A. In the Bible is revealed the only true and living God who is essentially, unchangeably, and infinitely righteous, that is morally straight. His Law, as revealed through Moses, being distinct from previous revelations of His righteousness (Gen. 2:16-17; 4:3-4; 14:18-20:31:54), declared the righteous demands which He placed upon the nation of Israel that had recently been redeemed out of Egypt. While the Ten Commandments are the initial summary of this code, its expanded form is found in the five books of Moses known as the Pentateuch. This whole legal administration, which was always regarded as an interrelated unit, had never before been given to the human race in this manner (Ps. 147:19-20). Such a new revelation was not intended to be a moral aide for better living on the part of Israel, but rather a means of bringing focus upon rebellion and sin that became evident immediately after Israel had crossed the Red Sea. While called upon to be holy through a faith relationship (Exod. 19:5-6; Lev. 11:44-45; Rom. 9:31- 32), in fact this people of God persisted in murmuring (Exod. 15:24; 16:2; 17:2). As a result God “added the Law” so that it might bring to the fore Israel’s sin (Jer. 11:7; Rom. 5:20; Gal. 3:19), that is like the diagnostic purpose of an x-ray machine. However, while an x-ray machine has no healing capacity at all, Israel perverted the purpose of the Law and upheld it as a means of maintaining a sanctified relationship with God in the place of faith (Rom. 9:31-32; Gal. 5:4).
B. Through subsequent centuries the Law continued to magnify Israel’s habitual disobedience and thus caused it to reap God’s promised cursing and dispersal (Deut. 30:1-20). Like a harsh teacher, this Law whipped and drove Israel onward to the revelation of Messiah and Calvary where God ordained a vastly superior remedy for incessant transgression (Gal. 3:24-25). However, once this new surgery became effective, it negated the necessity of looking for aid to the sin-magnifying capacity of the Law (Rom. 7:1-4; 8:2-4). In every way Jesus Christ proved to be superior to Moses in both the areas of justification and sanctification.
C. As the New Covenant, established through the blood of Christ, has replaced the Old Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Luke 22:19-20; II Cor. 3:6; Heb. 12:24), so the Christian finds himself exclusively under His headship and administration. Thus the administration of the righteousness of God via Moses, as a complete system, even if humanly termed as moral, civil, and ceremonial, has completely been done away with (Acts 15:5; II Cor. 3:7-11; Heb. 3:1-6; 8:6-13). In its place is a better administration of the righteousness of God (Heb. 7:19, 22; 12:24). To retain the Decalogue, as if valid for the Christian, is to be locked into the sanctions appointed by God against disobedience. Death for the murderer means death for the Sabbath beaker and adulterer; the Law allows no latitude here! While Moses presents a mere précis of the righteousness of God, Christ is the perfect embodiment of the righteousness of God (Col. 2:9); Moses presents ethic in a limited display whereas Christ presents both ethic and dynamic in full display (Rom. 8:2-4). There is no cause to look back. For this reason the Christian is to be constantly “fixing his eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Heb. 12:2; cf. Gal. 2:20; I Pet. 2:21). The Lord’s Table, as the only repeatable ordinance designed for the Christian’s sanctification, exclusively focuses upon Christ, without the slightest reference to Moses. At the Transfiguration, this was precisely the problem that the Father in heaven responded to with such vigor. Note that in Luke 9:33 we are told that, “as these [presumably Moses and Elijah] were leaving Him [Christ],” only then did Peter intervene with the suggestion that three tabernacles be built. He could not bear to have Moses and Elijah depart and be alone with Jesus. Hence the Father rebuked this misplaced concern with the charge: “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him” (Luke 9:35). So, let Moses and Elijah retire; cleave only to Jesus.
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