A Greater Law

Review

We close out our study of the book of Hebrews today by taking a look at an unspoken comparison.

When reading the last chapter of Hebrews with the understanding we have gleaned about the rest of the book, how the writer of Hebrews was illuminating the inadequacy of the Judaism that was being practiced by those who were antagonizing them and showcasing the superiority of following Jesus, the Messiah, it seems then, rather odd that he would end the book with what seems to be a random bunch of ethical pronouncements and advise for living. How in the world does that even make sense in the light of all we know?

The Oral Law

Starting in about the first Century BC, the Jews were following a very strict body of laws, known today as the talmudic law, or more simply the Talmud. You see a theory was developed that God had revealed much more to Moses than what was contained in the written Torah. They believed that what was not written was passed down from Moses to Joshua and then from Joshua on down. This oral law contained additional understanding on how to live their lives. This was held so sacred by the Jews of that day that finally in about 219 BC, it was summarized and compiled into written form. This book was known as the Mishnah, or second law. Why is it important to know this? Well, any time you hear Jesus blasting the Pharisees regarding the law, it is this law to which he is referring. Any time Jesus or Paul the Apostle are warning about the law and about avoiding legalism, they are speaking about this law. They are never speaking about the law of Moses, nor are the speaking of the commandments given to Abraham and the other patriarchs.

Many Jews at the time considered these additional writings just as binding as the written word of God. It was this oral law that was quoted to Jesus when he was being criticized about his or his disciples’ behavior.

Mark 7:1–5 TLV

Now the Pharisees and some of the Torah scholars who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Yeshua. And they saw that some of His disciples were eating bread with unclean hands, that is, not washed. (For the Pharisees and all Jewish people do not eat unless they wash their hands up to the elbow, keeping the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing. There are many other traditions they have received and hold, such as the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels.) The Pharisees and Torah scholars questioned Yeshua, “Why don’t Your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders? Why do they eat bread with unwashed hands?”

This ritual washing called the n’tilat-yadayim is an example of the law condemned by both Paul and Jesus, and it is also what the Bible is referring to when it condemns legalism. In fact in that very same passage of scripture we see Jesus condemning the Pharisees.

Mark 7:6–15 NKJV

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.

Not only did Jesus condemn the Pharisees to their face, he then called out to the multitude and explained to them that this “oral law” was a made up bunch of garbage. Any time you see the law condemned in the Old Testament, you can be almost certain that this is the law that is being spoken of.

But you say, “Pastor, in this passage no one is condemning any laws at all! What are you talking about?”

That is a good question, and I’m glad I imagined you asking it. So here’s the thing. As wide and vast and as deep and pithy as some of the oral law can be, it has no ethos. There is nothing about it that helps you to live a more ethical life. There is a lot about it that binds you up and ties you up and makes it almost impossible to follow God’s law, but it really says nothing as to how to live righteously. I mean, yes, there is some practical advise offered, such as “Attend no auctions if thou hast no money.” And not only is there no ethos, or ethical system inherit in it, there is no coherent doctrine to speak of.

It is not hard to imagine that some of these Hebrews were being urged to emphasize laws related to foods. We don’t really know the real issue, but if it was concerning what they ate or refused to eat, then they could rest in the fact that his in no way commended them to God.

1 Corinthians 8:8 NKJV

But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

Food rules were never established by God to forge an intimate relationship with him, they were primarily put in place as a practical means of not getting sick.

The Law of Christ

So instead of directly calling out the oral law, the author of Hebrews quotes the “oral law of Christ” which is binding and does contrast with the “oral law” of the Pharisees.

Hebrews 13:1–7 NKJV

Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also. Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

One of the flaws of the oral law is that it was constantly in flux. One rabbi would declare this, but another rabbi would disagree and so some communities practiced things one way and others another way. The author of Hebrews instead asks them to focus on the sovereign unchanging word made flesh.

Hebrews 13:8 NKJV

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And as we focus on this fact, it does something to our hearts. God is a God of grace, and that it is in this grace that the heart is established.

Hebrews 13:9 NKJV

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

And here for the first time, the author touches on the ridiculousness of following talmudic tradition,

Hebrews 13:10–15 NKJV

We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

This would have been a concept that would have absolutely perplexed the Jews, and continues to do so to this day. You see, the Jews don’t have the concept of “vicarious atonement.” in their “oral law” and so they don’t see it, and so they missed Jesus entirely because they were so focused on their traditions despite the fact that the Talmud itself says that “the death of the righteous makes atonement” for others (Leviticus Rabbah, 20.7). Sadly, they fail to realize that there is no one righteous enough to die for the sins of humanity - even though Moses offered once, though God rejected that offer. Isaiah said they were deaf and blind. Speaking of the people of Israel he says:

Isaiah 42:19 NKJV

Who is blind but My servant, Or deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is perfect, And blind as the Lord’s servant?

But in all of their traditions, they failed to see the pattern set before them at the first Pesach (or Passover). where God established the blood of a spotless lamb would provide for the deliverance of those refuge under it. The blood was applied to the doorposts and the angel of death would pass-over the house, sparing those who live therein. This is a beautiful picture of God’s grace, especially when you consider that Israel hadn’t even received the law yet, and here was God pointing to the lamb of God that would take away the sins of the World.

And if we are to be strengthened by the grace of God as we read in verse 9

Hebrews 13:9 NKJV

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Then we ought to remember the admonition of Paul in his letter to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJV

that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Remembering that he is the author and finisher of our faith.

Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

And so what was all this business about the priest being outside the camp blah blah blah. Well the bottom line is that Christ’s death was planned to perfection by God. You see the Hebrew system was all about breaking curses. The animals to be sacrificed had been imparted with the sins of the people. As the people would lay hands on the animal and confess their sin the kohenim (priests) would slay the animal, and then the animal was taken outside the camp and his carcass was burned with fire. The writer of Hebrews shows them that this is why Jesus suffered outside the gate. Not on a holy site, but on a garbage heap. It was on that garbage that the blood of Christ was shed. It’s on the garbage of your life and my life that to blood of Jesus falls and makes the profane holy. Not by anything we do, but by the precious lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

If you were a Jewish believer in Messiah, the message was clear. Do not be content to remain in a traditional setting with its outmoded and useless formulas. But they had to be willing to become dead to the community they once called family.

He ends with some final exhortations

Hebrews 13:16–25 NKJV

But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly. Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Putting it all Together

Jesus did not come to bring us a religious system of dos and don’ts. In fact, he came to dismantle one that was making it very hard for people to follow the law that he had given. The oral tradition of the Hebrews was vapid in that it offered no ethical teaching only a bunch of difficult rituals to observe. The writer of Hebrews points out that Jesus re-focused the people on what was important.

Likewise, we need to be mindful of what we believe. It is so easy to cling to the traditions that we have come up with in the past and embrace those as if they were scripture. I mean, in some churches if you don’t have to praise songs, a transition song followed by an anthem and two worship songs with some flowing chords at the end to allow for the holy spirit to descend have you really worshipped? That sound ridiculous, but I’ve heard that formula discussed. Worse yet, we have traditions that we have imposed on ourselves that we see as a strict way of behaving in certain ways.

The bottom line is always this, does this help me have a better relationship with God yes or no? Does this improve my intimacy with the almighty? If so, then we adhere to it, if not, then we need to doubt its usefulness.

Let’s pray.