Chapter I
The Principles and Concepts of the Old Testament, and the Relationship of the Gospels Authors with them
The relying of the Gospel authors and the various churches on the Old Testament, and considering themselves as an extension to it, whether by quoting the texts, or its history, requires us a pause for a comparison between the principles and concepts of the Old Testament and the principles and concepts of the Gospels to find out the truth of this reliance and this extension, and to discover the real sources that were relied upon by the Gospel authors, as well as, it requires us to show the relationship between the Old Testament and the Gospel authors, and their position on the Law in general.
For this, I will review the most important principles and concepts of the Old Testament, and compare them with the principles and concepts of the Gospels, to determine if they agree with each other or not; and if not, we should study and search to discover the sources that have been relied upon by the Gospel authors to write their accounts.
Principle VII: The Law or the Torah
The Law or the Torah is one of the most important principles and concepts in the Old Testament, which means the commandments and judgments and decrees that have been received by Moses from the LORD the Creator of the heavens and the earth in the Sinai after the Exodus, including the Covenant between the Lord and the children of Israel, and can be divided into several sections:
The first and the most important is the Oneness of the Lord and worship Him alone, as shown previously.
The second is the laws that show how to worship the Lord such as prayer and fasting and sacrifices and offerings, etc.
The third is the laws that show the ways of repentance.
The fourth is the laws that set the transactions between the children of Israel, whether in marital relations or commercial transactions and agricultural, etc.
The fifth is the laws that set the relationship between the children of Israel and other Peoples, whether in the fields of economic or social or political.
The sixth is the laws that warn of disobeying the laws, the commandments and decrees.
These are the most prominent sections of the Law, which are written in the books Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, and was not written in a separate book, but mixed with the history of the children of Israel and their movements during their exodus from Egypt to the Holy Land, which made a lot of Biblical scholars and researchers skeptical that Moses had written these books, especially the verses that talked about his death, and what done by the children of Israel to express their grief on him (Deuteronomy 34:1-12), however, there are several texts that talked about the writing of the Law by Moses in a separate book and put it in the Ark of the Covenant, here are some of them:
Deuteronomy 31:9 So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
Exodus 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Deuteronomy 31:24 So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished,
Deuteronomy 31:25 that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying:
Deuteronomy 31:26 "Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you;
Deuteronomy 31:27 "for I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD, then how much more after my death?
2Kings 22:8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
2 Chronicles 5:10 Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they had come out of Egypt.
Although the Law is not in a separate book, the laws that are written in the books that previously mentioned; are considered as they are the laws that Moses had received from the LORD the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and are considered the most important principles in the Old Testament, both in theology or worshiping or history, there are dozens of texts that talk about the value of the Law, and its attributes, which the most important are perfection, integrity, honesty, righteousness, sure, justice and truth, and is good everlasting, and those who are committed to them will get great reward, and who will not commit to will get great punishment, below is a review of some of them:
Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
Psalm 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psalm 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psalm 19:11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.
Psalm 111:7 The works of His hands are verity and justice; All His precepts are sure.
Psalm 111:8 They stand fast forever and ever, And are done in truth and uprightness.
Psalm 111:9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name.
Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
Psalm 119:172 My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness.
Psalm 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
Psalm 119:143 Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, Yet Your commandments are my delights.
Psalm 119:144 The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting; Give me understanding, and I shall live.
Psalm 119:151 You are near, O LORD, And all Your commandments are truth.
Deuteronomy 4:7 "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?
Deuteronomy 4:8 "And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
Psalm 119:86 All Your commandments are faithful; They persecute me wrongfully; Help me!
Deuteronomy 32:45 Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel,
Deuteronomy 32:46 and He said to them: "Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe — all the words of this law.
Deuteronomy 32:47 "For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess."
Given the importance of the Law in terms of the source and attributes, the Old Testament stresses on keeping it and doing the commandments, and curses anyone who will not do it, as in the following texts:
Deuteronomy 27:26 ‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law’. And all the people shall say, ‘Amen’!
Jeremiah 11:3 "and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,
Jeremiah 11:4 "which I commanded your fathers in the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so shall you be My people, and I will be your God’,
These two texts talk about the cursing of anyone who does not obey the Law.
As well as, the Old Testament warns them that they should not add anything to the Law, or take from it, but keep it, as in the following texts:
Deuteronomy 4:1 "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you.
Deuteronomy 4:2 "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
In this text Moses asks the children of Israel to follow the Law, with emphasis not to add to it, nor take from it. So, have the Gospels authors and the churches committed to this commandment?
Deuteronomy 12:32 "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
In this text once again Moses asks the children of Israel to do all the commandments, with emphasis not to add to it, nor take away from it.
Deuteronomy 7:12 "Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.
Deuteronomy 7:13 "And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you.
This text linked between the listening to the Law and keeping it and doing it; and the implementation of the Covenant, which the Lord has promised the children of Israel, and says that if the children of Israel listen to the Law and keep it and do it, then the LORD will love them and bless them and multiply them; and will also bless the fruit of their wombs and the fruit of their land, etc.
This repeated in dozens of texts, including the following texts:
Deuteronomy 11:13 ‘And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deuteronomy 11:14 ‘then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.
Deuteronomy 11:15 ‘And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled’.
Deuteronomy 11:16 "Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them,
Deuteronomy 11:17 "lest the LORD’S anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.
Jeremiah 26:4 "And you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: "If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you,
Jeremiah 26:5 "to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded),
Jeremiah 26:6 "then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth."‘"
In these texts we read in addition to link between the commitment of the Children of Israel the Law and worship the Lord alone; and His love for them by giving them good things; warning them of worship other gods with the Lord or beside Him, because this will raise the anger of the Lord and descend on them calamities and disasters.
Deuteronomy 11:8 "Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess,
Deuteronomy 11:9 "and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey’.
This text links between keeping the Law and stay in the land which the Lord promised to give to the children of Israel.
Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
Exodus 19:4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
Exodus 19:5 ‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
Exodus 19:6 ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
In this text the Lord says if the children of Israel will indeed obey His voice and keep His covenant; they will be a special treasure to Him above all people; and they will be to Him a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
And the greatest commandments in the Law is the Oneness of the LORD, no gods with Him or beside Him, and worship Him alone, and not to worship other gods with Him, and not to make statues, idols and carved images of anything in heaven and earth and bow down to them or serve them, and anyone who violates this commandment; will be subject to severe penalties, and that it may continue for long periods of time, even it will continue with the children and the grandchildren and to the fourth generation, there are many texts talk about this including the following text:
Exodus 20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying:
Exodus 20:2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before Me.
Exodus 20:4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
Exodus 20:5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
There are also some texts talk about the punishment of those who worship other gods instead of the Lord, and transgress the Covenant and the Law by stoning them to death including the following text:
Deuteronomy 17:2 "If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the LORD your God, in transgressing His covenant,
Deuteronomy 17:3 "who has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded,
Deuteronomy 17:4 "and it is told you, and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination has been committed in Israel,
Deuteronomy 17:5 "then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and shall stone to death that man or woman with stones.
Deuteronomy 17:6 "Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.
Deuteronomy 17:7 "The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from among you.
In this text we read the Judgment of the Lord against those who violate His covenant and worship other gods, which is stoning to death.
As well as, the Old Testament stresses to keep the Sabbath as a sign of the covenant between the LORD and the children of Israel, in many texts including the following text:
Exodus 31:12 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Exodus 31:13 "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
Exodus 31:14 ‘You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.
Exodus 31:15 ‘Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 31:16 ‘Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.
Exodus 31:17 ‘It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed’."
In this text we read that the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant between the LORD and the children of Israel and it will be forever, and anyone who desecrates it should be put to death.
From this reading of some texts that talk about the Law and commandments and laws; we got several conclusions:
The first conclusion is that the source of the Law is from the Lord the Creator of heavens and earth.
The second conclusion is that Moses had received it from the LORD directly by speaking to him at Mount Sinai and elsewhere, during the return of the children of Israel to the Holy Land after their return from Egypt.
The third conclusion is that its laws are pure, perfect, righteousness, truthful and trustworthy.
The fourth conclusion is that it will be valid forever.
The fifth conclusion is that no one should add to it or take away from it.
The sixth conclusion is that the Law is the covenant between the LORD and the Children of Israel, and if the children of Israel keeping and doing the Law of the LORD, they will be blessed and will be chosen as a holy nation.
The seventh conclusion is that if the Children of Israel violated the Law; will bring on them the anger and indignation of the Lord and descend upon them all kinds of calamities and disasters and curses.
The eighth conclusion is that there is a separate judgment should be taken against those who do not adhere to certain laws, such as death by stoning to those who do not worship the Lord alone, and worship with him or beside him other gods of any kind, or to those who do not keep the Sabbath, and the other judgments mentioned in the Law.
All these things indicate to the great value of the Law in the prophetic books, for this reason there are many texts talked about blessing the man who keeps and does the Law, as in the following text:
Psalm 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments.
With all these words about the great value of the Law, however, the children of Israel were often do not adhere to the Law, which was mentioned in the Old Testament in dozens of texts including the following text:
Jeremiah 8:4 "Moreover you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: "Will they fall and not rise? Will one turn away and not return?
Jeremiah 8:5 Why has this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit, They refuse to return.
Jeremiah 8:6 I listened and heard, But they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done’? Everyone turned to his own course, As the horse rushes into the battle.
Jeremiah 8:7 "Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD.
Jeremiah 8:8 "How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the LORD is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; So what wisdom do they have?
Jeremiah 23:36 "And the oracle of the LORD you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.
So, what is the position of the Gospels authors and the rest of the New Testament authors and the churches on the Law, in the light of these conclusions?
The position of the Gospels authors and the rest of the New Testament authors and the churches on the Law; is strange and contradictory at the same time!
With regard to the first and the second conclusions, the Gospels authors and the churches have accepted them, however, there are some texts that raise doubts on this acceptance, as in the following texts:
Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"
Matthew 19:4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female’,
Matthew 19:5 "and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
Matthew 19:6 "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
Matthew 19:7 They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"
Matthew 19:8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
In this text Matthew wrote that Jesus said that the law of divorce is from Moses and did not attribute it to the Lord, and this refers to that Matthew and Jesus believe that the Law contains some laws from Moses and not all of them from the Lord, because if they were believing that all the Law from the Lord; phrasing of the text should not be written as it is, but he should write that the divorce was permitted by the Lord and now he does not permit it, this issue, i.e. preventing divorce, will be discussed later.
John 7:22 "Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
In this text John writes on the lips of Jesus that the circumcision is not from Moses, but from the fathers, and this indicates that Jesus and John do not believe that all the Law is from the Lord, but there are some commandments from Moses and the fathers, even though the circumcision was ordered by the Lord, not by Moses nor the fathers! As in the following text:
Genesis 17:7 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
Genesis 17:8 "Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."
Genesis 17:9 And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
Genesis 17:10 "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;
Genesis 17:11 "and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
Genesis 17:12 "He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant.
Genesis 17:13 "He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Genesis 17:14 "And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."
In addition, the circumcision was part of the Law itself which Moses has received from the LORD as in the following text:
Leviticus 12:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Leviticus 12:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean.
Leviticus 12:3 ‘And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
This text confirms that the circumcision is not from Moses nor the fathers but from the Lord, this saying, i.e. that circumcision is not from Moses but from the fathers, although it is not true, it indicates that the Gospels authors did not believe that all the Law is from the Lord.
As for the third and fourth conclusions, which are that the Law is pure, perfect, righteousness, truthful and trustworthy, and it will be forever, the Gospel authors and the rest of the New Testament authors and the churches, especially, Paul did not believe in them, as in the following texts:
Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
King James Version
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace;
New International Version
Ephesians 2:15 By abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.
In this text Paul says that Jesus abolished the Law in his flesh, and this saying may be true but needs evidence from the revelation because it's inconsistent with the texts of the Old Testament, which confirm that the Law will be forever, while, Paul did not provide any evidence to prove his saying, and then he launched a relentless campaign on the Law and described it as weak and useless, and made nothing perfect, as in the following text:
Hebrews 7:18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness,
Hebrews 7:19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
In this text Paul describes the Law that it is weak and useless and made nothing perfect! Which contradicts dozens of texts, as mentioned above, and contrasts with the sayings of all the Prophets of Israel in the Old Testament!
Also he says that the Law is becoming obsolete and will soon disappear as in the following text:
Hebrews 8:13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Although this saying contrasts also with some words of Jesus in the Gospels, it is considered one of the most worst words that have been said against the Law, which certainly indicates that Paul did not believe that the Law is the word of the LORD which Moses had received from the LORD, otherwise if he believes that the Law is from the Lord, he will not dare to write down these descriptions, that may not be suitable for some works of human beings, so how the word of the Lord the Creator of the heavens and the earth?!
With regard to the fifth conclusion, which is that no one should add to the Law, or take away from it; the Gospel authors, the rest of the New Testament authors and the churches did not comply to it, and the Gospels authors have violated and desecrated it, and took away dozens of laws and commandments of the Old Testament, such as the law of divorce, the punishment of adulterers, the circumcision, and others, as in the following texts:
Matthew 5:31 "Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce’.
Matthew 5:32 "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Matthew 5:33 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord’.
Matthew 5:34 "But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
Matthew 5:35 "nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Matthew 5:36 "Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
Matthew 5:37 "But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’, ‘No’. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Matthew 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’.
Matthew 5:39 "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matthew 5:40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
Matthew 5:41 "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
And in the Acts of the Apostles has been set aside the law of circumcision and other laws, except a few of them, as in the following text:
Act 15:23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
Act 15:24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, "You must be circumcised and keep the law" — to whom we gave no such commandment —
Act 15:25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Act 15:26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Act 15:27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
Act 15:29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
As well as Paul in his letters has emphasized and stressed not to keep and commitment and compliance the Law, as in the following texts:
Galatians 5:2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
Galatians 5:3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Romans 14:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.
Then the church councils have set aside the rest of the laws, except what they have liked to keep!
With regard to that it should not add laws to the Law; the Gospels authors have added some laws, such as the baptism, the Supper or the Eucharist, the pluck out the eyes or gouge out the eyes, and the cutting off hands and legs, and other laws, as in the following texts:
Matthew 5:29 "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Matthew 5:30 "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Mark 9:45 "And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched —
Mark 9:46 "where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched’.
Then the churches later added dozens of laws, such as the law of consecration the priests and the law of recognition and the law of consecration of churches and other laws, which have not been mentioned in the Law.
As for the sixth conclusion, which is that the Law is the covenant between the Lord and the children of Israel, and keeping and doing the commandments is the only way to get the blessing of the Lord and His righteousness. Although the existence of texts in the Gospels that calling to keep and do the commandments of the Law as in the following texts:
Mark 10:17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
Mark 10:18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
Mark 10:19 "You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery’, ‘Do not murder’, ‘Do not steal’, ‘Do not bear false witness’, ‘Do not defraud’, ‘Honor your father and your mother’."
Mark 10:20 And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."
Luke 18:18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Luke 18:19 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
Luke 18:20 "You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery’, ‘Do not murder’, ‘Do not steal’, ‘Do not bear false witness’, ‘Honor your father and your mother’."
Luke 18:21 And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."
And the Gospels authors said that Jesus was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, as in the following texts:
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.
Matthew 10:6 "But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 15:23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."
Matthew 15:24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Yet, Paul and the various churches have rejected this conclusion and these texts as well. So, he has attacked the Law and rejected the possibility of justifying any man through keeping and doing the commandments of the Law, as in the following verses:
Galatians 2:16 "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Galatians 2:21 "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."
Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
With regard to the seventh and eighth conclusions, which say that if anyone does not adhere to the Law and worships with the LORD, or beside Him, other gods, and does not keep the Sabbath; the curse will be on him, and be judged to death by stoning, the Gospel authors, the authors of the New Testament and the churches did not pay any attention to it, because they worship three gods with the Lord or beside Him, and they do not commit to the Law and do not keep the Sabbath.
As for the position of the disciples concerning the Law; Luke has shown in the Acts of the Apostles this position clearly, as in the following text:
Act 15:1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
Act 15:2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
Act 15:3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.
Act 15:4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.
Act 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."
Act 15:6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
Act 15:7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
Act 15:8 "So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
Act 15:9 "and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10 "Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11 "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."
Act 15:12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.
Act 15:13 And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, "Men and brethren, listen to me:
Act 15:14 "Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.
Act 15:15 "And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
Act 15:16 ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;
Act 15:17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things’.
Act 15:18 "Known to God from eternity are all His works.
Act 15:19 "Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,
Act 15:20 "but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21 "For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
Act 15:22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
Act 15:23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
Act 15:24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, "You must be circumcised and keep the law" — to whom we gave no such commandment —
Act 15:25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Act 15:26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Act 15:27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
Act 15:29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
As we read in this text that the disciples rejected to keep and do the commandments, except the abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, as well as we read that Peter had described the Law as a yoke on the necks of the people, and he forgot and ignored all the texts that talk about the Law that it pure, perfect, righteousness, truthful and trustworthy, and it will be valid forever, and no one should add to it, or take away from it, under the pretext of that he and the disciples and the Jews were not able to commit to its commandments!
Through this study we conclude that the Gospel authors, the rest of the authors of the New Testament and the churches have rejected the Law, which is one of the most important principles and concepts of the Old Testament, and all the Prophets of Israel were calling to keep all commandments of the Law, including the following verses:
Jeremiah 8:7 "Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD.
Jeremiah 8:8 "How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the LORD is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; So what wisdom do they have?
Jeremiah 23:36 "And the oracle of the LORD you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.
And finally, this rejection confirms that the sources of the Gospels are not from the same source of the Old Testament.
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