The Christian and the Old Testament (Part 3) - The Abolition of the Old Testament

For a master copy of the outline, click here: The Christian and the Old Testament V. The Abolition of the Old Testament 1. The law of Moses was only given to the nation of Israel (Psa 147:19-20; Rom 3:1-2). A. The Gentile nations were never under the law of Moses. B. Why would the Gentiles be put under the law of Moses (old testament) after Jesus came and abolished it by writing a new testament? 2. The law of Moses was added until the seed should come to whom the promise was made (Gal 3:19). A. Till conj. - 1. a. To the time that; up to (the point) when; until. (Denoting the continuance of the action or state expressed by the principal clause up to the time expressed by the dependent clause, and usually implying that at that time such action or state ceases and a different or opposite one begins.) B. That seed was Christ (Gal 3:16). C. Therefore, the law of Moses was added from the time it was given by Moses until Christ came, at which time it ceased. 3. The law of Moses ceased when Jesus fulfilled it and nailed it to His cross (Col 2:14-17). A. The handwriting of ordinances (Col 2:14) was the law of commandments contained in ordinances which Jesus abolished in His flesh (Eph 2:15). i. Abolish v. - To put an end to, to do away with; to annul or make void; to demolish, destroy or annihilate. Its application to persons or concrete objects is nearly obsolete; it is usually said of institutions, customs or practices. ii. Therefore, Jesus put an end to, did away with, annulled, and made void the law of Moses when He died on the cross. B. The handwriting of ordinances which was against us (Col 2:14) was the enmity which Jesus abolished on the cross (Eph 2:15-16). i. Enmity - 1. The disposition or the feelings characteristic of an enemy; ill-will, hatred. ii. The law, like an enemy, was against us (Deu 31:26), demanding our death for breaking it (1Jo 3:4 c/w Rom 6:23). C. The law of commandments contained in ordinances which Jesus abolished by nailing it to His cross (Col 2:14 c/w Eph 2:15) was the law of Moses which includes: i. The dietary law (meat and drink) (Col 2:16 c/w Deu 14:3-20). ii. The holydays (Col 2:16 c/w Psa 42:4; Lev 23:27; Num 28:16-18; etc.). iii. The new moon celebrations (Col 2:16 c/w 2Ch 8:13; Psa 81:3; Isa 66:23). iv. The sabbath days (Col 2:16 c/w Exo 20:8-11; Lev 23:39). a. The weekly sabbath was one of the sabbath days (Exo 31:13-17). b. Therefore the weekly sabbath was one of the ordinances and commandments which was taken out of the way by Jesus' death on the cross. c. Let no man therefore judge you for not keeping the sabbath, or the holydays, or the new moon, or the dietary law (Col 2:16). 4. It was not just the ceremonial law that was abolished; the ten commandments written in stone which were part of the law of Moses were also abolished (2Co 3:6-13). A. The "ministration of death, written and engraven in stones" was the ten commandments written on the two stone tables which God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai (2Co 3:7 c/w Exo 34:28-35). B. It is undeniable that 2Co 3:6-13 is speaking of the ten commandments. i. God wrote on the "two tables of stone" (Exo 34:1) "the ten commandments" (Exo 34:28). ii. This was the "ministration of death, written and engraven in stones" (2Co 3:7). iii. The ten commandments written in stone was so glorious that Moses had to put a vail over his face because it was shining so brightly (2Co 3:7,13 c/w Exo 34:29,30,33,35). C. Paul is here contrasting the new testament with the old testament (2Co 3:6 c/w 2Co 3:14). i. The new testament is written with the spirit in fleshly tables of the heart (2Co 3:3), and is of the spirit who giveth life (2Co 3:6). ii. The old testament was written in tables of stone (2Co 3:3), and is of the letter which killeth (2Co 3:6), being the ministration of death (2Co 3:7). a. The old testament was the ministration of condemnation (2Co 3:9). b. It was against us (Col 2:14 c/w Deu 31:26). c. The law of commandments was at enmity with us (Eph 2:15). d. Enmity - 1. The disposition or the feelings characteristic of an enemy; ill-will, hatred. e. It was our enemy because it demanded our death for breaking it (1Jo 3:4 c/w Rom 6:23). f. Even the sabbath commandment demanded our death for breaking it (Exo 31:14-15; Num 15:32-36). D. Included with the ten commandments written by God in stone was also the rest of the law of Moses which Moses wrote on Mount Sinai before he came down with his face shining and declared it to the people (Exo 34:27,32). E. The old testament, including the ten commandments "written and engraven in stones" was abolished and done away with by Jesus Christ writing a new testament and dying under it (Heb 9:15-17). i. The old testament is done away (2Co 3:7,11). ii. Done ppl. - 1. a. Performed, executed, accomplished, finished, ended, settled; also, used up, worn out: iii. The old testament is abolished (2Co 3:13; Eph 2:15). iv. Abolished ppl. - Put an end to, done away with, suppressed. v. Abolish v. - To put an end to, to do away with; to annul or make void; to demolish, destroy or annihilate. Its application to persons or concrete objects is nearly obsolete; it is usually said of institutions, customs or practices. vi. Therefore, the Old Testament including the ten commandments written in stone was ended, finished, and made void when the New Testament was put into effect. 5. The law of God was changed when the priesthood was changed when Jesus became a priest after the order of Melchisedec (Heb 7:11-12). A. This is evident because the law of Moses said that the sons of Aaron were to be the priests forever (Exo 40:12-15). B. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah, not Levi, and therefore had no right to be a priest under the law of Moses (Heb 7:13-14). C. The law of Moses was therefore disannulled and a better hope (the NT) was brought in (Heb 7:18-19). i. Disannul - v. 1. trans. To cancel and do away with; to make null and void, bring to nothing, abolish, annul. ii. Therefore, the Old Testament was cancelled, done away with, made null and void, brought to nothing, and abolished when the New Testament was brought in. D. The sacrifices under the law of Moses were insufficient to take away sin (Heb 10:1-8). i. It was for that reason that Jesus had to take away the first covenant and establish the second (Heb 10:9). ii. Once Jesus did that, He then offered Himself as a sacrifice for sins, never to be repeated (Heb 10:10-14). iii. In doing this, Jesus established the new and everlasting covenant which is written in the hearts and minds of His people (Heb 10:15-17; Heb 13:20). 6. The writing of the new covenant made the first covenant old (Heb 8:13). A. Old adj. - 3. Of material things: Having existed long, long-made, that has been long in use. (Opposed to new.) Hence, Worn with age or long use, or deteriorated through the effects of time; worn out, decayed, dilapidated, shabby, stale, etc.; also, Discarded after long use, disused, gone out of use. B. The death of Christ officially abolished the law of Moses when He died on the cross (Eph 2:15). C. In practice, after the death of Christ the old covenant began to decay and wax old; and as the New Testament was in the process of being completed, it was ready to vanish away (Heb 8:13). i. Vanish v. - 1. intr. To disappear from sight, to become invisible, esp. in a rapid and mysterious manner: a. With away; occas. with addition of out of or from sight, etc. 2. To disappear by decaying, coming to an end, or ceasing to exist: a. With away. ii. Therefore, once the New Testament was completed, the Old Testament came to an end and ceased to exist as a covenant between God and His people. D. The transitional period between the death of Christ and the completion of the New Testament will be discussed in Section VI. 7. Jesus came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Mat 5:17). A. Jesus did not come to destroy and demolish the law, but to finish and end it (fulfill it). i. Destroy v. - 1. trans. To pull down or undo (that which has been built); to demolish, raze to the ground. ii. Fulfill v. - Definitions 1-4 deal with filling something to the full. 5. To carry out or bring to consummation (a prophecy, promise, etc.); to satisfy (a desire, prayer). 6. a. To carry out, perform, execute, do (something enjoined); to obey or follow (a command, the law, etc.). 7. To bring to an end, finish, complete (a period, portion of time, a work, etc.). iii. Consummation - 1. The action of completing, accomplishing, fulfilling, finishing, or ending. B. Jesus' words are in perfect agreement with what Paul said in 2Co 3:7,11,13: the old testament is done away and is abolished. i. The old testament is done away (2Co 3:7,11). ii. Done ppl. - 1. a. Performed, executed, accomplished, finished, ended, settled; also, used up, worn out: iii. The old testament is abolished (2Co 3:13; Eph 2:15). iv. Abolished ppl. - Put an end to, done away with, suppressed. C. Heaven and earth would not pass away until every jot and tittle of the law was fulfilled (Mat 5:18). i. Jesus was speaking before He fulfilled all that was written of Him. ii. He was simply saying that the law would remain and no part would pass away until it was fulfilled, however long that would take. iii. Jesus did fulfill the law (Act 13:29; Luk 24:25-27; Luk 24:44-46). iv. The words of the law have never been destroyed, nor will they ever be (Psa 12:6-7); but the covenant which God made with Israel was fulfilled, finished, and ended by Jesus Christ keeping it perfectly (2Co 5:21), fulfilling its types and shadows (Col 2:17), and dying for His people to bear the curse that it demanded for them (Gal 3:10,13). For a master copy of the outline, click here: The Christian and the Old Testament