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About Sal
Expertise
I am privileged to be able to offer an alternative insight into the complicated world of Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) theology. I will rely heavily on the Bible, but will also consider history and use logic in exposing deficiencies in SDA teachings. I would ask anyone who is considering becoming a SDA or if you are already in the SDA church, but are searching for the truth, to please allow me to offer a different explanation for the claims of the SDA. Remember : "The truth will set you free" (John 8:32). I can answer your questions pertaining to the beliefs and history of the SDA. I am not able to answer questions concerning spirituality or church discipline.

Experience
I have extensively studied the theology of the Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) for a number of years. I have many books and tape sets produced by experts in this field of study. I have debated current members of the SDA church. I have a great desire to help these people see the truth.

Education/Credentials
M.S. degree in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics

You are here: Experts > Religion/Spirituality > Christianity - Protestantism > Seventh-Day Adventists > Old and New Law

Seventh-Day Adventists - Old and New Law

Expert: Sal - 11/6/2009

Question
Hi Sal,

What response can be given to an SDA that says the Ten Commandments are still binding on Christians and try’s to back it by quoting Matthew 5 verses 17-20?

God Bless!

David

Answer
Hello David:

Seventh-day Adventists, and other sabbatarians, are fond of using Matthew 5:17-19 as a proof-text for Sabbath-keeping. They reason that the Ten Commandments are not abolished; therefore, we are obligated to keep the 7th day Sabbath. Is that what the text says? Let’s take a look at it in some detail.

It is acknowledged by sabbatarians and non-sabbatarians alike that Matthew 5:17-19 is the pivotal statement from which the whole New Testament theology of law grows. Therefore, it is of great importance that we properly interpret this passage.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets. I have come not to abolish them, but to fulfill them. Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true. That is why whoever breaks the least significant of these commandments and teaches others to do so shall be called the least in the kingdom of God. Whoever fulfills and teaches these commands shall be great in the kingdom of God” (Matthew 5:17-19).

Immediately let’s note that the SDA teaches its members to read v. 17 in a different manner than the rest of Christian churches. They teach that it says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Ten Commandments. I have come not to abolish them, but to continue them.” This way of reading v. 17 has been reported by ex-SDAs and confirmed by my own work with current SDAs. The text does not mention the Ten Commandments but “the law”. By the term law, I intend to prove this momentarily, Jesus means all the law of the Mosaic Covenant not just the Ten Commandments. Another key term in this passage is “fulfill”. By the term fulfill, I also intend to prove this shortly, Jesus means to complete. This being so he will bring an end to the Mosaic Covenant that includes the Ten Commandments.

In Matthew’s gospel Jesus uses the term “law” seven times (5:17, 18; 7:12; 11:13; 12:5; 22: 40; 23:23). If we, for the moment, exclude 5:17 & 18 we can see that Jesus always means the whole Law of Moses, all 613 laws, never once does he mean the Ten Commandments apart from the other laws. This is extremely important information that the SDA church has not transmitted to its followers. I will present just one example from the seven above showing that Jesus meant more than the Ten Commandments when he referred to the law. [Please read all seven references in your own Bible.] “Have you not read in the law how the priests on temple duty can break the Sabbath rest without incurring guilt?” (Matthew 12:5). Obviously Jesus is not referring to the Ten Commandments which do not address this issue at all (see Numbers 28:9-10).

Now, does 5:17 & 18 follow this pattern? I believe that the answer is emphatically “yes”. Jesus uses the key term “the law and the prophets”. This term means all the laws found in the Books of Moses (the first five books of the Bible) and all the writings of the prophets, these all pointed to Jesus. He was not abolishing any of these, but fulfilling them all. “Recall those words I spoke to you when I was still with you: everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and psalms had to be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). In doing this Jesus is bringing them to their God-ordained conclusion. “Christ is the end of the law. Through him, justice comes to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4). If Jesus meant only the Ten Commandments he would have had to specify that since his use of “the law” would automatically cause his hearers to recall the entire Law of Moses. Jesus used the term “the law and the prophets” three other times in Matthew. “Treat others the way you would have them treat you: this sums up the law and the prophets” (7:12). “All the prophets and the law spoke prophetically until John” (11:13). “All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments” (22:40). The two commandments spoken of by Jesus in 22:40 are not from the Ten Commandments, but from the other 603 laws of the Mosaic Covenant (see Deuteronomy 6:5 & Leviticus 19:18). This should help one to see clearly that Jesus meant more than the Ten Commandments when he said, “the law and the prophets”.

The other key term of v. 17 is “fulfill”. Matthew uses this term 14 times besides the usage in v. 17 (1:22-23; 2:15; 2:17; 2:23; 3:15; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:14-15, 34-35; 21:4-5; 26:53-54, 56; 27:9-10). From these usages we learn that fulfill almost always means to complete and end. Jesus brings the law and the prophets to their intended goal. He does not permit us to simply continue with the Mosaic laws. He has fulfilled and completed them. They have no force over Christians. “If you are guided by the spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). The SDA teaching that the Sabbath command is still binding because of 5:17 is not found in a proper exegesis of the text. The context does not even mention the Sabbath, therefore, the SDA have no basis for the claim that in 5:17 Jesus meant to continue the Sabbath.

The SDA interpretation of v.18 is very flawed. They see “the law” as the Ten Commandments none of which will pass away. This is nothing more than a denominational interpretation aimed at convincing the person that is not astute in Bible interpretation that one must keep the Old Covenant sign, the 7th day Sabbath. The major problem with the SDA interpretation is that the law always means the entire 613 laws of the Mosaic Covenant. Nowhere in the Bible are we given permission to separate these laws. Accordingly, if the SDA interpretation of v. 18 were correct it would mean that all 613 laws of the Mosaic Covenant are still in effect! This, of course, is absurd. However, it is the logical result of their flawed theology. The SDA is not known for solid exegesis of the Bible. The key part of v. 18 that is overlooked, either purposely or subconsciously, by SDA apologists is “…not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with UNTIL IT ALL COMES TRUE.” This closing phrase is extremely important to understanding this passage. The Old Covenant, all of it, is done away with because in Christ Jesus it has all come true! Therefore, even if “the law” meant only the Ten Commandments they would not be binding on us today because of the important phrase “until it all comes true”. Once fulfilled the law and the prophets have reached their intended goal of leading us to Christ. Then the law, like a monitor, is dismissed.

“Before faith came we were under the constraint of the law, locked in until the faith that was coming should be revealed. In other words, the law was our monitor until Christ came to bring about our justification through faith. But now that faith is here, we are no longer in the monitor’s charge” (Galatians 3:23-25).

This passage is extremely clear that the Mosaic Law, that includes the 7th day Sabbath, is no longer in effect for Christians. We now answer to a higher moral code (see Matthew 5:20-48; John 13:34, 15:12). This moral code is called the Law of Christ (see I Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2).

The context of vv. 17 & 18 is that the entire Old Covenant is to remain in force until Jesus fulfills it all. Once it “all comes true” it all becomes obsolete.

“Do you not know, brothers--for I am speaking to men who know the law--that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.
So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. Now we have been released from the law--for we have died to what bound us—and we serve in the new spirit, not the antiquated letter” (Romans 7:1-6; see also Romans 8:1-2, 10:4; Galatians 2:16, 3:23-26, 5:18).

While it is quite shocking to SDAs that the Mosaic Law should become obsolete, it is nothing new or unique to Bible-believing Christians. The Bible is clear that it was always God’s intention for the Mosaic Covenant to end. The Bible says that the Ten Commandments, which were the heart of the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13), were always destined to pass away (see II Corinthians 3:7-11); that the Mosaic Covenant was given to Israel only for a divinely appointed time period ending with the coming of Christ (Galatians 3:17-19); that we are to cast out the Mosaic Covenant (Galatians 4:21-31) after it leads us to Christ (Galatians 3:23-26).

Even if these clear Scriptures were not known one could logically infer that the Old Covenant becomes obsolete once the New Covenant is established. Why live under the Old way when the New is superior? “Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry now, just as he is mediator of a better covenant, founded on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6). This shows the Old Covenant to be obsolete since the New is “a better covenant”. The next passage clearly declares the Mosaic Covenant obsolete. “When he says, ‘a new covenant’, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and grown old is close to disappearing” (Hebrews 8:13). It was God’s will that Jesus should end the Old Covenant and begin the New. “Then he says, ‘I have come to do your will’. In other words he takes away the first to establish the second” (Hebrews 10:9). The fact that it was God’s will to completely take away the Old Covenant is overlooked or ignored by the SDA hierarchy. They prefer to believe it was only some of the Covenant that was taken away not it all.

In order to further bring out the fact that “the law” in vv. 17 & 18 refers to all the Mosaic laws as well as all the teachings of the Hebrew Bible, let’s look first at clear Biblical evidence that Jesus meant more than the Ten Commandments. “Jesus answered: ‘Is it not written in your law…’” (John 10:34). Then Jesus quotes from Psalm 82:6 not from the Ten Commandments or from the Torah. Another such example is “However, this only fulfills the text in their law…” (John 15:25). Then Jesus quotes from Psalm 69:5. Next let’s look at an example showing that the Jews of Jesus’ day understood “the law” to refer to more than the Ten Commandments or the Books of Moses. “The crowd objected to his words: ‘We have heard it said in the law that the Messiah is to remain forever’” (John 12:34). This concept is found in Psalm 89:37. So in all three examples the Psalms are called “the law”. This proves that by “the law” is meant something more than the Ten Commandments or any of the 613 laws of the Mosaic Covenant. It is only the SDA hierarchy that believes that “the law” equals the Ten Commandments. This they believe despite the clear Biblical evidence to the contrary. Further evidence comes from St. Paul. In his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul quotes from Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah and calls them “the law” (see 3:10-19). We read in his first Letter to the Corinthians, “It is written in the law…” (14:21). Then St. Paul quotes from Isaiah 28:11-12. All this serves to show that the use of the term “law” was often used as an easy way to refer to the teachings of the Hebrew Bible. In Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus was simply using a form of speech prevalent in his day to refer to the entire Hebrew Bible.

To sum up, we have seen that the Biblical evidence is clear that Matthew 5:17-19 is Jesus assuring the people that he has not come to destroy the Old Religion. He is the fulfillment of that which the Hebrew Scriptures pointed to. He is the goal of the Mosaic Law that the Jews so revered. He is the fulfillment of what the great prophets spoke so magnificently of. Jesus reveals to the people that not the smallest part of the smallest letter will be taken away until it all comes true. Jesus further confirms the Law by saying that if one breaks the least of the 613 Mosaic Laws they will find themselves in God’s disfavor. If one keeps all the Laws of Moses one will be in God’s favor because all the 613 laws are still in effect until he fulfills them all. Then, and only then, the entire Mosaic Covenant will become obsolete giving way to the New Covenant. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25). Let us note that we not only have a new covenant, but a new sign of that covenant—the Lord’s Supper. There is no place for the 7th day Sabbath in the New Covenant. This is a hard exegetical fact for the SDA to accept so they prefer to remain in the Old Covenant.

In the New Covenant, “a better covenant”, Jesus reveals a new higher standard of conduct for his people. “I tell you, unless your holiness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you shall not enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 5:20). Then he gives concrete examples of the superiority of the New Covenant morality (see Matthew 5:21-48). St. Paul calls this New Way the Law of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2). The great commandment of the New Law is to love. “I give you a new commandment: Love one another. Such as my love has been for you, so must your love be for each other. This is how all will know you for my disciples: your love for one another” (John 13:34-35; see also 15:9-17). The righteousness of God’s people is no longer determined by conformity to Old Covenant rules, regulations, and sacrifices, but by conformity to the teachings of Jesus, the New Law Giver. The Old Covenant only possessed mere shadows that Jesus was to perfect. “No one is free, therefore, to pass judgment on you in terms of what you eat or drink or what you do on yearly or monthly feasts, or on the Sabbath. All these were but a shadow of things to come, but the substance is Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).

It was absolutely necessary that the entire Mosaic Covenant pass away in order for the New Covenant to be fully established with its unique mark—a universal Church.

”Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called uncircumcised by those who call themselves the circumcision (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has DESTROYED THE BARRIER, THE DIVIDING WALL OF HOSTILITY, BY ABOLISHING IN HIS FLESH THE LAW WITH ITS COMMANDMENTS AND REGULATIONS. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and IN THIS ONE BODY to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:11-22).

When the best arrives the good must disappear. John the Baptist illustrated this for us. “He must increase, while I must decrease” (John 3:30). So it is with the good Mosaic Covenant with its sign (see Exodus 31:13, 16-17), the 7th day Sabbath, it disappears in order to bring in the superior New Covenant. All Christians, with the exception of sabbatarians, joyfully accept the superior Sabbath rest of the New Covenant—Jesus. We no longer physically rest on a day. We now have a greater spiritual rest in a person.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

I pray that this helps you.

God Be With You,
Sal

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