Did Paul Teach Against the Law?

Introduction

The belief that Jesus canceled or abolished the Torah is often attributed to the writings of Paul, whose words in letters like Galatians and Colossians have been interpreted to suggest that the law is no longer relevant. For centuries, this misconception has fueled the idea that the Torah has been made obsolete for believers. But is this truly what Paul meant? In this lesson, we will explore how Paul, a devout Pharisee who deeply valued the Torah, conveyed the role of the law and its relationship to faith in the Messiah. By reexamining Paul’s words in context, we aim to dispel the notion that Paul taught the cancellation of the Torah and instead uncover the deeper meaning behind his writings.

Did Paul Cancel the Law?

Where does this idea of Jesus canceling the law come from? Unfortunately, much of this idea comes from the writings of Paul. For example, look at what Paul writes in Galatians 3:19:

Why then the law?  It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. (Galatians 3:19, ESV Bible)

Verses like this suggest that since the offspring of the promise has come, Jesus and the Torah must no longer be necessary. Galatians 3:19 is just one of many verses telling a similar message. Galatians 3:24-26 is another example where Paul indicates that the law was only a guardian until Messiah came. Now that the Messiah has come, the Torah is no longer needed. Is that what Paul means? Is Paul in danger of being labeled as a false prophet based on the teaching of Moses in Deuteronomy 13? We see a contradiction here. Perhaps there is more to the story and something we are missing.

Paul was a Pharisee and devout Jewish man who followed the Torah. If Paul had suggested that the Law of Moses would no longer have validity, he would have disqualified himself as a teacher because Israel would consider his teaching blasphemous and contradict the teachings of Moses and Jesus. One of the issues all Christians need to address is how to get a better handle on the teachings of Paul and strive to understand better what he means in light of what we already know from the Hebrew Scriptures and the teachings of Jesus. Let’s take another look at what Paul writes in Galatians 3:18-19:

“For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.” (Galatians 3:18-19, ESV Bible)

The inheritance is the promise to Abraham that all nations will be blessed in his seed and that he would be the father of many nations. This blessing is fulfilled through Abraham’s seed, the Messiah. When Paul says, “For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise,” he is saying that if it only comes to those individuals who are legally Jewish, then it is no longer a promise about all nations. Paul is saying that a person does not need to be Jewish to receive the blessing of Messiah. Why even be Jewish?

Paul asks this same question when he says:

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. (Galatians 3:19-20, ESV Bible)

Paul says that the law “was added because of transgressions.” God promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed, and to this promise, God added the Torah because of transgressions. God added the Torah to identify sin, condemn sin, define sin, and reveal a righteous standard until the coming of Messiah. Paul says it another way in Romans 5:20:

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20, ESV Bible)

In other words, Paul is saying here in Galatians that if salvation comes by being Jewish (under the law), it is no longer a promise that all nations are blessed in Abraham. But the promise of God to Abraham was made for all nations. The Torah was added to the promise to define sin until the Messiah comes, the promised seed through whom God promised to bless all nations. The Torah is the revelation of God’s being, essence until Messiah comes, the promised seed.

Paul explains why God gave the Torah but continues by clarifying that the Torah does not contradict the Abrahamic promise of salvation through faith and blessing of all nations in Messiah. He says:

Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3::21-22, ESV Bible)

If it were possible that observing ceremonies and becoming Jewish could provide legal justification before God and eternal life, then salvation would be by the Torah. Scripture, the Torah, has included everyone under sin, both Jew and Gentile. God’s righteous standard of the Torah condemns all humankind as sinners.

The promise is given to those who believe, but this is not just “faith.” The assurance that came from the faithfulness of Jesus is given to those who are acting in faith or demonstrating their faithfulness. Believing is an active, ongoing, trusting, obedient exercise of faith. This belief is the faith of Abraham. Looking again at Galatians 3:23-26:

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (Galatians 3::23-26, ESV Bible)

This English translation makes it appear that the Jewish people were “imprisoned under the law.” It sounds like the Torah keeps the Jewish people from faith. The paidagogos was the child’s guardian, not his jailer. They were responsible for protecting, supervising, and directing the child. The Greek word translated as “held captive” can also be rendered as “protected, kept safe, or guarded.” Likewise, the Greek word translated as “imprisoned” is better understood as “kept in or enclosed.” We could better read this passage from Galatians like this:

Now before faith came, we [the Jewish people] were [protected] under the law, [kept inside for] the coming faith [that] would be revealed. So then, the [Torah} was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified [exonerated] by faith. (Galatians 3:23-24, Daniel Lancaster retranslation)

“Under the law” means legally Jewish, either by birth or conversion. So, the Torah escorted the Jewish people to Messiah. Still, once they enter the care of the Messiah, the Torah relinquishes them to him. The Torah provided moral boundaries that kept Israel inside the parameters of ethical monotheism. The revelation of the Torah was the only place Israel could draw hope for salvation, a relationship with God, and the expectation of eternal life. Before Messiah, it also made sense for Gentiles to join themselves in Israel through conversion. That was the only way to get under the paidagogos and be preserved for Messiah.

The paidagogos bring the people to Messiah. When Paul said that “we are no longer under a guardian,” he was not implying that the Torah is done away with or canceled. He meant that we should not look to the Torah or legal conversion to Judaism to earn salvation. Salvation is through the grace of God in Yeshua, the Messiah for Jew and Gentile. Here, we see Gentile believers already being led to the teacher of righteousness without the need to become Jewish.

This example from Galatians is just one example of how the writings of Paul can be misconstrued to mean that the Torah is canceled and done away with. Another example that is worth looking at is from Colossians:

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14, ESV Bible)

What is the record of debt mentioned here? It is not uncommon to hear this passage taught as if God nailed the Torah to the cross. Is this true? Not at all! Paul is saying that God has nailed our record of debt or certificate of debt to the cross. The Greek behind record of debt is cheirographon, which means a handwritten document, or legal note. In the Greco-Roman world, the word was used to refer to a note of indebtedness. It was like an “I owe you” note. In ancient Judaism, there is an idea that God keeps a ledger of man’s debt or sins. This corresponds to Paul’s other teaching on the law of sin and death. The debts we incur with sin that leads to our eventual judgment in front of God.

We have to learn to read Paul in a way that aligns with what we already know about the Torah from the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus.

Conclusion

In exploring Paul’s writings, we see that he never intended to cancel or abolish the Torah. Instead, Paul emphasized that the Torah reveals sin and sets a standard for righteousness while pointing us to the Messiah, who fulfills God's promise. Salvation is not achieved by legal adherence to the law or becoming Jewish but through faith in the Messiah for both Jews and Gentiles. Paul’s message is one of continuity between the Torah and faith in Christ, showing that the Torah remains a guide for righteous living, even as believers are justified by faith. Misinterpretations of Paul’s teachings have led to confusion, but when viewed in the context of the Hebrew Scriptures and Jesus' teachings, Paul’s writings reinforce the value of the Torah in the life of faith.