Chapter 2

Other Arguments Answered

In this chapter, we present several other arguments that are used to prove that MML&J were Old Testament books that have no doctrinal application to us today.

2.1 Jesus Lived Under the Old Testament Law

Quote: 

"Jesus was "born" under the law (Gal. 4:4) and he died on the cross to "end" the Old Testament Law of Moses (Rom. 10:4; Col. 2:14). This means that everything Jesus said and taught was under the authority of the Old Testament Law of Moses."

Answer:

1. Moses was born under Patriarchal Law, but that did not keep him from issuing the Passover command before he got to Sinai. See Exodus 12, which was eight chapters before he ever gave the Sinai law.
2. Moses commanded the Passover which carried over into the Sinai testament, and Israel would always look back to what Moses had taught them in Egypt concerning the Passover and would continue to base their actions on that teaching Moses gave while he was under Patriarchal Law.
3. Being born under Patriarchal Law did not prevent Moses from working toward the establishment of national Israel. Neither did the fact that Jesus was born under the Law of Moses prevent Him from working toward the establishment of spiritual Israel.
4. Being born under Patriarchal Law did not mean that “everything Moses said and taught was under the authority of the Patriarchal Law.” Moses was given the divine right to speak things that pertained to Israel in a unique way that was not understood or expressed by mere Patriarchal Law. Likewise, being born under the Law of Moses did not mean that “everything Jesus said and taught was under the authority of the OT Law of Moses.” Jesus was given the divine right to speak things that pertained to spiritual Israel in a unique way not understood or expressed by mere Mosaic Law.
5. While Moses was born under Patriarchal Law, his major concern was not people’s relationship to Patriarchal Law, but his focus was on preparing Israelites for separation from Egypt so that he could bring them into national identity with their own new laws. The “prophet like unto Moses” (Jesus) had a major concern too. It was not Israel’s relation to the Mosaic Law, but on preparing people for separation from the world so that He could bring them into a new spiritual identity, the kingdom of heaven. The coming kingdom was the major focus of Jesus’ preaching (Matthew 4:23; 5:3,10,19; 6:10; 10:7; 11:12; 13:11,19; etc.). Being born under the law did not mean the focus of His preaching was on the “tutor” (the law – Galatians 3:24). But, being the Christ, His focus was on preparing the “tutored” for graduation into kingdom faith. Those who are graduating need to know some things about the life they will be expected to live in the kingdom. This is what Jesus was giving them. The Sermon on the Mount is laying out the expected life in His kingdom.