General The Ministry of Jesus

[benadam1974]

• Mat 5:17 I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses but to keep it.
• Gal 3:22 The Law of Moses was our guardian until Christ died.
• Heb 10:9 Jesus did away with the first (i.e., covenant) by keeping it in order to establish the second (covenant) with his death!

By now you might have guessed that's not how these verses read. That's because these are things the Bible never said about the work of Jesus in relation to the Law of Moses (Torah) and the NC. This is the way most Christians seem to understand these verses because they continue to misapply therefore misuse words like “inaugurated” “established” and “made." So, when exactly did Jesus inaugurate the NC Law, making the OC Law of Moses something no longer to be obeyed and observed?

The Gospels show that Jesus began to establish/make his NC Law by his ministry or, more specifically, his teachings. For example, note the so-called 6 antitheses in the sermon on the mount (Mat 5) between the Law of Moses and the Law of Jesus:

1. Murder: 5.21-26
2. Lust: 5.27-30
3. Marriage/divorce: 5.31-32
4. Vows/oaths: 5.33-37
5. Lethal self-defense: 5.38-42
6. Enemies: 5.43-48

If we take only the last 2 examples from this list (5, 6) we clearly see how Jesus has effectively undermined and thus overruled Torah. For example, under Moses God commanded the Israelites not to show any pity! In Deut 19:21 God says to Israel:
Your rule should be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

But I tell you, Jesus says:
Do not resist an evil person.
And love your enemies and even pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of God Himself.

The antithesis to the OC system pertaining to personal and judicial punishment now stands overruled. The fact that this NC law of Jesus was inaugurated/established with his ministry and not at the cross is shown by his words at the last supper as well. Jesus said this is an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you, as the NLT paraphrase reads. And as we know, any covenant has to be made out of words and works.

So where are the words and works of this new covenant law to be found?

In the teachings of Jesus and not just at the cross!

Simply put: The new covenant began, came into effect with the teaching of Jesus and was officially ratified or certified at the cross. As a result, during the ministry of Jesus he was already functioning as the High Priest mediator of a new covenant law, and not the OC law of Moses, as Hebrews makes clear:
For where there is a covenant, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.
Hebrews 9:16 NASB