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Some claim the Bible taught that no one could keep the law, and that is why it was removed through Christ. But they do not realize that Biblical references which speak of the difficulty of keeping the law are not referencing God’s Mosaic Law, but ordinances of men, which were considered part of the law in Biblical times. Keeping the whole law included both the oral and written Torah. The oral Torah were additions of men, or the Talmudic oral traditions of Judaism, which are all but impossible to keep. In Galations 5:3, Paul is speaking to those who are considering Judaism, with circumcision being their mark of conversion. He states that such thinking is what Christ came to abolish, and that He was no advantage to them if they believe themselves justified by works. If they accept the tenets of Judaism, they are obligated to keep the oral Torah (Talmud) as well:
I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.
Galatians 5:3 ESV
In contrast to the Talmudic ordinances, when the Bible speaks of the written Torah, it describes it as God’s Law, not man’s. It speaks of it as a joy to keep, light, nourishing, and restful. One does not believe it difficult, such that some champion must fly high to heaven to achieve it, or cross the ocean to retrieve it. Rather, it is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart.
8 And you shall again obey the voice of the Lord and keep all his commandments that I command you today. 9 The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, 10 when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
Deuteronomy 30:8-14 ESV
This same scripture is echoed Pauls writings within the New Testament in Romans 10:6-8. People often want to dismiss Mosaic Law and believe that the NT references to commandments are only speaking of Jesus’ commandments to love God and neighbor only. But when these writers reference the importance of commandments, the NT had not been written. There were no ‘new’ commandments, at that time, only the Law and Prophets of the written Torah. These verses are referencing Mosaic Law.
In Romans 10:6-8, Paul states that the person who believes they are justified by their works shall indeed find them laborious, and will be judged by them.
5For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”
Romans 10:6-8 ESV
An interesting parallel is that mice who are forced to exercise on a wheel, gained almost zero dopamine benefit from exercise, whereas mice that had access to the same wheel but not forced to use it, obtained great dopamine benefit from the same amount of exercise. Likewise, those who use their works to justify their salvation will find their work laborious and heavy, but those who do the same works, but from a heart of grace and love for God, will find their work light and easy. In this case, as opposed to mice, the benefit we are speaking of here is not dopamine levels, but salvation, for God desires a true heart. The righteousness that is justified by faith says in their heart that these commandments are not too difficult to achieve, for their heart is changed (Jer 6:16, Matt 11:28-30, Jer 31:31-34).
Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
Jeremiah 6:16 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
The new covenant meant that the Law was written on the hearts of believers by the blood of Christ in fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:31-34.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Jeremiah 31:31,33 ESV
Recalling Deuteronomy 30:8-14 above, Paul defines the new covenant in Romans 10:6-8 by defining what it means to have righteousness based on faith. He says that having righteousness based on faith means one does not say in their heart that the law is too difficult to keep. It is not too far for them, or too difficult such that someone should do it for them, but it is near to them, and in their heart. Paul is condemning Judaism with its rigid structure and additional commandments of men. He is restating the true nature of God’s Mosaic Law, that the righteous will live by faith. He emphasizes in his letter that Deuteronomy 30 is not about keeping rigid commandments, but rather that one keeps them because they love God. The New covenant did not replace the old, rather it brought the true intention of the old covenant to life anew. Christ reinterprets the OT how it was meant to be understood all along, and paid the penalty for our law violations (see the Torah Defines Sin) so that we may live.
Next Section: Man-Made Ordinances are Not God’s Torah