Lane asks us to consider the role of the Law, both for the believer, and for the unbeliever. While considering this question, I found it helpful to keep in mind the roles of the Gospel writers – especially Matthew’s author – in considering a Jewish audience while sharing the Good News of Christ’s redemption and the Kingdom of Heaven. This is especially relevant when we consider that Calvin argues salvation to be found only in Christ. In our attempts to be inclusive of various faith traditions today, we would find much of Calvin’s language unhelpful.
For all of us, Calvin essentially describes Mosaic Law as an
unattainable standard of conduct, especially as it pertains to perfect worship
of God and right relationship with God. Lane points us to later chapters (3.17)
for a fuller explanation of how Christ alone becomes fulfillment of the Law.
For immediate use, however, Calvin seems to allow both
believers and nonbelievers alike to share in the Law in two ways. First, the
Law acts as a mirror (there’s that mirror language again) by which we can
compare our unworthy selves to the high standards set by Mosaic Law. Second,
all people, regardless of belief, can utilize the Law as a code of conduct. This
second perspective blurs the line between civil/political laws and the Law of
the Old Testament. Calvin argues that the Mosaic Law can be instructional, and
a path towards belief for nonbelievers. It is this sentiment he captures when
he says creation of the Law was, “not done to lead the chosen people away from
Christ; but rather to hold their minds in readiness until his coming,” (2.7.1)
For believers alone, though, Calvin speaks of the Law being
written on our hearts. This sounds to me like the Rastafarian notion of the
second half of scripture being written on our hearts – an additional,
intangible truth that believers share in common. To Calvin, this shared value
system is a moral standard to hold in constant comparison to our own actions
and desires.
All of this reminds me of the tension held in Matthew as
Christ’s role and person are described to a Jewish society. Matthew goes to
great trouble to promote Jesus as an extension of Jewish tradition. John the
Baptist recalls Isaiah as he announces Christ’s coming. Christ then describes
himself as the fulfillment of the Law. In these ways, the author creates a
theology of Mosaic Law realized in Jesus. Matthew as a text is careful to honor
Jewish tradition just as it lifts up Jesus as the one true path to faith.
Calvin seems to be carrying this same tension as he
describes our ongoing duty to honor the Law. In some sense, his recognition of
the Law stops short of an ongoing usefulness for “modern” application. Calvin
seems to find a peaceful middle ground between deification of the Law and
abandonment of it by allowing it to be a grounding – if limited – connection to
our faith roots. By claiming Christ as the only true fulfillment of the Law,
Calvin sounds to me like Matthew; he is allowing for ancient tradition, but
landing on Christ to carry us to the Kingdom.
I'm sure it has been said somewhere else before but, having the tablets carved in stone seems very symbolic. They are heavy, hard to carry (out), break easily, and endure forever.
ReplyDeleteNice summary of Lane chapter 10. Especially liked the relationship between Calvin and Matthew. I confess to the fact that it is my favorite of the three Synoptic Gospels. And it would make sense that Calvin paid close attention to it. Matthew writes, "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." (ESV, Matt 5:18) It was not until I read this section of the Institutes that this verse really made sense to me.
I think this section also goes to show that the antinomians had it all wrong. The Law does matter. I like the idea of having fairly obvious moral guidelines. Of course, Jesus summarized the whole thing pretty well when he put forth the commandments that we love and worship God God and love our neighbors as ourselves. (paraphrase, obviously).
I understand from Calvin that the Law serves, at a bare minimum, to both believers and non-believers, as a moral code apart from laws of humanity. It sounds like you have a similar notion - that the Law has instructional value and serves as a sort of difinitive moral compass. Christ, then, is (maybe) more evolutionary than revolutionary in terms of personal conduct - the expectations have been in place since Moses. We only get to see them lived out perfectly for the first time in Christ.
DeleteI really liked what you said about the tension between Jesus and the jewish society of his time. He challenged their thinking and how they dealt with the law and ushered in a new understanding as well. Jesus came to fulfill the law and prophets. Many times in his ministry he pointed out where this was taking place directly. There are other times that the writers of the Gospels recalled what was happening and re remembered scripture being fulfilled. Jesus said, in Matthew 5:17 NIV on the sermon on the Mountain, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Then Jesus goes on within that sermon and many other examples throughout all the Gospel writers give insight to the law and prophets. In Matthew 5:21-22 NIV, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subjected to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgement.” Jesus gave insight to the heart of the law and we now as Christ followers have an enriched experience of what the Law truly means in our life. We also know that ultimately the law doesn’t hold us condemned either because Jesus has paid the price for the law as well.
ReplyDeleteExactly! I have to believe the author of Matthew was intentionally strategic in how he presented Christ - both a continuation of tradition AND a new way of understanding God's intentions for us. It must have been a difficult tightrope to walk - one with real consequences both in this world and the next!
DeleteThank you for this excellent summary of the relationship between Christ and the Law. I would agree that as indicated by calvin and summarized by Lane that "true" knowledge of God can only be known through Christ. This is also confirmed by Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 2 when he states that the main focus of his ministry is to preach Christ crucified. How do we reconcile this "knowledge" when we consider earlier statements of Calvin in book 1 when he discusses knowledge of creation, knowledge of self and of God. In those earlier texts Calvin indicates that there is a part of every creature which contains a yearning for God. There is an incompleteness which only God can fulfill. Does this acknowledgement of the work of Christ indicate two different levels of a knowledge of God?
ReplyDeleteThe post brought to mind the reading we covered, and as I read often wonder about Calvin's Religious Experience(s). There is this teeter-totter like quality. Seen here with the Law, in one breath it almost sounds, but not quite that Calvin is laying the Law down, but not so! Thank you for such a great example for a post.
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