02-12-2009, 07:31 AM
We use the term Old Testament not in any derogatory sense but only in reference to the earlier covenants instituted by God prior to the New Covenant being implemented by Jesus. Also, look at Zechariah and see how there the New Covenant is fully implemented for the Jewish people with reference to atonement, which as Leviticus makes clear can only be accomplished by the shedding of blood. Given Isaiah 52-53 talks of the atonemment for sin of the Suffering Servant, a sinless 'Israel', who is an individual rather more holy than any ordinary Jewish person, due to Jewish people being sinners like the rest of us, then the pieces fall into place. (And what sinless person is going to represent Israel but its leader?)
The Torah is not obsolete but is superseded and absorbed in the New Covenant, which overarches and includes the earlier covenants. Bear in mind that the Torah cannot be executed in its original form anyway, thanks to the Suzerain-Vassal Treaty between God and Israel as a political entity ruled by God as its Heavenly King and the Jewish Monarchy being temporarily being in abeyance on Earth, and the sacrificial system is not in force due to the loss of the Temple, as well as the Talmud admitting that the sacrifices were no longer working for the last 40 years, meaning the Torah is no longer, at the moment, workable as a religious law for Judaism in full, forcing the Rabbis to rebuild Judaism from scratch.
The Torah is indeed eternal, but what has happened is that the religious and moral laws in terms of behaving towards God and man are absorbed into the Law of Messiah, Jesus pinpointed what carries over between Mosaic and New covenants, and the word Torah means 'Teaching' as well as 'Law', serving as a paedagogos to lead us to Messiah, which fits in even with its original pre- 587 BCE format as a Suzerain-Vassal Treaty, for such Treaties had didactic passages for teaching.
The Torah is not obsolete but is superseded and absorbed in the New Covenant, which overarches and includes the earlier covenants. Bear in mind that the Torah cannot be executed in its original form anyway, thanks to the Suzerain-Vassal Treaty between God and Israel as a political entity ruled by God as its Heavenly King and the Jewish Monarchy being temporarily being in abeyance on Earth, and the sacrificial system is not in force due to the loss of the Temple, as well as the Talmud admitting that the sacrifices were no longer working for the last 40 years, meaning the Torah is no longer, at the moment, workable as a religious law for Judaism in full, forcing the Rabbis to rebuild Judaism from scratch.
The Torah is indeed eternal, but what has happened is that the religious and moral laws in terms of behaving towards God and man are absorbed into the Law of Messiah, Jesus pinpointed what carries over between Mosaic and New covenants, and the word Torah means 'Teaching' as well as 'Law', serving as a paedagogos to lead us to Messiah, which fits in even with its original pre- 587 BCE format as a Suzerain-Vassal Treaty, for such Treaties had didactic passages for teaching.