John‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬, ‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth…For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

John’s next statement is profound, wonderful, and mysterious! Instead of presenting a birth narrative of the Son of God, he made an announcement that links heaven and earth from outside of time into time. God became man, left heaven’s glory for a human existence, and locked Himself, for a season, into all the limitations of humanity and earth. 

John also stated Jesus’ purpose. 

Phase one of God’s dealings with His people was to set up His standard for both a relationship and for fellowship with Him…the Law. His covenant with Israel, given at Sinai and mediated through Moses, had a twofold intention…to set the boundaries around God’s holiness and to show His people the reality of their sinfulness. 

God’s holiness and Israel’s sinfulness were the great barrier between God and Israel and could only be overcome by sacrifice. Hence, sacrifice was the focal point of Israel’s worship. 

God’s moral law, written in the conscience of every newborn baby, was fleshed out in the ceremonial law. What do I mean?

Jesus said that the law of God is summed up in two commandments…love the Lord your God and love your neighbour as yourself. 

“One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭35‬-‭40‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul instructed his Roman readers…

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

The ceremonial law was intended to regulate people’s behaviour towards God and their fellow Israelites. In this way, they would learn to love God and one another. However, the people of Israel discovered that it was impossible for them to obey these two commandments perfectly. They were persistently rebellious against God’s commandments, expressing their rebellion in their defiance of the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me.” 

Every infringement of God’s law had an animal sacrifice to deal with the guilt of disobedience to the ceremonial law. However, no sacrifice could cover the transgression of God’s moral law which was a matter of the heart. 

“The Holy Spirit was showing by this (the tabernacle and its sacrificial system), that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, John indicated that Moses and the law of God were only the first part of God’s revelation of Himself and His way of salvation for Israel first and then for the whole human race. There had to be another and better way for man to approach God. 

Jesus came to earth as fully human and He was, therefore, obligated to obey the same law that God gave to Israel. Unlike His  people, He obeyed the law perfectly and then died as the punishment for disobeying the law. In this way He not only fulfilled the law but also did away with the law as the way of satisfying God’s holy standards. 

To be continued…