning (Num. 15:32-36). When the people of Israel violated the command concerning the Sabbatical Year for the land (one of the “judgments”), God sent them into Captivity, where many died (Jer. 25:11). When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord (one of the “ordinances”), they immediately died (Lev. 10:1-7). Clearly these commands from various parts of the Law were equally binding and the punishment equally severe. The Law was a unit.
James approached the Law as a unit. He decried partiality because it violated the law to love one’s neighbor as oneself, and this single violation, he said, made the people guilty of the whole Law (James 2:8). He could scarcely arrive at such a conclusion unless the Law were a unit.”
Editor’s Note
To clarify the difference between the Jewish and Christian view:
The Mosaic Law, or Torah, is interpreted and categorized differently by Christians and Jews, reflecting distinct theological frameworks. In Christian theology, the law is often divided into three categories: moral, civil (judgmental), and ceremonial. This threefold division, popularized by early church thinkers like Augustine, allows Christians to view some parts of the law as still applicable while others are seen as fulfilled by Jesus Christ. The moral law, such as the Ten Commandments, is considered universal and timeless, guiding ethical behavior. The civil law, encompassing legal and societal rules specific to ancient Israel, is seen as culture-bound and no longer directly applicable. The ceremonial law, including sacrifices and temple practices, is understood as fulfilled and rendered obsolete by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
In contrast, Judaism approaches the Mosaic Law as a single, unified legal and ethical system. Rather than dividing the Torah into moral, civil, and ceremonial categories, Jewish tradition views all 613 commandments as interconnected expressions of God’s will. These commandments are categorized into positive (“do this”) and negative (“do not do this”) commands and further organized into thematic “families” reflecting different aspects of life, such as Sabbath observance, dietary laws, and interpersonal ethics. This structure underscores the Jewish perspective that all commandments collectively guide a holy life in service to God and community.
Unlike the Christian emphasis on distinguishing enduring moral principles from time-bound rituals or civil regulations, Judaism sees the Torah as a holistic guide. While some commandments are not currently practiced due to historical constraints (such as those requiring the Temple), all are regarded as divine and enduring. For Christians, the law’s fulfillment in Jesus allows for a reinterpretation focused on its moral essence, whereas for Jews, the Torah remains a cohesive and comprehensive system, with its components applied based on tradition and context rather than a hierarchical framework.
Second, the Law was given to Israel.
“Both the Old and New Testaments are unanimous in this (Lev 26:46; Rom 9:4). Further, Paul contrasts the Jews who received the Law with the Gentiles who did not (2:14).
The End of the Law
The Jerusalem Council settled this matter early and clearly (Acts 15). Debating the question of whether or not circumcision was necessary for salvation, the council said an emphatic no. Peter described the Law as an unbearable yoke. When the leaders wrote to the Genile believers to curb their liberty in matters that were offensive to Jewish believers, they did not try to place the believers under the Law (which would have settled the problem quickly), for they realized the Law had come to an end.
In 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 Paul even specified that the part of the Law that was written on stones (the Ten Commandments) was done away. He dared to label the moral part of the Law as a ministry of death and condemnation, but thank God, this has been replaced by the New Covenant, which brings life and justification.
In Hebrews 7:11-12 the writer demonstrated the superiority of the priesthood of Melchezedek over that of Aaron. He concluded that if the Aaronic or levitical priesthood could have brought perfection to the people, there would have been no need for another priesthood based on Melchizedek. And that change of priesthood necessitated a change in the Law. In other words, if the Law has not been done away, then neither has the levitical priesthood, and Christ is not our High Priest today. But if Christ is our High Priest, then the Law can no longer be operative and binding on us.
The Problem Raised
If Christ ended the Law, then why does the New Testament include some laws from the Mosaic Law in its ethic? How could the unit end and yet have specifics in it still binding on the Christian? If the New Testament included all the Ten Commandments the answer would be simple: the moral Law continues while the rest has been concluded. But the New Testament only includes nine of the ten (the Fourth Commandment is excluded), and it further complicates any simple solution by including some laws from parts other than the moral section of the Law (Rom. 13:9; James 2:8).
The only solution that seems to do full justice to the plain sense of these various Scriptures distinguishes between a code and the commandments contained therein. The Mosaic Law was one of several codes of ethical conduct that God has given throughout human history. That particular code contained 613 commandments. There have also been other codes. Adam lived under laws, the sum of which may be called the code of Adam or the code of Eden. Noah was expected to obey the laws of God, so there was the Noahic code. We know that God revealed many commands and laws to Abraham (Gen. 26:5). They may be called the Abrahamic code. The Mosaic code contained all the laws of the Law. And today we live under the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2) or the law of the Spirit of life in Christ (Rom. 8:2). This code contains the hundreds of specific commandments recorded in the New Testament.
The Mosaic Law was done away in its entirety as a code.
It has been replaced by the law of Christ. The law of Christ contains some new commands (1 Tim. 4:4), some old ones (Rom. 13:9), and some revised ones (Rom. 13:4, with reference to capital punishment), All the laws of the Mosaic code have been abolished because the code has. Specific Mosaic commands that are part of the Christian code appear there not as a continuation of part of the Mosaic Law, or in order to be observed in some deeper sense, but as specifically incorporated into that code, and as such they are binding on believers today. A particular law that was part of the Mosaic code is done away; that same law, if part of the law of Christ is binding. It is necessary to say both truths in order not to have to resort to a nonliteral interpretation of 2 Corinthians 3 or Hebrews 7 and in order not to have to resort to some sort of theological contortions to retain part of the Mosaic Law.
An illustration of this idea:
As children mature, different codes are instituted by their parents. Some of the same commandments may appear in those different codes. But when the new code becomes operative, the old one is done away. So it was with the Mosaic Law when our Lord became the end of the Law for righteousness to all who believe.”
Final Thoughts
I hope you have found this passage from Basic Theology to be helpful. Understanding the relationship between the Mosaic Law and the Law of Christ involves recognizing the progression of God’s covenantal laws throughout biblical history. When Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law, He brought it to its intended completion, effectively causing it to end and ushering in a new covenant—the Law of Christ. This transition reflects a pattern in Scripture where each successive covenant supersedes the previous one, refining and expanding God’s revelation to humanity. Beginning with Adam, God’s laws evolved through the covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and ultimately Jesus. Each covenant contained elements of the previous laws, retaining principles that reflected God’s eternal character while introducing new commands suited to the covenant’s purpose and the spiritual maturity of God’s people.
Under the Mosaic Law, the focus was on a detailed system of rules governing worship, society, and morality, designed to set Israel apart as God’s holy nation. However, with Christ’s fulfillment of this law, its ceremonial and civil aspects were completed, making way for the universal, grace-centered Law of Christ. This new law emphasizes love for God and neighbor as its foundation, as seen in Jesus’ summation of the greatest commandments. While the Law of Christ retains some moral principles from the Mosaic Law, it operates within the framework of the new covenant, which prioritizes faith, grace, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This progression reflects God’s ongoing plan of redemption, with each covenant building on the previous one to reveal His ultimate purpose for humanity.
About Raleigh Acupuncture
At Raleigh Acupuncture Associates, we are deeply committed to providing the highest quality professional acupuncture while being rooted in strong Judeo-Christian values of love, faith, kindness, and truth. Our practice is guided by a belief in compassionate care, where each patient is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their background, faith, or beliefs. We welcome people from all walks of life, creating a warm and inclusive environment where healing and holistic wellness are our top priorities. Our dedication to delivering exceptional acupuncture is paired with a genuine love for helping others, making our clinic a place where faith and top-tier medical care come together for the well-being of every patient.
Next Steps
Book Now to make an appointment online.
Meet the Practitioners (Video).
Learn about all the conditions we treat.
Focus Keyphrase: The End of the Law
Image generated with https://perchance.org/ai-text-to-image-generator
