Lesson for February 26, 2025

The Mosaic Law

Lesson 1

The Mosaic Law was a perfect law, given by a perfect God, to an imperfect people, the nation of Israel. God had a reason for instituting a rule of law for His very first client nation. As a client nation under the authority of God, Israel had the responsibility for the preservation, communication, and dissemination of God’s Word, which included the Gospel. The nation of Israel failed in their responsibilities to response to God in a positive way and began to worship pagan gods. Therefore, in order to make His will clearly known to Israel so they would have no excuse when God held them accountable, God gave them His laws in writing. We will examine the three areas of the Mosaic Law, the purposes, principles, and policies, and see how they related to Israel and how they relate to the Church.

Galatians 3:15-18

“Brothers and sisters, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the (Mosaic) Law, which came 430 years later (than the Abrahamic Covenant), does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.”

The Mosaic Law, which was introduced to Israel 430 years after the Abrahamic Covenant, cannot dissolve the covenant. If it could nullify the covenant, the promise of God to Abraham would be of no effect. This, of course, would make God a liar, which is unthinkable. The promise to Abraham was “All the nations will be blessed in you.” Paul said that if the inheritance of eternal life was by means of the Mosaic Law, then it could not be by means of a by-faith covenant. But, Paul said, God gave the promise of the covenant to Abraham and to his seed, Jesus Christ. In other words, through Christ all the nations would be blessed. Israel, as a nation, ignored the promise God made to Abraham and instead of being a blessing through faith in the coming Messiah (Jesus Christ) and disseminating the Gospel and His Word, they rebelled against His authority.

The Abrahamic Covenant

(Genesis 12:1-4; 13:14-17; 15:1-7; 17:1-8)

This unconditional covenant was given to Abraham in seven parts:

1. “I will make of you a great nation” – The Jewish nation was a great and mighty nation at various times in history.
2. “I will bless you” – Abraham was blessed with material and physical prosperity, as well as spiritual prosperity.
3. “And I will make your name great” – Considered the Father of the Jews, he has a very recognizable name among all nations of the earth.
4. “And you shall be a great blessing” – Because of Abraham’s seed (Jesus Christ), he has been a great blessing to millions of people who have come to know Christ as Savior.
5. “I will bless them that bless you” – Seen throughout history, those who protect and ally with Israel are always blessed.
6. “And I will curse him that curses you” – In like manner, those who oppose Israel have eventually been destroyed.
7. “In you shall all the families of the earth be blessed” – This refers to the coming of Messiah through the linage of Abraham and the blessings that accompany the Hypostatic Union of Christ for all mankind.

Galatians 3:19-22

^“Why the Law then? It was added on account of the violations, having been ordered through angels at the hand of a mediator, until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Now a mediator is not for one party only; but God is only one. Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Far from it! For if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”

Having already established the fact that obeying the Mosaic Law could not provide salvation in Galatians 3:1-14, Paul explained to these believers in Galatia the true purpose of the Law. To fully understand the purpose of the Mosaic Law, it is necessary to review the period just prior to the giving of it to Moses, and the state of God’s people, the nation of Israel, at the time. (Exodus 32)

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai after receiving the Ten Commandments from God, the nation of Israel had erected all types of idols. This was an indication of how far away from God they had gotten prior to the giving of the Commandments. Moses was so angry that he broke the stone tablets on which the Commandments were written. (Exodus 20, 21, 22, 23)

Until the time of the giving of the Ten Commandments, oral communication and a person’s conscience were the only rules by which a person could know right from wrong. There were no rules in written form, and they should not have been necessary. If not for the exceeding sinfulness of the nation of Israel in rejecting God’s rulership over them, there would have been no need for the giving of the Law. 

Obviously, the people of Israel ignored what had been taught them by their forefathers and what their conscience told them regarding sin. Paul said the Law was added to what already existed (grace) in order that transgression of the Law might be shown to be sin. The Greek word for sin is “harmartia” meaning to miss the mark. Transgression is the Greek word “parabasis,” which means to step beyond a boundary into a forbidden area. Sin, therefore, is not only missing the mark (God’s perfect righteousness), but also stepping into an area forbidden by God. In order for there to be no question as to what this “forbidden area” was, God gave the Mosaic Law. 

The Mosaic Law became the standard by which a person could judge their spiritual condition, but grace was always available to the people of Israel, as the means of salvation. The Law was brought “alongside” grace, not added as an extra provision for salvation. The Law enabled people to see their sinful condition and their need for a Savior. When the Savior (Abraham’s seed) came, there was no longer a need for the Law, a new standard was now available to compare oneself to – Jesus Christ. The Law was therefore temporary, to show a person their sinful condition and their need for a Savior.

Paul also told the Galatian believers that the Law was administered by angels “in the hand of a mediator.” The Law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai and confirmed by the presence of angels. Moses then delivered it to the nation of Israel. The mediator in this case is Moses, who was God’s chosen spokesman and the leader of the nation of Israel. (Exodus 19:19; Acts 7:53; Hebrews 2:2)

Now a mediator is not for one party only; but God is only one. In Galatians 3:20 Paul explained that a mediator, by the very meaning of the word, must mediate between two parties. In the case of the Mosaic Law, Moses mediated between God and the nation of Israel. Therefore, the Law was a contract between these two parties – God and Israel. God, however, does not need a mediator when He freely offers salvation to anyone who will believe in His Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is Paul’s argument that grace is superior to the Law since grace does not require a mediator. The Law is a contract between two parties, but salvation is a promise (not a contract). Christ mediates for us after salvation.

In Galatians 3:21 Paul asked the next logical question, “Is the Law therefore contrary to the promises of God?” He then answered his own question by saying, “Far from it!” The Law and the promise are not in conflict. Each has its distinct function, and both were given by God. The Law condemns and the promise (Jesus Christ) delivers from condemnation. If the Law could have provided righteousness, Jesus Christ would not have had to die on the Cross.

Galatians 3:22, “But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” God, in His magnificent grace, provided a way for us to be condemned so that we could ultimately have the opportunity to be saved. His plan called for the imputation of Adam’s original sin to the sin nature of every human being. He also provided the plan of salvation for the entire human race. (Romans 5:18-19; 6:23)

If a person had to commit a personal sin before being condemned, no child would go to Heaven that died before committing their first sin. Since God is always fair, He has provided for these children to go to Heaven as well as anyone that is unable to make a responsible decision (i.e., mentally impaired). Because they are already condemned at birth, (and our personal sins contribute nothing to our spiritual death), they qualify for God’s saving grace.

We do not earn the wages of sin by committing sin – Adam did. Saving these people is a matter of God’s grace and is still non-meritorious, totally apart from human works. Remember: condemnation must precede salvation. (II Samuel 12:23) God’s plan is perfect and knowing that man would disobey Him, He designed a perfect plan for the salvation of mankind by sending His Son.

Galatians 3:23-26

“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. Therefore, the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith (Christ) has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”

Prior to their faith in Christ, the Jews were dependent on the Law to show them the way to salvation. The Law pointed them to faith in the coming Messiah (Jesus Christ). After Christ came, there was no further need for the Law to point the Person to Christ. Therefore, the Law was like their guardian to escort them to Christ, so that they could be justified (declared righteous) by means of their faith in Him. The Greek word for guardian is “paidagogus” meaning a servant who is appointed to watch over a child until he reaches adulthood. This servant would lead the child to school and back. This is analogous to the Law of Moses, which was designed to lead people to Christ.