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  • From: "Tony Costa" <tmcos AT canada.com>
  • To: corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Corpus-Paul] Did Paul break the Law?
  • Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 12:50:03 -0800 (PST)


Jim West wrote,

"When Paul speaks of "not being under law" Isn't it the
case that he is talking about the ceremonial law? Or
would Paul also have seen himself as outside [
potentially even 'above' ] the moral law too?"

Tony Costa responded:

Jim, the Mosaic law is a unit (613 commandments in
total) even though it has moral, ceremonial, judicial,
and civil aspects to it. I don't think Paul would have
broken the Mosaic law into different categories as some
do today. In Rom.10:4 Paul argues that Christ is the
end of the law. He does speak of another law in his
letters, "the law of Christ" (1 Cor.9:21; Gal.6:2) and
the "law of the Spirit of life" (Rom.8:2)In this latter
passage and following, Paul contrasts the law of the
Spirit with that of the Mosaic law as being superior
and life giving.
Another writer has raised the point that Paul would not
impose the Mosaic law on Gentiles and this seems to be
rather clear esp. in his refusal to have Titus
circumcised. (Gal.2) I don't think Paul was opposed to
Jews observing Torah, as long as Torah was not the
basis for salvation or dividing fellowship with
Gentiles. It is interesting that Paul, though a Jew
claims that he himself is not under the Mosaic law (1
Cor.9:20) but becomes as one to reach his fellow Jews
with the Gospel.
I think that this understanding helps to explain the
case of Onesimus and Philemon in Paul's letter. Being
Gentiles (which I suppose they were), there would be no
need at all for Paul to follow the precepts of
Deut.23:15-16, which precepts and laws were given
particularly to Israel, not the Gentiles. I personally
don't think Paul would be concerned about this because
as I pointed out the coming of Christ inaugurated a new
way of life for both Jews and Gentiles and Paul saw the
law as fulfilling its function in Christ. (Gal.3:19-29;
Rom.10:4)

Tony Costa, ThD (cand)




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