The FIRST RIGHTEOUS MAN needed to hear nothing from the Law. It had nothing to say to him. He had a singular focus and source, His Father, for words and actions, and with atomic precision, on laying his life down and taking it again. Finding the gold of revelation has kept men busy while the glitter seems to be everywhere. John the Baptist let Israel know that the tree was about to fall, and that the symbols and analogies were about to be swallowed up by the reality of God’s Son. We, 2000 years later are trying to turn the tree’s stump, rotting leaves, broken branches, spoiled halfripe fruit, types and carnal regulations into Edenic greatness.

Moses commanded the Israelites, He never commands God. He does not, like Isaiah and Daniel, call the nations (gentile/heathen) to peace with God. God’s Son showed that he was not interested in carrying out sentence against violators of the law when he was asked to concur with an execution by stoning. Genuine love constrained him.

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? John 8:5

But was he only objecting to a case of injustice because the man who slept with the woman was not accused? Was he signaling the end injustice by law? No-one was ever rendered sinless for the purpose of stoning. Hence every instance of stoning was a miscarriage of justice whether the person was innocent or guilty. Apparently, executing innocent people was not unheard of in Israel. The weightier matters of the law, if one is looking for the gold, should be full compliance (a failed enterprise), but that is not what Yeshua taught. He taught that justice, mercy and faith[fulness] were the priorities. The Decalogue never says “Forgive those that wrong you”.

Law’s Population

Would Jesus agree with Paul (1 Timothy 1:5-11) that the law
1. Is for producing love without pretence
2. Is for lawless people
3. Is for disobedient people
4. Is for the ungodly
5. Is for sinners
6. Is for the unholy
7. Is for the profane
8. Is for murderers of fathers
9. Is for murderers of mothers
10. Is for manslayers
11. Is for whoremongers
12. Is for them that defile themselves with mankind
13. Is for menstealers
14. Is for liars
15. Is for perjured persons
16. Is for (PEOPLE ENGAGED IN) any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine?

This incomplete list of 16 tells us that Paul is not seeing “Law” as the ten commandments. Is Paul out on a limb? Why would any Christian adopt the Law as delight for night and day? There is only terror.

Christ was born subject to the Law but it was never his guide. People who accept Christ’s offer of life are freed from the law, free from its curses, free from death, and free from condemnation. The only barrier against failure is Christ himself, not our performance.

The first RIGHTEOUS MAN did not need to hear thou shalt not. The law was not proclaimed to produce righteousness. Commandment-keeping by grace is a $13 coin. Grace works through faith in the service of salvation, and the Law is not a faith venture. In response to the Law one either can say “I am guilty” or be silent.