Scripture is abundantly clear that the Mosaic Law was still in effect long after the crusifixion and resurrection:
Hebrews 8:13
In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
The writer of Hebrews is clear. The Old covenant, the Law of Moses, was at the time the book was penned several decades AFTER the cross, was in a state of "Growing old" and "Becoming obsolete", but had not yet vanished as you assert.
1 Corinthians 9:20
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
Paul is also clear that in the 50's AD, there were still Jews who were "under the Law", which poses a real problem for folks who would say no one was under the law at that time.
The Temple being destroyed was physical confirmation of the spiritual reality of Jews being excommunicated out of Covenant with God, but it's destruction was punishment metered out by the provisions of the Mosaic Law, (Deuteronomy 18) therefore the Mosaic Law was required to be in effect and functioning, otherwise God is shown to be unjust because He would be metering out a covenantal punishment upon people who are not bound by the terms of the covenant.
Thankfully, God is Just, and the Jews of 66-70AD were under the Law and thus subject to it's consiquences for not following it. The Law ended with the temple's destruction, not at the cross.
The Law of Moses was still
a living code being practiced in the Nation and
entangling the Church (Gal 4:1-5:5) long after the Veil was torn (and repaired).
The Old Covenant was still present in the Nation and Christians were entangled in it (Heb 8:13; 2 Cor 3:6-12; Gal 4:24-25; Gal 4:1-5:5).
The Law Covenant was not yet vanished as of the 60s AD (according to
Hebrews 8:13) and all followers of Jesus who were not walking according to the Spirit were cursed UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES according to Paul. Those Christ-rejectors were about to be judged by the Law of Moses at AD 70 (
Romans 2:12; 1 Thess 2:14-16; Acts 13:40; Acts 17:31; 2 Tim 4:1;
Matthew 23:33-38;
Luke 21:20-22;
1 Peter 4:17). Millions of those jews who refused to seek the righteousness which is by faith were violently destroyed at AD 66-70,
Under the terms of the LAW.
The Old Covenant Laws ALL had to be obeyed note for note by God's people. The curses and blessings of the Law are entirely dependent on the obedience of its subjects to the code. The judgments of the Law are what happened to Israel when the Babylonians destroyed them (read Lamentations). The judgments of the Law are what happened when the Romans destroyed them.
Leviticus 26 and
Deuteronomy 28 are the judgments of the Law, and could only be metered out to people
who are UNDER THE LAW at the time.
Finally, If you Believe the Law is over, you must also believe this is now fulfilled, and Sin has no power today:
1 Cor 15:54-56
"then shall be brought to pass the word that hath been written, 'The Death was swallowed up -- to victory; Where, O Death, is thy sting? Where, O HADES is thy victory?' And the sting of the death is sin, AND THE POWER OF SIN IS THE LAW
Indeed, All those who have a healthy appreciation for the cost of the New Covenant bought by Christ in His blood ought agree.
Hebrews 8:13:
“In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old (
palaioō, worn out, decayed, declared obsolete).
Now that which decayeth (
palaioō, worn out, decayed, declared obsolete)
and waxeth old (
gerasko)
is ready to vanish away.”
After Christ’s death and the ripping of the curtain in two, the Jewish temple in Jerusalem was rendered wholly redundant. Its usefulness was over. It was obsolete. It remaining standing up until AD70 did not mean it had any further earthly purpose, or that the old covenant remained in effect. It was just like a human corpse awaiting burial. It had no vitality, no relevance and no purpose. Once Christ died, the old covenant died. Degeneration immediately set in, just like the decay that kicks in when a human gives up the ghost.
Paul shows us that the old covenant was decaying and ready to vanish away after the cross. Of course, anything that is decaying is already dead. From then on it is just rotting and in urgent need of a decent burial.
A corpse does not normally vanish from sight immediately upon death until it is put into the grave and buried. But corruption, decay, degeneration has already kicked in. It is lifeless. It is powerless. It has no function. That is how the old covenant was between AD30 and AD70. A corpse can still be visible but it is lifeless and has no ability to function. That is what happened to the old covenant between AD30-70.
Even though a corpse may look asleep, it is lifeless. All you have is rotting flesh. Decomposition has set in immediately. It is gradually decaying, and will ultimately vanish away. But that entity has no further earthly use. Its time is up.
Preterists can do their best to beautify this deceased corpse, they can try their best to raise its lifeless carcass from the dead, and they can attribute life to it all they want, but it is all in vain, it is still a dead corpse.
2 Corinthians 3:11:
“For if that which is done away (
katargeo or rendered entirely idle, useless)
was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.”
As Clement said in his Recognitions (Chapter 64): “For we have ascertained beyond doubt that God is much rather displeased with the sacrifices which you offer, the time of sacrifices having now passed away; and because ye will not acknowledge that the time for offering victims is now past, therefore the temple shall be destroyed.”
There cannot be 2 covenants ongoing at the one time. That is absurd! One terminated the other. There cannot be 2 competing priesthoods. One replaced the other.
The book of Hebrews destroys any notion of the continuation of the old covenant priests. It is quite inconceivable that this defunct priesthood would be needed after the commencement of God's true eternal priesthood. Hebrews 7:19 tells us:
“the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.” Christ owns the only priestly office that God recognises for all eternity. Hebrews 7:22 confirms,
“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” For
“he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).
Remember, Hebrews was written in-between the cross and AD70!
We have entered into a new divine arrangement that supersedes the shadow, type and figure. Man has one true heavenly high priest and requires none other. For you to argue for two competing priesthood underlines the dangers of your teaching.
Hebrews 7:11-12 tells us,
“If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”
The priesthood has been changed; and having been changed there was a change triggered in the law (“there is made of necessity a change also of the law”). Whilst the written law is still active, the whole old covenant ceremonial system was superseded by a new better covenant.
The Greek word for “changed” here is
metatithemi which actually means transferred or exchanged. This shows that old temporal imperfect priesthood has been exchanged for the new perfect eternal priesthood in Christ. The deficient shadow and type has been replaced by Israel’s eternal high priest the Messiah and will never again be changed, undone or rivaled by a parallel priesthood. It is an eternal transfer of influence. Christ will not (or cannot) share this office with another, neither can He hand the baton over to others. He holds it firm and alone as of right and by way of an everlasting oath. Those that purport to steal this sacred title enter into the dangerous arena of heresy.
The problem with the Old Testament priestly administration was: it was inadequate. It involved men who by nature were prone to sin and who therefore fell short of what God required of them. Time after time, the high priest failed in God’s requirements through sin or compromise and consequently God judged the whole nation. Corruption eventually took a hold of the office and brought it into complete disrepute. This opened the door to idol worship and apostasy. What is more, with the blight of sin in man came death. This meant the office was continually passed from one to another.
