The Mosaic Law

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

I understand that part of the Mosaic Law is temporary, while other parts are not. I know the Fathers have written extensively on the subject. If anyone has an sources of information, I'de [b]apreeshiate[/b] it. (<--- I would also like information on how to correctly spell the word in bold.)

[Dave]

I don't know of any sources offhand, but I can tell you how to spell the word in question -- appreciate.

[Hananiah]

Not just parts of the Old Covenant, but the Old Covenant whole and entire was set aside and replaced by the New (Hebrews 7:18, 10:9). The purpose of the Mosaic Law was to expose sin and condemn sinners (Romans 3:20, 4:15, 5:13, 7:7-8, 8:1-4). If one wished to be justified by Law, one would have to obey it perfectly (Galatians 3:10-12, James 2:10), as legal systems are impersonal and thus have no power to forgive sins. So, when Christ established the New Covenant of grace He set aside the entire legal system of the Old Covenant (Romans 6:14, 7:6, Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:13-15, Henrews 7:18, 8:7, 8:13, 10:9, 10:16-18). All that remains of the Old Covenant today are the principles behind the Law, which Jesus took from the Old Covenant and improved upon them when He established the New. You can see Jesus do this during the Sermon on the Mount whenever He says "before it was said to you... but I say to you."

[Hananiah]

I'm paraphrasing the Catholic Apologetics Study Bible's commentary here. If you get the CASB you can find a great deal of quotes from Saints, Popes, Fathers, and Councils on this issue.

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
4/1 - Fifth Thursday of Lent

St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that there are two kinds of precepts in the Old Covenant: moral (ethical) and juridical (legal). The moral codes still stand - don't kill people, don't take their stuff (especially their wife/husband), don't sleep around, don't lie, you know, Ten Commandments sorts of things. However, the juridical precepts have been fulfilled in Christ ("I came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it."). Therefore, certain precepts fall by the wayside - sacrificial laws, the assigned day of the Sabbath (giving the Church the authority to move it from Saturday to Sunday), clothing laws, laws dealing with ritual purity, &c.

[PedroX]

Christ did not set aside the Old Covenant, He fulfilled it and it sees it on going fulfillment in the New Covenant. To say that God set aside the Old Covenant for a "New Covenant of Grace" implies that God has changed. We must be careful how we word our theology.

peace...

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

Very helpful!

[Hananiah]

[quote name='Pio Nono' date='Apr 1 2004, 06:38 AM'] JMJ
4/1 - Fifth Thursday of Lent

St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that there are two kinds of precepts in the Old Covenant: moral (ethical) and juridical (legal). The moral codes still stand - don't kill people, don't take their stuff (especially their wife/husband), don't sleep around, don't lie, you know, Ten Commandments sorts of things. However, the juridical precepts have been fulfilled in Christ ("I came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it."). Therefore, certain precepts fall by the wayside - sacrificial laws, the assigned day of the Sabbath (giving the Church the authority to move it from Saturday to Sunday), clothing laws, laws dealing with ritual purity, &c. [/quote]
"I answer that he is speaking here about keeping the commandments of the Law insofar as the Law consists of ceremonial precepts and moral precepts. This is the Law that is not of faith... Therefore, strictly speaking, he fulfills the command of faith who does not hope to obtain from it anything present and visible, but things invisible and eternal." (St. Thomas Aquinas, [i]Commentary on Galatians[/i] 3:12)

[Hananiah]

[quote name='PedroX' date='Apr 1 2004, 08:11 AM'] Christ did not set aside the Old Covenant, He fulfilled it and it sees it on going fulfillment in the New Covenant. To say that God set aside the Old Covenant for a "New Covenant of Grace" implies that God has changed. We must be careful how we word our theology.

peace... [/quote]
My wording mirrors that of the Bible. See the passages I cited in my first post here, esp. Eph 2:15.

There is obviously a great deal of overlap between the Old and New Covenants, but this is because the same righteous principles are behind both. These principles are brought out to their fullest in the New Covenant, which is what Jesus did on the Sermon on the Mount.