LESSON EIGHT
THE LAW

A. JESUS TAUGHT THAT HE HAD COME TO FULFIL THE LAW: 
•	Matthew 5:17, 20
•	He had not come to abolish the law but that the law would be fulfilled in His life and ministry.
•	Galatians 4:4 
•	In His Deity Jesus Christ was the Author of the law, but in His humanity He came subordinate to the law.
The law was divided into three parts:
1.	MORAL: Ten Commandments, expression of the righteousness of God. 
2.	CEREMONIAL: Worshipping God.
3.  CIVIL: Administration of justice. 
•	Jesus completely fulfilled the righteousness of the law.

B. JESUS TAUGHT THAT THE MINISTRY OF THE LAW ENDED WITH JOHN: 
•	Luke 16:16
•	Matthew 3:2. 
•	John's ministry ended the preaching of the law and the prophets, and with the ministry of Jesus a new message was being proclaimed.
•	The moral law was an expression of God's righteousness, which was now fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and the ceremonial law was made up of types and shadows pointing forward to Jesus. 
•	We do not do righteously in order to make righteous, but rather live righteously because already have been made righteous.

C. JESUS CONDEMNED THE TRADITIONS OF THE PHARISEES: 
•	Matthew 15:3
•	Matthew 15:9
•	John 7:19
Jesus condemned the Jews as being guilty of these three things:
1.	Not keeping the law;
2.	Breaking the commandments by their traditions;
3. Teaching the commandments of men as doctrines.
•	Traditional rites and restrictions stood higher in esteem of the Jews than their Scriptures.
•	Jesus paid no attention to these traditions and taught that what proceeded from the heart defiled a man (Matthew 15:18). 
•	He taught that our righteousness had to exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20).

D. JESUS TAUGHT THAT THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN: 
•	Mark 2:27-28
•	There was no institution among the Jews regarded with more veneration than that of the Sabbath. 
•	Soon excessive strictness made the observance of the Sabbath wholly impossible and brought burdens.
•	The Sabbath was given to man for man's benefit, in order to give him rest. 
•	He was Lord of the Sabbath day and that there was no sin in doing good and ministering to the needs of mankind on the Sabbath.

E. JESUS TAUGHT THAT FORNICATION WAS THE ONLY REASON FOR DIVORCE:
•	Matthew 5:32
•	Matthew 19:9
•	The Pharisees asked the question, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?"
•	God made one woman for one man, and that the two would be one flesh. 
•	Jesus placed His sanction upon the marriage relation and the family institution.
•	Jesus taught that fornication was the only act, which could break the union between a man and his wife. 

LESSON EIGHT
SELF HELP TEST

A.	Explain clearly the meaning of the following terms:
THE MORAL LAW:

THE CEREMONIAL LAW:

THE CIVIL LAW:

B.	"Jesus completely fulfilled the righteousness of the law." Write a brief paragraph showing the truth of this statement.

C.	What did Jesus teach concerning the Sabbath?

D.	What is the meaning of this Scripture: "The law and the prophets were until John?"