And what when the Mosaic law says, you do so and so and you shall surely die, while the NT says, you are free to do so-and-so in Christ? What then?This might not be the best of examples since these people knew all of these verses by heart, and worked very very hard to straw all the gnats that came their way. But as they where trying to trap Jesus, justice wasnt on their agenda. And further, while an emphasis on the law might, I say might, produce good conduct, it will not produce neither love nor compassion. Jesus rebuked these people for that aswell. (Have you ever seen a loving pharisee in your church or anywhere else?)

Mark

I think the quicksand marsh that you warn about on the left side of the road is a legitimate concern. However, if the solution takes you to be balancing on the verge to the abyss on the other side of the road, thats a legitimate concern aswell.

I do not see a significant shift from the OT to the NT so far as the principles of the Mosaic Law is concerned. Just because the church in the NT no longer operates under a theocracy in the same way the nation of Israel did in the OT, especially as it applies to the death penalty, it doesn't mean God has changed His mind about it in the NT.

The judicial aspect of the Mosaic Law is just as binding and legitimate in the NT as it was in the OT. The only difference in the NT is that God will execute the death penalty Himself at the end of time in the lake of fire. This is not to say that the Jews in the OT were not also required to "give place unto wrath" or to "overcome evil with good".

Romans
12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

!

I'm not making a comment one way or the other about the Mosaic law here, but just pointing out that what the pharisee was not an emphasis on the law. That was a symptom. The problem of the pharisee was not due to the law.

Leviticus chapters 1-7 Laws on offerings.
Leviticus chapters 8-9 The anointing of the tabernacle and priesthood.
Leviticus chapters 10 The unclean fire of Nadab and Abihu
Leviticus chapters 11 Laws on food animals
Leviticus chapters 12-15 Laws on uncleanness before the Lord
Leviticus chapters 16 Laws for the priest for the day of atonement
Leviticus chapters 17 Laws on the butchering of animals
Leviticus chapters 18 Laws on sexual relationships
Leviticus chapters 19-20 Laws relating to the 10 + some apparently miscellaneous others
Leviticus chapters 21-22 Laws relating to the priests
Leviticus chapters 23 The feasts of Israel
Leviticus chapters 24 Miscellaneous temple routine and capital crimes
Leviticus chapters 25 Laws on sabbath years and jubilee years, laws on acceptable slavery and servanthood
Leviticus chapters 26 Promises and threats on the people for their following the law
Leviticus chapters 27 The value of man and beast and possessions in gold

How much of this relate to us, today?

What if the problem of the pharisee was due to making such an effort to keep the law that anything else was secoundary? As in "I do not care if this man was suffering or not, the law says no work, and it means NO WORK!!!. And yet here you come and do work to heal him?? How dare you break the sabbath by healing this man?, and they went away plotting to kill him..."

As with all laws the nature of the righteusness of him who is applying the law is the issue.

What John said. The problem is with the person, not the law.

We have the same issue with the Spirit of Prophecy, as an example. These writings can be the greatest of blessing, or used like a sledge hammer in a way she never intended.

The problem of the pharisee (to find one, look in the mirror), is the disposition to judge another, or oneself, according to man-made rules and ideas. The law was given because of transgression, in order to lead us to repentance, to lead us to Christ. However, as Paul puts it, the law can be used unlawfully. Then the final result is to take one using the law further away from God rather than closer to Him. But is the problem with the law? May it never be! The law is holy, and just, and good.

There's sort of a catch 22 here, a vicious circle. The solution is to somehow see the truth about God, who is gracious, wonderfully merciful, kind, forgiving and patient. Once we get a glimpse of His true character, then these other things fall into place. Christ had this in mind when He said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these other things shall be added unto you."