What the Messiah Said about Biblical Law

What Jesus had to say about Biblical law is an important topic for all believers to know about! What did the Living Word say about the Written Word? Did he speak against it? Did he find it impossibly antiquated and oppressive? Did Jesus fulfill the law, or do away with it? The answers to these questions will prove to be surprising to some, but first we need to see which law the Messiah is talking about in these verses.

What law does Jesus refer to?

The Messiah often spoke of the commandments of God that were given in the Old Testament. These are also referred to as Biblical law, Mosaic law, the law of Moses, book of the covenant, or Torah. The ten commandments are part of Biblical law, but not all of it. This is the law he is referencing in the Scriptures this post will cover.

When he clashed with religious leaders, it was over what Jesus called, "your law." These would be manmade laws and traditions that the Pharisees and Scribes of the time held to be more important than Biblical law. We will not be looking at these passages in this post.

This post covers what the Messiah said about Biblical law, the commandments of his father.

How do we know that Jesus's law is the same as God's?

Because he tells us this! Verses like: I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me (John 6:38), I and the Father are one (John 10:30), Whatever the Father does, the son does likewise (John 5:19), all speak to the Messiah and the Living God being on the exact same page. We also have Jesus's point-blank statement of, "I did not come to destroy the law."

In light of statements like this, it would make no sense for Jesus to create his own version of Biblical law. He never said he was creating his own law or doing away with the commandments. When he referred to his laws, they always fit with commandments and directions already given in the Old Testament.

Here's what Jesus said about Biblical law:

"If you will enter into life, keep the Torah commandments." -Matthew 19:17

"Blessed are those who hear the word of YHWH and put it into practice." -Luke 11:28

"The weightier matters of law need to be done, without neglecting the smaller matters." -Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42

"Whoever breaks the least of these commands shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven." - Matthew 5:19

"Whatever Moses says, guard and do." -Matthew 23:3

"Do not think that I came to destroy the law or Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete." -Matthew 5:17

"It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the Torah to fall." -Luke 16:31

"If you do these words of mine, you are wise..." -Mathew 7:24

"If you love me you shall guard my commands." -John 14:14

More about Jesus and Biblical law:
Did the Messiah Fulfill the Law? Understanding Matthew 5:17
The Three Types of Laws in Scripture
Did the Messiah Break the Law?

Romans 14 Explained (Key to Understanding New Testament Verses on Food)

Much of Christianity believes that in the New Testament the commandments about what we should not eat are done away with through the work of the Messiah. This idea stems from misunderstanding New Testament Bible passages. If we take a closer look, we will see that Scripture never changes the Living God's instructions about what we eat! It's time to see that point of the Messiah's death was to provide redemption for people, not to add pig flesh to our diets.

Here on the blog, we've already tackled misunderstood passages of the New Testament like, Jesus made all foods clean, Peter's hearing the voice say to eat unclean animals, and eating whatever is set before you. Links are below if you'd like to check out those topics later, but for now we are going to focus on Romans 14.

This passage of Scripture comes up in nearly every discussion about believers and what we eat. It gets thrown out as a catch all, "But Romans 14 says no food is wrong to eat and it's up to our conscience to decide!" Let's take a few minutes to learn to understand that passage of Scripture that has been misunderstood and abused.

Explaining Romans 14:

"One person believes it is right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don't. And those who don't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them." -Romans 14:2-3

"See? Paul is saying that it's right to eat anything and we shouldn't judge what someone else eats because God accepts it, right? So we can eat any animals now, even what were considered abominable in the Old Testament." This logic is used by many believers, and it's extremely flawed. Nowhere in Romans (or anywhere else in the Bible) does it talk about a debate of whether or not it's okay to eat the animals that Leviticus 11 says not to. The subject in question is that while some people choose a vegetarian diet, others eat permissible meats. How do we know they're talking about clean animals? Because the Bible defines food as what YHWH says we can eat. Since Leviticus 11:41 says that things like pigs, dogs, most insects, lions, camels, etc. are not food, we know that "those who don't eat certain foods," weren't eating animals the Bible considers food - such as beef and lamb. This whole debate is about if you have to be a vegetarian, or if it's okay to eat the animals that the Old Testament says you can. 

Romans 14 is not talking about anyone eating what the Bible says is not permissible!

"I know and am convinced on the authority of the Messiah that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat." -Romans 14:14a

Again, the subject here is food, as defined by the Bible. Paul is saying that if the Bible says something is food, then it can be eaten. This fits with other parts of Scripture, like the Messiah saying that the bread his disciples were eating was not unclean, even though they hadn't kept a manmade tradition of ritual hand washing in Mark 7, and 1 Timothy 4 that says that false teachers will promote a demonic idea that not all foods - again things the Bible says we can eat - should be eaten.

Paul is not saying that it's okay to go directly against what the Bible says and eat abominable creatures. 

"If another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom the Messiah died." -Romans 14:15

It is somewhat mystifying that the same people who throw Romans 14 up as a license to consume literally anything they want...from abominable animals to psychedelic drugs...conveniently skip over this verse. Here's a Bible passage reminding us that our choices about what we eat have very real effects on others, and that we should do our very best to act in love and consideration! 

I hope this explanation sheds light on what Paul meant by these words in Romans. When we understand that New Testament authors used the Bible's definition of what food is, then Scripture doesn't contradict itself! 

More about eating:
Did Jesus Declare All Foods Clean?
Understanding Peter's Vision
Should We Eat Whatever is Set Before Us?
Romans 14:5 - About Fasting or the Sabbath?

What Christians Should Know about the Crucifixion

What is the significance of the death of Jesus? As Bible believers, we see that Scripture says that he was sacrificed for us, and that his shed blood covers our sins. But what else should we know about this historical event at Golgotha? It amazes me that even though I grew up in church, there is always more that we can learn about the focal point of Scripture. There are so many fascinating details about the crucifixion that are packed with meaning!

Here are a few things that all believers should know about the Messiah's death:

-It was foretold in the Old Testament. Did you know that there are many prophecies about the death of the Messiah? Passages like Isaiah 53, many Psalms, and Zechariah 12:10 described details of the Savior's death hundreds of years before it happened!

-The Passover story in Exodus was a shadow of the work of the Messiah. In Exodus 12 God told Moses to have every Israelite household slaughter a lamb and brush its blood around the entrance to their homes. The people who followed this instruction were kept safe from the plague of the death of the firstborn. This is why the Messiah is later referred to as the lamb who was slain for our sins, and fits with the New Testament's descriptions of his blood being a covering for our sins.

-The Messiah was put to death on the Biblical holiday of Passover. Amazingly, the true Passover lamb was actually crucified on the day of Passover! Like the Passover lamb, none of his bones were broken. He rose from the grave during the week of Unleavened Bread, on the holiday of First Fruits.

-The Messiah's death was a fulfillment of the shadow of animal sacrifice, particularly the red heifer sacrifice of the Levitical priesthood. Priests used to sacrifice animals to serve as a temporary covering for the sins of the people, and the animals needed to be without blemish. The temple service was an analogy that foreshadowed the work that the Messiah would come to do!

-Caiaphas disqualified himself from his high priest duties. Matthew 26:65 tells us that Caiaphas tore his robes when he accused the Messiah of committing blasphemy. This action meant he was disqualified from serving in the role of high priest, as Leviticus 21:10 tells us that a high priest must not tear his robes. Because of this, there was no high priest that year to officiate the regular sacrifice of a lamb. The only high priest that year was the Messiah himself!

-The covenant with Abraham pointed to the death of the Messiah. Many people believe the cross was some sort of a 'plan B' but YHWH was not surprised by the need for this. All the way back in Genesis 15, the Living God made a covenant with Abraham that indicated that He - YHWH himself - would be the one to die if Abraham or his descendants broke their part of the agreement. If you've ever wondered why Abraham was in a trance during this process, that was YHWH taking full responsibility for the covenant. Isn't that beautiful?

-The Messiah's phrase, "It is finished," has several different meanings. It's not just about the crucifixion being done, we can also understand it to mean he was saying that the system of animal sacrifice as a sin covering had been completed. Many speculate that Levitical priests would have said, "It is finished," at the end of a sacrifice, and take this as another indicator that the Messiah was officiating as high priest. Most significantly, it can also mean that things are restored! I believe part of what Jesus meant when he said that was that now the lost tribes could be restored to the covenant, as well as all individuals having an available means to restoration and relationship with the Living God.

Related posts:
What are the Differences Between Passover and Easter?
The Beginner's Guide to Passover
Five Things Every Believer Should Know about Easter

Messiah our Passover Lamb - Free Printable

Here's a New Testament Bible verse drawing attention to two Biblical holidays: Passover and Unleavened Bread.

"For Messiah our Passover lamb was sacrificed for us: so then let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." -1 Corinthians 5:7-8

That's a powerful statement penned by the Apostle Paul. I love that he said to keep these times, not just know about them. Let us keep the feast. Let us recognize the foretelling of the Messiah in the Exodus story and the holiday of Passover, and celebrate the work he did on this day many years ago. Let us get rid of the old leaven of our cultural traditions and sincerely take part in these times, recognizing that they point to the truth of the Messiah.

What better verse to focus on during these special times? It's an easy way to add a touch of festivity to your home or office, and a decoration that is perfect for Passover and Unleavened Bread. The printable itself is simple enough to print off on any basic printer. I love having this verse out for others to see because it points to the validity of the Messiah and Biblical holidays!

This printable is free for your personal use. Click here to download this printable for Passover and Unleavened Bread. Have a joyous celebration time!

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to Passover
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits
Why the Biblical Holidays are for All Believers