Balancing Human Examples with Anti-Legalism in Teaching
The New Testament presents a nuanced perspective on the role of the law and human examples, often contrasting legalistic interpretations with the "surpassing righteousness" taught by Jesus [3]. While the law is affirmed as good when used lawfully, there is a consistent warning against its misuse, particularly when it becomes a means of self-justification or a burden on believers [4, 5].
Jesus himself challenged traditional interpretations of the law, emphasizing that his teachings revealed God's will in a way that went beyond mere adherence to external rules. For instance, he taught that while the law prohibited murder, true righteousness also demanded reconciliation and prohibited hatred [3]. This approach highlights a deeper spiritual understanding rather than a superficial observance.
The Apostle Paul further elaborates on this distinction, particularly in his letters. He describes the law as a "schoolmaster" or "tutor" that guides people to Christ, implying that its purpose is preparatory rather than ultimate [2]. Once faith in Christ is established, believers are no longer "shut up" in bondage to the law but are free [2]. However, this freedom does not negate the law's inherent goodness. The law is considered "good" and in agreement with God's holiness, but it must be used "lawfully" [4]. Its proper use is to awaken a sense of sin in the ungodly, not as a means for the righteous to achieve higher perfection [4].
False teachers, in contrast, often perverted the law, using it in ways that contradicted "wholesome teaching" and the "words of our Lord Jesus Christ" [5, 6]. These teachings often led to profitless speculation and immorality, demonstrating an underlying spiritual state opposed to the Good News [5, 6]. The book of Acts records instances where individuals were accused of teaching against the law, indicating the tension between new Christian teachings and established legal traditions [1].
Sources
- Acts “Acts 18:13 (BBE) — Saying, This man is teaching the people to give worship to God in a way which is against the law.”
- Galatians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Galatians 3:24: "So that the law hath been (that is, hath turned out to be) our schoolmaster (or "tutor," literally, "pedagogue": this term, among the Greeks, meant a faithful servant entrusted with the care of the boy from childhood to puberty, to keep him from evil, physical and moral, and accompany him to his amusements and studies) to guide us unto Christ," with whom we are no longer "shut up" in bondage, but are freemen. "Children" (literally, infants) need such tutoring (Gal 4:3). might be--rather, "that we may be justified by faith"; which we could not be ”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:21: 5:21-47 You have heard. . . . But I say: Jesus contrasts his own teaching to six misinterpretations of the law. Each antithesis provides an example of the surpassing righteousness of Jesus. Jesus reveals the will of God as it contrasts with traditions. 5:21 our ancestors were told: The expression refers to the traditional interpretation of the teachers of religious law and Pharisees. Though their traditions prohibited murder, they did not prohibit hatred. The surpassing righteousness of Jesus demands reconciliation (5:23-24); merely refraining from committing mur”
- 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 1:8: But--"Now we know" (Rom 3:19; Rom 7:14). law is good--in full agreement with God's holiness and goodness. if a man--primarily, a teacher; then, every Christian. use it lawfully--in its lawful place in the Gospel economy, namely, not as a means of a "'righteous man" attaining higher perfection than could be attained by the Gospel alone (Ti1 4:8; Tit 1:14), which was the perverted use to which the false teachers put it, but as a means of awakening the sense of sin in the ungodly (Ti1 1:9-10; compare Rom 7:7-12; Gal 3:21).”
- 1 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Timothy 1:10: 1:10 This list portrays the ultimate tendencies of the false teachers’ teachings, their underlying spiritual state, and the superior righteousness of the Good News (see Matt 5:20; Gal 5:22-23). • that contradicts the wholesome (or sound, healthy) teaching: See also 1 Tim 6:3-4; 2 Tim 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:9, 13; 2:1, 8. This addition to the list is both a closing generalization and a powerful assertion. Righteousness is now defined more perfectly by the Good News than by the law, but law still speaks to all that is opposed to the Good News. The false teachers’ rel”
- 1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 6:3: teach otherwise--than I desire thee to "teach" (Ti1 6:2). The Greek indicative implies, he puts not a merely supposed case, but one actually existing, Ti1 1:3, "Every one who teaches otherwise," that is, who teaches heterodoxy. consent not--Greek, "accede not to." wholesome--"sound" (Ti1 1:10): opposed to the false teachers' words, unsound through profitless science and immorality. words of our Lord Jesus Christ--Paul's inspired words are not merely his own, but are also Christ's words.”