Why was the role of Jewish Law in Christian beliefs and practices a source of conflict among converts?

Answer 1

Jewish law has no role in Christianity. The New Testament tells us that the old covenant has passed away and a new covenant based on the death of Jesus Christ now exists.

Mat 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

The book of Galatians in the New Testament teaches against Christians keeping the law.

Answer 2

The primary issue was that the converts did not want to perform Old Testament Law; it is incredibly burdensome. Greek males did not want to get circumcised. Greeks did not want to cease working once a week. Greeks did not want to have give up eating pork. However, as the original Christians were Jews and did all of those things, it was a source of conflict about whether or not Greek Christians would have to do these things they found detestable as well to achieve salvation.

Answer 3

The first place that most make in error when considering conversion is in calling the law of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible - "the Jewish Law" although it is the Jewish people who strive to follow it with man-made modifications or interpretations as to how. The Scripture calls is 'God's Law' in numerous places - they are His Commands:

Leviticus 18:4New International Version (NIV)4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God.


The next major place that Christian converts fail to comprehend what the mission of Jesus was. Unlike what most believe today that He did away with the Old and established the New. This is not true as taken today as God (Jesus was the same in the Old and the New - see 1 Corinthians 10:4) does not change (see Numbers 23:19 and James 1:17). Therefore, what He said/gave to the called-out Congregation of Israel of the Old Testament is still in place today for all in the New Testament. After all Jesus Himself, said He did not come to destroy the law or remove the smallest aspect of it:

Matthew 5:17-18New King James Version (NKJV)Christ Fulfills the Law

17 Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Depending on which 'scholar' you examine, the number of quotations/references to the Old Testament used in the New Testament may be as high as 4,105. Compare this to the number of New Testament writers who quoted each other - just 4 times (Roger Nicole, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, 1979, Vol.1, p. 617). The Apostle Paul who was sent to the gentiles and is often used as the 'standard' when discussing the 'new religion' called "The Way" and eventually 'Christianity,' used the Old Testament 183 times in his passages by quoting directly or paraphrases verses. Now that doesn't include the dozens of other references to people, places, and events in the Old Testament (see Complete Jewish Bible). He based many of his teachings on the authority of the Old Testament.

So now the question remains, what if anything did the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ do to the Old Covenant making it the better and New Covenant. In short, the sacrificial and cleanliness laws given post Mt. Sinai (approximately 1 year later to aid in the Hebrews remembering the Law). Jesus is the Passover Lamb, the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind who cleans or takes away the sins of the world. There is no need for regular physical sacrifices that could never remove the quilt of sin. He also became our living and eternal High Priest (see all of Hebrews):

Hebrews 5:9-11New King James Version (NKJV)9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing..

The same Commands given to the Congregation of Israel remain intake for the Church of God today. God's Law - not Jewish Law - has not changed as it is eternal and spiritual:

John 15:10New King James Version (NKJV)10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.