Topic > A Comparative Analysis of the Laws of the Old Testament and the New Testament

The laws and commandments of the Old Testament and the New Testament have many similarities. Some believe that Jesus' presence and his fulfillment of the law abolish the laws found in the Old Testament. According to Charles Cosgrove, “the Law of Moses was radically altered by the appearance of the messiah” (2014). From this quote it can be deduced that at some point people thought that we should not obey laws or commandments following the arrival of Jesus. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the New Testament, it states that we are now under grace and no longer under law. However, Jesus did not come to set aside the Laws of Moses, but rather to fulfill the laws and commandments. This can be confirmed in Matthew 5:17-18, where Jesus states: “Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill. . . no title will pass from the law until everything is fulfilled.” The presented quote talks about all the laws found in the Old Testament. Moral laws are still in effect, but laws that speak of ceremonies found in the Old Testament were not applicable. Specifically the sacrifice of lambs for the forgiveness of sins. Periodically the Jews had to sacrifice lambs to be forgiven of their sins. This process did not give them complete or permanent forgiveness. This is why Jesus died on the cross to give permanent forgiveness to those who will accept it. The mention of grace rather than law refers to the fact that we no longer have to make animal sacrifices and are now under the grace and mercy of God because his son died for us. Another aspect of the law that no longer needed to be done was death. sanction for particular crimes. In the Old Testament, people were stoned to death for committing an act of adultery. Jesus changed the concept of this law. In John 8:1-11 there is a woman who commits adultery. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees introduced the women and the circumstances to Jesus. They told him how the Law of Moses reveals that the punishment for such an act is stoning. Jesus' response to them, “. . . let him who has never sinned cast the first stone" (Jn 8:7). Those who had told Jesus went away one after another, and Jesus asked the women if they had condemned her. After she said no, Jesus said to her, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more" (John 8:11). In previous times, people who committed adultery were stoned to death. This circumstance demonstrates that it is no longer necessary to stone people who have carried out such actions. It was no longer necessary to stone individuals for these crimes. Instead, they now had to face it with God and no longer with other people. Another part of the law that undergoes changes in both Testaments is the concept of “An Eye for and an Eye.” In the Old Testament, an example of this law is if someone killed someone else. If this were to happen, the offender would kill himself. Death is also a punishment for those who were adulterers or people involved in the occult. This may be because the punishments had to be severe for those in the Old Testament to show to those who would come after. This punishment in a sense follows the idea of ​​an eye for an eye, perhaps to the extreme. Found in the New Testament, Matthew to be specific, Jesus talks about the law regarding an eye for an eye. He mentions the law and then states, “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek to him also" (Mt 5:39). Jesus is