Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: ejalbert@phoenix.princeton.edu (Edmund Jason Albert) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: To Fulfill the Law Message-ID: Date: 17 Nov 89 09:21:40 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Princeton University, NJ Lines: 27 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article davidbu@tekigm2.men.tek.com (David Buxton) writes: >"The Lord . . . . will magnify the law, and make it honorable." (Isa. 42:21) >Prophecy fulfilled: > "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.... (Matt. 5:17-20) >Jesus did indeed sweep away the man made laws and codifications such as the >Mishna and magnified and made honorable the Law of God which has always >been God's law of Love in both the OT and the NT. If one believes Matt. 5:17-20, then how can Paul say that he is free from the Law, that circumcision is no longer necessary, that dietary rules need not be followed, etc? Jason Albert Princeton University [There are a couple of possible answers. One is that Jesus didn't abolish the Law, but the Law was part of a covenant with the Jews, and applied only to them. That is almost certainly the interpretation used by much of the Church. Possibly it was also Paul's. He certainly contrasts the covenant with Moses -- which involves the Law -- with the covenant with Abraham -- which is based on faith. Note also the comment in Mat 5:18 that nothing will pass from the law "until all is accomplished". There is some evidence for a Jewish exegetical tradition saying that in the end times, the Law will no longer be valid. Paul may have thought that in Christ's death "all in accomplished", and the Law no longer applies. --clh]