Christ’s death on the cross launched the New Covenant, which means that the Old Covenant remained in effect until Christ died. That explains why Jesus insisted on obedience to the Law of Moses, even as He anticipated the coming kingdom and the New Covenant. Jesus was born under the Law of Moses (Galatians 4:3-4) and lived under that Law. Near the beginning of His ministry, Jesus said,
Truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:18-19)
Did Jesus respect and obey the Law of Moses? Yes. Did He trust the Old Testament Scriptures, as passed down to His time? He repeatedly showed them to be divinely inspired and authoritative. Now, look closer at Matthew 5. Did Jesus say the Law would always stay in effect? He used the word “until”—nothing would change “until all is accomplished.” Jesus never sinned (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 7:16). He accomplished everything in the Law, both in obedience and in fulfillment of its prophecies and purpose (Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:44; Romans 10:4). The Law ruled “until” Jesus’ perfect life and perfect sacrifice brought about its natural conclusion. (Notice “until” also in Galatians 3:19; 4:2.)
While Jesus was keeping the Law, He also brought “a new teaching with authority” (Mark 1:27). He was preparing for changes to come, saying, for example:
- The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel. (Mark 1:15)
- No one puts new wine into old wineskins…. But new wine is for fresh wineskins. (Mark 2:22)
- In the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you [apostles] who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)
- This cup [of grape drink] that is poured out for you is the New Covenant in My blood. (Luke 22:20)
Thus, the accounts of Jesus’ life have a mix of Jesus obeying the Law of Moses, still in effect, even as He lays groundwork for the New Covenant. Even Acts, after the cross, shows how Jewish Christians wrestle with the transition from Moses to Jesus. Scripture itself reveals the mix during Jesus’ life and the transitional struggles in Acts. That, in turn, helps us to discern what relates to the New Covenant and what relates to the Old Covenant. In the remainder of the New Testament, the Holy Spirit continued to reveal “all the truth” (John 16:13). He worked especially through the apostles as “ministers of a New Covenant” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Our aim, as stated by Romans 7:6, is to “serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.”