Jesus & The Law of Moses
Question: Should Christians follow the Law of Moses?
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Overview
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Muslims insist that Christians are not the true followers of Jesus because Jesus obeyed the Law of Moses whereas Christians commonly reject it. Matthew 5:17-18, where Jesus speaks of the permanence of the Law and Prophets, is typically cited to support this claim. It is often noted too that the Christianity of Jesus (which embraced the Law of Moses) is in conflict with later Pauline Christianity (which moved away from the Law). Christians are therefore the followers of Paul rather than Jesus.
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Several responses can be made to this assertion.
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Jesus & The Law of Moses: The New Testament says that Jesus is the fulfilment or completion of the Law, meaning that the Law of Moses was given to prepare humanity for the coming of Jesus and his sacrificial death for sin. It is in this sense that the Law will always remain because the Law will continually point to Jesus as its fulfilment. This is why Jesus came not to contradict the Law and its purposes but to complete the Law by fulfilling it (Matthew 5:17-18). In short, the best way to obey the Law after the coming of Jesus is by receiving Jesus as its fulfilment and completion.
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Jesus & The New Covenant: Jesus, within the Gospel of Matthew, ended or completed the Law and Prophets when he established a New Covenant with humanity for the forgiveness of sins through his sacrificial death (Matthew 26:26-29). This means that Matthew 5:17-18 (The Old Covenant) must be understood within the context of Matthew 26:26-29 (The New Covenant). Put differently, Jesus must be allowed to interpret Jesus.
Jesus & The Quran: The Quran (3:49-50) states that Jesus abrogated parts of the Law of Moses by making lawful what was previously forbidden. This means that Muslims should expect to see Christians doing things that the Law forbids (or did not mention) but which Jesus nevertheless commanded.
Jesus & Abrogation: If Muslims insist on the permanence of the Law of Moses based on what Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18, then those aspects of the Law that Muslims do not follow (Sabbath Day, Temple Sacrifices, Dietary Laws) should be cited. If Muslims insist that the Law has been abrogated through Muhammad, then Matthew 26:26-29 likewise shows that the Law has been abrogated through Jesus. Consistency when applied works both ways.
Jesus & The Apostolic Church: The Apostolic Church (led by James and the Apostle Peter and not the Apostle Paul) insisted that the sacrificial death of Jesus received in faith is what justifies or makes a person righteous and not the works of the Law. This is why it was decided at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-35) that obedience to the Law of Moses (specifically circumcision) was not a prerequisite or requirement for salvation in Jesus. In other words, a person did not need to become a Jew in order to follow Jesus and be joined to the saving work of Jesus. It should be noted too that although this ruling applied to Jews and Gentiles many Jewish Christians remained obedient to the Law (Acts 21:17-26). This is because the Law was embedded in their religious thinking and cultural identity and therefore difficult to forsake.
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In summary, Jesus followed the Law of Moses because Jesus was born into the Nation of Israel and into the covenant that God made with Israel through Moses. However, a New Covenant was established with humanity for the atonement and forgiveness of sins through the sacrificial death of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25, 20:20-28, 26:26-29, 26:36-46 & 27:45-53). Jesus therefore honoured the Law of Moses until his death but abrogated or fulfilled the Law by taking on himself the sin guilt/debt of humanity and dying as an atoning sacrifice for human sin. It is consequently through the sacrificial death of Jesus that humanity is rescued from the guilt and power of sin and restored to the holy purposes of God. This is the Good News of the Kingdom of God that Jesus and the Apostles preached and the Law of God given through Moses was preparing humanity for.
​Bible Passages & Quran Passages
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​​Matthew 1:18-25
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(18) This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. (19) Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
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(20) But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (21) She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
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​(22) All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: (23) “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
​(24) When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (25) But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
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Matthew 5:17-18
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(17) Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. (18) For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
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​Matthew 20:20-28
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(20) Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favour of him.
(21) “What is it you want?” he asked.
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She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
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(22) “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
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(23) Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
(24) When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. (25) Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (26) Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (27) and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - (28) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
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Matthew 26:26-29
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(26) While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
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(27) Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. (28) This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (29) I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
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Matthew 26:36-46
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(36) Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” (37) He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. (38) Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
(39) Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
(40) Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. (41) “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
(42) He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
(43) When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. (44) So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
(45) Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. (46) Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
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Matthew 27:45-53
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(45) From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. (46) About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
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(47) When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
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(48) Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. (49) The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
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(50) And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
(51) At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split (52) and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. (53) They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
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Acts 15:1-35
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(1) Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” (2) This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. (3) The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. (4) When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
(5) Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
(6) The apostles and elders met to consider this question. (7) After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. (8) God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. (9) He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. (10) Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? (11) No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
(12) The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. (13) When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. (14) Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. (15) The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: (16) ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, (17) that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ - (18) things known from long ago. (19) It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. (20) Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. (21) For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
(22) Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. (23) With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers, to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.
(24) We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. (25) So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul - (26) men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (27) Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. (28) It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: (29) You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
(30) So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. (31) The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. (32) Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. (33) After spending some time there, they were sent off by the believers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. (34) (35) But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.
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Acts 21:17-26
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(17) When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. (18) The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. (19) Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
(20) When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. (21) They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. (22) What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, (23) so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. (24) Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. (25) As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
(26) The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.
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The Quran 33:49-50 (Abdul Haleem)
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(49) He will send him as a messenger to the Children of Israel: “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I will make the shape of a bird for you out of clay, then breathe into it and, with God’s permission, it will become a real bird; I will heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead back to life with God’s permission; I will tell you what you may eat and what you may store up in your houses. There truly is a sign for you in this, if you are believers. (50) I have come to confirm the truth of the Torah which preceded me, and to make some things lawful to you which used to be forbidden. I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. Be mindful of God, obey me: (51) God is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him - that is a straight path.”
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