“Jesus Kept and Taught the Law, Shared Grace through Parables and Prophesy and Demonstrated the Kingdom until his Death, when he satisfied the Law and could now speak to us plainly.” – Brook Potter
I very often point out the mixed message of the body of believers we have in the church today. On many occasions, I’ve tried to clean them up by putting verses in context and showing the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant. The hardest thing to explain to a believer is about the ministry of Jesus.
In my previous work, The Dividing Line, I explained how the Cross is the dividing line between the Old Covenant and the New. In my work, Jesus and the Law, I explain how Jesus had to keep the law in order to fulfill all righteousness. For instance, when Jesus commanded the people and his disciples to keep the Law, he was obviously talking to the Jews, before the cross under the law and not to New Covenant believers.
Matthew 23:1 -3 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
The law that Jesus observed included Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Jesus had to teach the law to the Jews as it was against the law to teach them Grace, before the law was paid off at the Cross. That is why Jesus hid his Grace from the people, preaching in parables that he knew no one would understand until after the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. Technically, he wasn’t breaking the law, if no one understood what he was saying.
Matthew 13:34 – 35 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
The Gospel of Grace was kept Secret, until the parables of Jesus were illuminated by the Holy Spirit after Pentecost, and also by the 40 days that Jesus spent teaching the Apostles after his Resurrection (Acts 1:3). There was, of course, another way that Jesus could share about Grace without breaking the Law, and that was by use of Prophesy. David had already set that precedent (Romans 4:6 – 8); to foretell of things to come was acceptable under the Law.
The Prophetic Ministry of Jesus is unique, he is the only Prophet that speaks in the present tense. For instance, John 7:37 – 40: In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
Jesus is speaking in the present tense, about events that will occur at the time of his speaking in the future. I believe he does this for a specific reason. In my opinion, even though at the time he spoke these words, they were yet to come, from the cross unto this present day, these words are still being fulfilled daily as men and women around the world awaken to trust in Christ unto salvation.
Many argue that Jesus is the greatest mixed gospel preacher of all! Of course, only those who do not understand the context, the covenants and the multifaceted ministry of Christ would think that. Thank God for the Holy Spirit that can lead us into such amazing truths and reveal unto us the great mysteries of Jesus Christ and his finished work!
Luis Rey, teaching about Jesus and the law.
https://vimeo.com/35493231
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