Is Jesus the Law of Moses?
The statement "I am the Law of Moses" does not originate from the Bible. It appears in the recent television series The Chosen, where Jesus says this phrase in one of the episodes. While the series takes creative liberties for storytelling, this particular phrase is not found in the Bible. In Scripture, Jesus never directly calls Himself “the Law of Moses.” Instead, He speaks of fulfilling the Law and the Prophets. In Matthew 5:17, for example, Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Jesus never said “I am the Law of Moses,” but He completes and fulfills the requirements and purpose of the Law through His life and ministry.The Law of Moses, given to the Israelites through Moses, served several purposes. First, it revealed God’s holiness, providing guidelines for righteous living. Leviticus 19:2 emphasizes this by stating, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” The Law established how God called His people to live, so they would thrive and reflect Him to the world (Deuteronomy 4:6; 10:12-13). The Law also convicts us of sin, showing our sinfulness and inability to achieve righteousness through our own efforts. Romans 3:20 says, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” Finally, the Law serves as preparation for the Messiah, pointing to the need for a Savior. Galatians 3:24 describes the Law as a “guardian” that leads us to Christ: “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith.”
When considering Jesus in relation to the Law of Moses, it is important to see that Jesus Himself declared His purpose concerning the Law in Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Jesus did not come to remove the Law. He came to fulfill it, meaning He perfectly lived it out and fulfilled the heart behind the Law. After this statement, Jesus continued explaining the deeper, heart-focused intentions of the Law through teachings on anger, lust, and loving enemies (Matthew 5:21-48). Jesus clarified that righteousness goes beyond outward actions to include inner motives and attitudes, reflecting the true spirit of the Law.
Jesus demonstrated the heart and purposes of the Law through His teachings and actions. As stated in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” His life exemplified what it means to live in accordance with God’s desires, in accordance with the Law. At the same time, Jesus established a new covenant through His sacrificial death and resurrection, where people’s relationship to the Law changed. Jesus made the way for all people to have direct access to God, breaking down barriers that the Law could not remove. Ephesians 2:14-16 expresses this beautifully: “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility… that he might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross.” The Law never saved anyone. Salvation was always through faith in God’s promise of a Messiah and then through faith in the fulfillment of that promise when Christ came (Romans 4:3; Galatians 2:16; Hebrews 10:1-4). Jesus fulfilled the purpose of the Law, which pointed out our sin and our need for a Savior, by being that Savior who fully atoned for our sins. The Bible teaches that the Mosaic Law is no longer binding for believers because Christ fulfilled its purpose (Romans 10:4). Through faith in Jesus, believers are no longer under the Law’s authority but are guided by the new covenant (Galatians 3:24-25; Hebrews 8:13). This new covenant, established through Jesus’ death and resurrection, offers forgiveness of sins and transforms our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Luke 22:20). It enables us to fulfill the law of Christ by empowering us to love God and others as He has loved us (John 13:34; Romans 8:4).
Jesus taught us that the Law is summed up by two commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... and... You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). The Law is helpful to show us specifics of where we are not doing this, but it goes much farther than just following rules. Jesus provides the means for forgiveness and the Holy Spirit provides the empowerment to live according to God’s will. Romans 8:1-2 reassures believers: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses and showed us what its purpose is. He invites us into a relationship with God that goes beyond the limitations of the Law. As believers, we are called to respond to this grace by loving God and loving others, empowered by the Holy Spirit to reflect God’s glory in our lives.
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