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Jews: Behold Your God
Are Animal Sacrifices Required?
[Note: For the best treatment of this subject I recommend that the reader read the UCG booklet titled "The New Covenant: Does It Abolish God's Law?", available free of cost at its web site: www.ucg.org.]
Many issues such as animal sacrifices and circumcision were addressed by Paul the apostle in his epistles. Before his conversion to Christianity, he was a zealous, prominent Pharisee, and well versed in Jewish law and practices. He persecuted the Church of God. But then he was struck by Jesus and converted while on his way to Damascus to persecute the Church of God. Paul did not learn the gospel of Jesus Christ from the apostles, but was taught personally by Jesus Christ. He describes this in Galatians 1:11-20:
"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my conversation [conduct] in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called my by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again into Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not."
Paul was already extremely well versed in the scriptures. But after his conversion, he was taught the gospel personally by Jesus Christ in the wilderness over a three year period. The twelve apostles were taught before Jesus' resurrection. But Paul was taught by Jesus Christ after His resurrection. It was the same gospel that had been taught to the twelve apostles for three-and-a-half years before His death, and over 40 days after Jesus' resurrection. Because Paul was well versed in Judaism, he realized the errors in the religion better than anybody else when he was taught the truth by Jesus Christ. Therefore, he was the most qualified person to comment on and confront the errors in Judaism. That is why he confronted Peter on some of these issues, and also discussed them directly at length in his epistles.
Paul kept God’s Law as the Jews of his day kept it. This would include the Sabbath and all the other commandments because he says in Philippians 3:6 that he was, “6…touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”
We have earlier proved that both the Old Testament and the New Testament are the inspired true Word of God. It is the truth. One of the primary principles for understanding a subject from the Bible is that we must consider all the scriptures on that subject, both from the Old and New Testaments. With this in mind, let us research each of the issues from the complete Bible.
Are Animal Sacrifices Necessary for Forgiveness of Sins and Salvation?
A New Covenant Promised
God had made covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David, revealing some details of His plans for mankind. But Israelites were unable to keep their end of the covenant because they violated His Law. Then through Jeremiah the prophet God promised to make a New Covenant in Jeremiah 32:40 (NKJV), "I will make an everlasting [meaning permanent] covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.”
Why was a New Covenant necessary? God through Moses had already indicated the need for one. In Deuteronomy 5:29 God lamented, “29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!” Further in Deuteronomy 29:4 (NKJV), “4 Yet the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.”
Under the Old Covenant ancient Israelites did not have a heart that would enable them to perceive the intent of God’s commandments, eyes to see, ears to hear and that would enable them to keep all His commandments. Thus a change of heart was needed that would put godly fear in the heart of God’s people to enable them to keep God commandments.
Other details about the New Covenant and how God would give His people a new heart were provided through Ezekiel 36:27-28, “26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”
In the New Covenant God promised to give His people a new heart by putting a new spirit, His holy spirit, within man. It will take the heart of stone out of them and give them a heart of flesh which will enable them to walk in His Law – i.e. commandments, statutes and judgments.
Then through Jeremiah the prophet God provided further details on how He will enable His people to keep His Law so that they do not break His New Covenant as Israel broke His Old Covenant:
Jeremiah 31:31-33, “31 "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
There is no hint in these verses that there was anything wrong with God’s Law or any change in the spiritual aspects of the Law (commandments, statutes and judgments) [but we will prove what changes were made in the ceremonial and sacrificial part of Moses’ Law] was warranted. In the New Covenant God promised to give the people a new heart through His holy spirit so that they would be able to keep Moses’ Law. Also through the holy spirit God’s law would be written in their hearts and minds and not remain only on tablets of stone. The Law itself would not be changed.
The writer of Hebrews quotes these verses in indicating where the fault lay in the Old Covenant in Hebrews 8:7-10 (NIV), “7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
Thus we see that the fault in the Old Covenant was not with the Law but with the people. With their hearts of stone the people simply could not keep God’s spiritual part of the Law (written on tablets of stone) perfectly and sinned. In the New Covenant God’s spiritual part of the Law will be written in the hearts and minds of the people [meaning internalized] and will be able to keep it with the help of God’s holy spirit.
What is a Covenant?
A covenant is a long-term binding agreement between two people or peoples. It spells out the commitments and obligations of the parties to each other.
In a divine covenant, God defines the basic obligations that He imposes on Himself and, what the other parties to the covenant are obligated to do. The primary feature of divine covenants is the blessings God promises if the other party holds up its part of the commitment, and curses or punishments if the other party fails to live up to its obligations under the agreement. It is like a constitution that regulates God’s relationship with the people.
The Old Covenant
The ancient covenant God made with Israel at Mt. Sinai established the nation of ancient Israel. God gave His Law as the constitution that the nation would be governed by. If ancient Israel obeyed God’s Law, then God promised incredible blessings and prosperity. If they disobeyed then under the terms of the covenant the nation and the people would be cursed and punished. The blessings and curses are spelled out in considerable detail in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28.
Ancient Israel agreed to obey God not only in the words He delivered through Moses. When the Ten Commandments were given the people were afraid of the thunder, lightnings, fire and smoke on Mt. Sinai. So they told Moses, "Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die.
"For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it" (Deuteronomy 5:24-27 - NKJV).
Then verses 28-31, “28 Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. 29 Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! 30 Go and say to them, "Return to your tents." 31 But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.'”
Because of the terror Israelites felt at the awesome power of God displayed on Mt. Sinai, they requested that God not speak directly to them, but that Moses should go and hear His words and then tell them. From that time on the words of God’s prophets carried the same authority as the words God spoke directly.
Peter the apostle confirmed this in 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NKJV), “20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
The words of the Old Testament prophets thus carry the same authority as God’s words. That’s why when the prophets wrote they wrote statements such as, ‘And the word of the Lord came to me” as in Isaiah 38:4, Jeremiah 1:4-5, Ezekiel 6:1-3.
But that authority was given to the apostles later. Acts 4:29-31 notes this: “29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
In ancient times covenants were ratified with rituals such as sprinkling of blood or animal sacrifices and kept alive through annual enactment of those rituals to serve as reminders of the ongoing commitment of the parties to the covenant. But the real substance of the covenant was not the rituals but the stipulated obligations and commitments. That is why the Old Covenant had ceremonial rituals and washings, animal sacrifices that served as reminders of sins.
The sacrifices, gifts and rituals however could not make the worshipper perfect because "the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper" (Hebrews 9:9, NIV). The rituals were a reminder that a better and permanent solution was needed to deal with human spiritual weaknesses. The New Covenant would provide that solution by providing spiritual power through the holy spirit and purge the conscience by forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
The New Covenant
The New Covenant is a promise of the establishment of the Kingdom of God by the Messiah which will include all of humanity and will rule the earth (Isaiah 9:7, Luke 22:29-30, Revelation 11:15 and Matthew 25:34, “34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”)
Both the Old and New covenants were based on God’s promise to Abraham’s Seed, which is Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NKJV) states, “16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ.”
That’s why the gospel Jesus preached was all about the Kingdom of God (ark 1:14-15) and the repentance, keeping the Law and overcoming of sin that were required to qualify to enter the Kingdom.
Because Jesus remained sinless, He alone qualified to receive all the promises. But through His sacrifice any human can qualify to inherit the promises. And that is the only way to inherit the promises. Peter said so in Acts 4:12 (NKJV), “12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Under the New Covenant those who repent, accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as payment of the death penalty for their sins and then diligently obey the Law [meaning keep God’s commandments and work to overcome sin] can inherit the promised Kingdom of God.
But we cannot inherit the kingdom of God as flesh and blood human beings. We must first receive eternal life to enter the Kingdom of God. Therefore the New Covenant promised eternal life to enable us to inherit the Kingdom of God. Paul the apostle made this very clear in 1 Corinthians 15:45-53:
“45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy [Adam], we shall also bear the image of the heavenly [Jesus Christ]. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump [seventh trumpet when Jesus Christ returns to earth; Matthew 24:31, Revelation 11:15]: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Comparison of the Two Covenants
The writer of Hebrews gives a broad comparison of the two covenants in Hebrews 8:1, 6 (NKJV), “1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens…6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”
The New Covenant is a better covenant which was established on better promises. Here are the main differences between the two covenants:
1. The Old Covenant was made with ancient Israel. The New Covenant is made with spiritual Israel which according to God’s plan of salvation will eventually encompass all of humanity. Thus the promises of the New Covenant are available to each and every human being.
2. The Old Covenant gave an incredible Law obedience to which would bless the nation. But experience of ancient Israel proved that humans are incapable of obeying God’s Law perfectly because of their stony heart. Only one human being, Jesus Christ, has been able to keep it perfectly. In the New Covenant God promises to give humans a new righteous heart of flesh through the power of His holy spirit to enable them to keep God’s Law.
3. In the Old Covenant the people had a conscience of only keeping the letter of the Law. Under the New Covenant the people are required to keep the latter and the spiritual intent of the Law.
4. The Old Covenant in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 promised incredible material and physical blessings for obedience to God’s Law. But there was no promise of anything beyond the physical life. The New Covenant promises eternal life.
5. The Old Covenant promised ancient Israel a Kingdom in a specific land. Under the New Covenant the Kingdom of God will encompass and rule over the entire earth.
6. The Old Covenant was temporary as we shall see. The New Covenant is permanent and will last forever.
7. In the Old Covenant God spoke through His prophets. Under the New Covenant God spoke through the apostles.
8. The Sinai Covenant's rituals and sacrifices could only remind the people of their guilt for sin and their need for redemption. They could not cancel their guilt because the sinner’s death penalty cannot be paid by the death of an animal as Hebrews 10:4 states, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." Death of a lesser creature cannot pay the death penalty for one greater. However, under the New Covenant Jesus Christ's sacrifice blots out permanently the sins of those who repent and cancels their guilt (John 1:29; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5).
9. Change in the priesthood from the Levitical high priest under the Old Covenant to Jesus Christ as our New High Priest. A change in the Law was made to accommodate this change in the priesthood. In addition, the Levitical priesthood was also changed to Christ’s ministers over the Church. This will be explained later.
10. The Old Covenant had the Levitical priesthood that would help explain the Law to the people. But under the New Covenant the people would have a High Priest (Jesus Christ) who in addition to God’s Holy Spirit will assist them in keeping the Law by living His life in them. This will be explained later.
An interim arrangement
Thus we see that The Sinai or Old Covenant is not the complete, final model for our relationship with God. It was a temporary arrangement. The UCG booklet “The New Covenant: Does it Abolish God’s Law” explains why on p. 25:
“Though it contained many permanent, eternal principles, many of its figurative benefits, instructive as they were, represented only symbolically the far better benefits included in the New Covenant relationship with God that was established later by Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah.
“As Hebrews 9:9-10 explains, the ritualism of the covenant at Sinai "was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation."
“A future revision of that covenant—particularly in those features linked to the death and mission of the coming Messiah—was promised. God announced through His prophets that with this "better covenant" He would put His laws in the minds of humanity and He would write them on their hearts. He promised to provide—at the individual level—direct access to Him (Hebrews 8:6; Jeremiah 31:31-34).
“It should now be made eminently clear that God was not blindsided by Israel's failures. He anticipated them. From the beginning He revealed hints of a "better" solution to the sinfulness of mankind that could be made available only through the coming Messiah. Those "hints," in the form of various ceremonies, symbols and rituals, are woven throughout the instructions given under the Sinai Covenant.”
Hebrews 8:10-13 shows that the Old Covenant has become obsolete: "'This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach one another or say to each other, "Know the Lord," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.' In speaking of 'a new covenant,' he has made the first one obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old will soon disappear" (Hebrews 8:10-13, NRSV).
UCG booklet continues: “Only a few decades after Jesus Christ was crucified, and not long after these words were written, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70 and the entire ceremonial and sacrificial system attached to it came to an end. It truly became obsolete.
“Once the sacrifice of Christ was in place, those temple ceremonies and rituals were simply no longer needed. But as Hebrews 8:10-13 clearly tells us, the spiritual laws that God had included in the Sinai Covenant were not disbanded. With the Spirit of God now available, the principles of love that the law so eloquently expressed can finally be written in the hearts of all who repent of breaking them. That is the central promise of the New Covenant.”
Our Relationship with Jesus Christ our new High Priest
Hebrews 7 explains the change in the priesthood that the high priest under the Sinai Covenant serving till his death in the tabernacle and later the Temple came from the tribe of Levi from Aaron’s sons whereas under the New Covenant Jesus came from the tribe of Judah and is our eternal High Priest currently serving in heaven at the right hand of the Father with direct access to Him.
This is stated in Hebrews 8:1-2: "The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man" (NIV).
Jesus Christ can also personally assist every person because He experienced life as a human and understands our weaknesses. Hebrews 2:17-18 (NIV) states: "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God…Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." The physical high priest under the Sinai Covenant could not provide such help.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NKJV) further adds: "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
What was the “Whole” Law
Paul mentioned "the whole law" in Galatians 5:3. What did he mean?
The Law of Moses had three main categories of laws that served different objectives.
First, the law contains the Ten Commandments and many other commands, statutes and judgments that define sin and what our relationships with God and man should be. These laws reflected God's divine nature of outgoing love (2 Peter 1:4; Matthew 22:37-40). These laws were known by God's servants such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and others long before Moses.
This part of the Law is permanent. It did not originate at Sinai and did not end with Jesus Christ's sacrifice. Paul called this part of the Law as "holy and just and good," in Romans 7:11-14, 22, “11 For sin [referring to the Law that defines sin], taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good… 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.”
Second part of "the whole law" contains symbolic sacrifices, offerings of food and drink, ceremonial washings and other regulations pointed to Christ's role in solving humanity's problem with sin. These were temporary. Hebrews 9:9-10 explains that they are no longer required after Jesus became the sacrifice for atonement for sin they represented. This part of the law thus became obsolete (Hebrews 8:13).
Third part of the law included regulations for governing the nation of Israel. These included ordinances prescribing punishments for violations of these laws. These laws can still serve as useful examples of sound and godly judgment and provide guidance in governing a nation righteously.
Why Animal Sacrifices and Rituals no longer Needed
As already mentioned Hebrews 8:13 (NIV) clearly states that the Sinai Covenant is obsolete: “13 By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.”
Jesus prophesied that the temple would be destroyed in Matthew 24:1-2 (NKJV), “1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
He knew that the temple-based system of worship under the Old Covenant would no longer be needed under the New Covenant. So He ended it in A.D. 70 when Roman armies captured Jerusalem and completely destroyed the Temple and the priesthood that served in it came to an end.
Hebrews 9:1-10 (NIV) clearly spells out the temporary nature of the Temple worship system: “1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
“6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.
“9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings--external regulations applying until the time of the new order [under the New Covenant].”
These verses clearly explain what was temporary regulations that applied only till the new order under the New Covenant. These temporary regulations included the animal sacrifices which the high priest offered for himself and the people, the food and drink offerings and the ceremonial washings. These have become obsolete under the New Covenant.
These temporary regulations were permanently replaced by Jesus’ sacrifice which is further explained in verses 11-15, “11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
Notice the last part of verse 15. The animal sacrifices had not taken away the sins of any who had died in the Lord. These included all of God’s prophets and the patriarchs who had God’s holy spirit. Only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was finally able to forgive their sins so that they can receive eternal life.
Laws that Define Sin Not Changed
Now notice again that the only part of the Law these verses state applied till the New Covenant were the animal sacrifices and the Temple based ceremonial rituals and washings. No part of the spiritual Law governing our relationships with God and man, the laws that define sin, was done away. Those laws, the Ten Commandments, statutes and judgments are still binding.
That’s why Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill [to fill up the law to its fullest intent and purpose and to become the High Priest and ultimate sacrifice foreshadowed in both the Law and the Prophets]. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished" (Matthew 5:17-18, NRSV).
Paul, also agrees with Jesus when he writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God [is ‘God-breathed’ in the NIV], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Thus both Jesus [because the Old Testament was the only scripture available when Jesus spoke] and Paul tell us that both the Old and New Testament scriptures are inspired by God and required for Christian development and growth in righteousness.
Law Concerning Priesthood Changed
Paul explained in Hebrews 7:11-28 (NIV) why the laws concerning the priesthood had to be changed:
“11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of this priesthood the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. 13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
“15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
“18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. 20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' " 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. 23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
“26 Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”
Psalm 110:4 actually prophesied the appointment of the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek: “4 The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
Another aspect of the Law that was changed concerned the Levitical priesthood. Instead of Levitical priests, God’s appointed ministers were to minister to the spiritual needs of the people. God’s ministers did not have to be Levites. The qualifications of a bishop or minister of God are stated in 2 Timothy 3:2-8 (NKJV), “2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
There is no mention here of God’s true ministers being from the tribe of Levi.
God empowers His true ministers with His holy spirit so that they can understand and properly discern the spiritual intent of the Law and enable the members to apply it to their lives. In addition they are given special discernment to understand doctrine (Matthew 18:18 and Acts 15:1-29).
Paul also explained in 2 Corinthians 3:6-11: “6 Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious.”
Paul here calls the New Covenant ministry as ministration of the spirit which is more glorious than was the ministration of the letter of the Law under the Sinai Covenant.
Thus we see that the Law needed to be amended to accommodate the changes that were required in the priesthood and the ministry to deliver “better promises” of the New Covenant.
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