The Puzzle of Paul and the Law

Should Christian’s tithe? Work on the sabbath? Follow Jewish dietary restrictions? The relationship between the New Covenant believer and the Law of Moses is a confusing, and that’s because Paul’s teaching on the Law is confusing. What, for example, does Paul mean when he says, “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God” (Galatians 2:19)?

Brian Rosner argues that Paul’s treatment of the Law follows a consistent pattern—a 3-step process: Paul, first, repudiates the Law; then replaces it with the “law of the Spirit” and “law of Christ” (love); and, finally, he recycles the Law, not as law, but as prophecy, pointing forward to Christ, and as wisdom, principles for Christian living.

Understanding Paul’s relationship to the Law of Moses is fraught with difficulty. Like a jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing, and the box lid thrown out, there seem to be numerous possible configurations, none of which fits every piece.

However, too much is at stake to ignore the topic, and too many issues are informed by it. Most critically: the relationship between the grace of God in the gift of salvation and the demand of God in the call for holy living. Misunderstanding Paul and the Law leads to distortions of one or both.

If you are not familiar with the complexity of the issue—Paul’s relationship with the Law—consider just a handful of passages and see what sense you make of it.