GOD’S PURPOSE IN THE GIVING OF THE LAW
Our Meditation this morning will be on the law of Moses as a schoolmaster. Paul deals with the law in Galatians. There were those in Galatia teaching that the keeping of the law was essential to salvation. Paul tells them that anything, including the law, that is inserted as a part of the gospel, perverts the gospel and makes it ineffective as a means of salvation; Galatians 1:6-9.
What was God's purpose in the giving of the law?
Galatians 3:24-26 says, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
The “was” (ginomai) in “Wherefore the law was” means “to become, i.e. to come into existence.” It is a perfect active indicative verb. The perfect tense is completed action in the past, which completed action has present results. This means what it was it remains. What the law was and is, is a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ. The word “schoolmaster” (paidagogos) means according to Strong: “a tutor, i.e., a guardian and guide of boys. Among the Greeks and the Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them before arriving at the age of manhood.” Verse 25 says, “But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” To say the least, that is a relief.
The story in the Scripture that illustrates this best is John 8:1-11. “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
The representatives of Israel (the Law of Moses) brought this woman to Jesus. She had clearly broken the law. They did it, not for the right reason, but they did it just the same. Truth is truth whether you do it for the right reason or not. She had been caught in the very act. It is interesting at this point that these men were a little on the dumb side. It is amazing how dumb smart men can be when their minds are clouded with malice and hatred (educators who teach evolution). If they were so interested in keeping the Law of Moses, why didn’t they bring the man? Surely they must have known that Jesus would bring that up. However, He was very nice to them and only wrote it on the ground (where is the guy?). Well, I’m not sure that was what He wrote on the ground, but it is as good a guess as yours!
Now how would Jesus answer this air tight case? He simply said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Some say that Jesus was saying “he that is without the same sin” begin the stoning. This is an interesting guess.
