Jesus completed the law and the prophets. No other person completed the law and the prophets. Even if we choose not to acknowledge the altered text from the Masoretes no one else completed the law as a perfect sacrifice, and no one else fulfilled all the words of the prophets. Paul tells us about the new era that commenced after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Paul could have simply added Jesus to the religious doctrines of the day, Mosaic law, oral law, and Jesus the Messiah. But since Jesus completed the Mosaic law, Paul had to learn about the new administration in order to teach it to us. Josephus acknowledges Jesus as the Christ around the same time that Paul is writing to the churches. But Paul doesn’t rely on the historian and the historian doesn’t rely on the apostles. Their conclusions are independent of one another.
When Paul was blinded on the road to Damascus what was he converted from and converted to? Paul was a young Pharisee who studied under Gamaliel. He was a Greek speaking Jew from Tarsus, a Grecian, and the son of a Pharisee. Paul converted from being a Pharisee to being a Christian. In Paul’s mind, in order for him to convert to Christianity, he had to learn about the Messiah from another group of people, the Essenes. The Pharisees could not teach him about Jesus the Messiah. Paul by trade was also a tent maker. Where did he learn how to do that? The Pharisees didn’t make tents. Paul’s father was a Pharisee, so he wasn’t making tents. Paul started Pharisee school at thirteen in Jerusalem, so he wasn’t making tents then. Paul learned how to make tents from the Essenes. Every member of the Essene community had a skill that they worked at to provide for the community. So when Paul tells the Thessalonians that they didn’t eat any man’s bread, but worked night and day, Paul was working at what he had learned to do in the Essene community. So he was not living off the offerings of the churches the way that the Pharisees lived off the tithes.
Paul does all the right things after meeting Jesus. He goes to Arabia, to confer with the Lord like Elijah did. He makes a trip to Jerusalem (Acts 9), then on to the Essene school. Paul comes back to Jerusalem (Acts 15) with Barnabas to correct a few things in the church. Paul goes back on the road, traveling though Asia Minor and then returns to Jerusalem (Acts 21) where the church leaders sell Paul out to the Pharisees. Paul’s first letter, which was written to the Thessalonians, was about twenty years after Jesus’ crucifixion. Paul was the most highly educated disciple of Christ in the first century. He was not some guy who had a bad dream and woke up believing in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, he was a Pharisee who was blinded for three days, until a “healer” named Ananias prayed for his sight. Just to point out, the notable miracle for the Messiah was to restore sight to eyes blind from birth. Ananias restored Paul’s sight after three days. Paul didn’t short cut the process of learning, he went from start to finish in the desert with the Essenes. He was the only one who had two degrees from the two competing religious organizations. Paul is someone we should respectfully listen to. He wasn’t a scam artist, a manipulator, or someone who gained wealth from his life choices. He paid his dues in education, he, above anyone else, has earned the right to speak to us.
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Paul has to explain to everyone he meets that there is a new administration, or a new era for people because Jesus was the Messiah. The Elohim is still reconciling people to himself via Christ. Paul is utilizing the ministry of reconciliation. None of the Pharisees would like this idea because it removes them from being mediators between the Elohim and men. No one needs to go to a Pharisee with an offering, or a priest or minister with confessions and indulgences. There is no one between us and Christ any longer. The Elohim was not counting sins, but was instead giving believers the logos of reconciliation. Reconciliation is restoring all humans back to the Elohim through Christ.
Josephus was born around 37 AD, about the same time that Stephen was martyred and Paul (Saul), a young man, was approving of Stephen’s death. Josephus tested out the Essene religion and the Pharisee religion, but by the time he is writing this bit of history, he actually believes that Jesus is the Christ. Something odd we may notice in reading Josephus is that although he claims to be a Pharisee, he teaches us far more about the Essenes, their beliefs and their way of life, than any other religion.
Antiquities 18:3:3. (63) Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; (64) and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.
Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (p. 480). Peabody: Hendrickson.
Josephus comments as to whether it is lawful to call Jesus a man. What else might one call him? Josephus says that Jesus drew over to himself both Jews and Gentiles. Now we understand something about Paul here. Paul was a Pharisee, but the Pharisees wanted to kill him just as they had killed Jesus. Paul went to preach to the gentiles in Asia Minor. By Josephus’ day Jesus had drawn over both Jews and Gentiles for reconciliation.
Josephus says He (Jesus) was Christ. Jesus died somewhere around 32 AD. and because he was a 14er, (Quartodeciman) meaning that like the Essenes Jesus celebrated the passover on the 14th day of the new year. We see that Jesus did something as Messiah that no one else could do. The year of the crucifixion the Pharisees celebrated Passover on the 15th day of the new year. We understand why there were so many high holy days in that week. There was the Essene Passover, the Pharisaical Passover, and the regular weekly sabbath. On the Essene calendar, Passover is always a Tuesday, and always the 14th day, but the Pharisaical calendar changed every year because the Pharisees were on a lunar calendar not a solar calendar like the Enoch and Zadok priest calendar. This is one of those key distinctions in history that changed holy days when the Essenes left Jerusalem due to the defilement of the order of High Priest. The Essenes kept multiple calendars, Enoch/Zadok, Greek, Rome and Lunar. Jesus kept the Enoch/Zadok Passover and then was the sacrifice for the Pharisaical Passover. No one could have fulfilled the law better. No one could have been the sacrifice and kept the passover as well. Only Jesus Christ.
Now Josephus records that the disciples did not forsake Jesus after his crucifixion. Jesus appeared to them alive on the third day. This is the fundamental principal of Christianity, believing Jesus is Lord, that he died and rose up on the third day. Josephus just attested to that fact for all history readers to see. Interestingly there is a dissertation regarding this passage in Josephus, which is attested to and repeated by others, into the fifteenth century. In other words, someone might wish to erase Jesus but for fifteen hundred years people pointed to this historians words and explained Jesus is Christ.
Josephus was a history writer, and he wrote history. Josephus believed that Jesus is Christ and that he rose up on the third day. Josephus points out that the prophets prophesied of this Jesus. Josephus says that the tribe of Christians are still around. At the time of Paul’s last stand in Jerusalem James notes that there were “many thousands among the Jews”. Also something to make note of is how they twisted the miracles that Paul did in an attempt to force the Mosaic law on the gentiles.
Act 21:20 But they hearing it, glorified God and said to him: Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews that have believed: and they are all zealous for the law.
Act 21:21 Now they have heard of thee that thou teachest those Jews, who are among the Gentiles to depart from Moses: saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, nor walk according to the custom.
Act 21:22 What is it therefore? The multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
The multitude must needs come together is sly speak for “keep the Pharisaical laws, oral and Mosaic, and add Jesus as Messiah: everyone will agree.” But Paul, the former Pharisee didn’t back down from this fight. Instead Paul refused to tell the nations they had to keep the Mosaic laws, or the oral laws. Why? It was something that Jesus had said.
Matthew 5:17 G3361 You should not G3543 think G3754 that G2064 I came G2647 to depose G3588 the G3551 law G2228 or G3588 the G4396 prophets. G3756 I came not G2064 G2647 to depose, G235 but G4137 to fulfill.
2647
καταλύω
kataluō kat-al-oo'-o From G2596 and G3089; to loosen down (disintegrate), that is, (by implication) to demolish (literally or figuratively); specifically (compare G2646) to halt for the night KJV Usage: destroy, dissolve, be guest, lodge, come to nought, overthrow, throw down.
4137
πληρόω
plēroō play-ro'-o From G4134; to make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc. KJV Usage: accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.
Jesus says something very interesting here. He says that he did not come to downward loosen the law or the prophets. Jesus says he came to complete or level up the law and the prophets. The Pharisees saw Jesus as someone who was tearing down their religious order. They did not like their oral laws being rebuked by him. Jesus said that he came to complete the law.
Matthew 5:18 G281 For amen G1063 G3004 I say G1473 to you, G2193 until G302 whenever G3928 shall pass away G3588 the G3772 heaven G2532 and G3588 the G1093 earth, G2503 [2iota G1520 1one] G2228 or G1520 one G2762 dot G3766.2 in no way G3928 should pass G575 from G3588 the G3551 law, G2193 until G302 whenever G3956 all G1096 comes to pass.
3928 LSJ Gloss:παρέρχομαι to go by, beside
Dodson:παρέρχομαι I pass by I pass by, pass away, pass out of sight; I am rendered void, become vain, neglect, disregard.
Strong’s:παρέρχομαι to come near or aside, i.e. to approach (arrive), go by (or away), (figuratively) perish or neglect, (causative) avert
Derivation: from G3844 and G2064;
KJV Usage: come (forth), go, pass (away, by, over), past, transgress.
TBESG:παρέρχομαι to pass by
G:V
παρ-ἐρχομαι
[in LXX chiefly for עָבַר ;]
__1. to pass, pass by;
__(a) of persons: absol., Luk.18:37; with accusative of person(s), Mrk.6:48; with accusative lot., Act.16:8; before διά, with genitive, Mat.8:28;
__(b) of things : τ. ποτήριον, Mat.26:39 (ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ), Mat.26:42; of time,
__(a) to pass away, perish:
__(b) to pass by, neglect, disregard: with accusative of thing(s),
__2. to come to, arrive:
Thayer:
1) to go past, pass by
1a) of persons moving forward
1a1) to pass by
1b) of time
1b1) an act continuing for a time
1c) metaph.
1c1) to pass away, perish
1c2) to pass by (pass over), that is, to neglect, omit, (transgress)
1c3) to be led by, to be carried past, be averted
2) to come near, come forward, arrive
παρέρχομαι
parerchomai par-er'-khom-ahee From G3844 and G2064; to come near or aside, that is, to approach (arrive), go by (or away), (figuratively) perish or neglect, (causatively) avert KJV Usage: come (forth), go, pass (away, by, over), past, transgress.
3956 LSJ Gloss:πᾶς all, the whole
Dodson:πᾶς all, the whole, every kind of.
Strong’s:πᾶς all, any, every, the whole
Derivation: including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word;
KJV Usage: all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.
TBESG:πᾶς all G:A
πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός,
[in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;]
all, every.
(AS)
Thayer:
1) individually
1a) each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
2) collectively
2a) some of all types
πᾱς
pas pas Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole KJV Usage: all (manner of, means) alway (-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no (-thing), X throughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.
1096 Dodson:γίνομαι I come into being, am born I come into being, am born, become, come about, happen.
Strong’s:γίνομαι to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)
Derivation: a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb;
KJV Usage: arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.
TBESG:γίνομαι to be
G:V
γίνομαι, Ion. and κοινή for Att. γίγν- (M. Pr., 47; Bl., §6, 8 Mayser, 166 f.),
[in LXX chiefly for היה ;]
__1. of persons, things occurrences, to come into being, be born, arise, come on:
__2. Of events, to come to pass, take place, happen:
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being
2) to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen
2a) of events
3) to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage
3a) of men appearing in public
4) to be made, finished
4a) of miracles, to be performed, wrought
5) to become, be made
γίνομαι
ginomai ghin'-om-ahee A prolonged and middle form of a primary verb; to cause to be (“gen” -erate), that is, (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literally, figuratively, intensively, etc.) KJV Usage: arise be assembled, be (come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, be done, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.
Jesus says that not one yod or one line of the law will pass by or pass out of sight until all is come into being. This is the requirement for the Messiah. The Messiah must complete all the law to its natural end. Jesus Christ is/was the perfect sacrifice. Jesus kept the Passover and was the Passover sacrifice. The foolishness of the Pharisees and later Masorete’s who thought that they could alter dates and scripture to make someone else the Messiah did not understand, or chose not to mention, that the Messiah had to be the completion of the law. The sinless man took the sins of the world with him when he shed his blood on a tree.
Galatians 1:3 Grace and spiritual blessing be to you and [soul] peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah),
4 Who gave (yielded) Himself up [to atone] for our sins [and to save and sanctify us], in order to rescue and deliver us from this present wicked age and world order, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father—
The Amplified Bible. (1987). (Ga 1:3–4). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
1 John 2:2 And He [that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
The Amplified Bible. (1987). (1 Jn 2:1–2). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
None of the law and the prophets were destroyed, instead the law and the prophets were fulfilled. What does that mean? The Messiah had to complete every prophecy and every law related to his first coming. No one has done that except Jesus Christ. The biggest fulfillment of the prophecies was restoring sight to eyes born blind. Since the Masoretes erased that requirement out from Isaiah 61, they thought that they could make someone else Messiah. Yet their candidates all fell short of being a perfect sacrifice that could fulfill the law. The turning point here is Jesus rising from the dead, taking back the keys to hell and death, witnessing to the imprisoned spirits, and releasing the righteous captives to paradise. This is a change in administrations, from the administration of the law and the prophets to the administration of grace. Since this time period people are saved by grace not by works, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, not by laws.
Matthew 5:19 G3739 Who G1437 ever G3767 then G3089 should untie G1520 one G3588 of the G1785 [3commandments G3778 2of these G3588 G1646 1least], G2532 and G1321 shall teach G3779 [2so G3588 G444 1men], G1646 [2least G2564 1shall be called] G1722 in G3588 the G932 kingdom G3588 of the G3772 heavens. G3739 And who G1161 G302 ever G4160 should do G2532 and G1321 should teach, G3778 this one G3173 [2great G2564 1shall be called] G1722 in G3588 the G932 kingdom G3588 of the G3772 heavens.
The Sadducees believed in the written laws of Moses. They did not believe in the oral laws of the priests and rabbis. The Pharisees believed in both the written laws and the oral laws. This is how the Pharisees were able to fall so far from the Elohim, because they kept making up their own “laws” like whitewashing tombs and stealing the homes of widows. Jesus was not saying that they all had to keep the oral laws, but the written laws. Jesus explains that those who teach the written laws will be great in the kingdom of the heavens. This is agreeable to the Sadducees and only partly agreeable to the Pharisees. Jesus explains this because once he completes the laws, they will all recognize him as Messiah. He kept the legally binding passover on the fourteenth and he was the sacrifice at the Pharisaical passover on the fifteenth.
Jesus knew that he completed all the prophecies regarding the Messiah. This is why Paul had to go to Essene schooling. Paul knew the Mosaic laws and the oral laws, but he did not fully understand the coming Messiah. The Pharisees thought that the Messiah would come and restore the kingdom to Israel, overthrowing the Romans. They would of course be the only ruling religious party. They already believed that one would be saved or condemned due to their own sins, so the Pharisees were not looking for someone to take away people’s sins. If that is what Paul knew of the Messiah, then he had to reeducate himself.
Matthew 5:20 G3004 For I say G1063 G1473 to you, G3754 that G1437 if G3361 [2should not G4052 3abound G3588 G1343 1your righteousness] G1473 G4183 greater than G3588 of the G1122 scribes G2532 and G* Pharisees, G3766.2 in no way G1525 should you enter G1519 into G3588 the G932 kingdom G3588 of the G3772 heavens.
Our righteousness has to mega-abound compared to the scribes and Pharisees. At the time that Jesus is speaking, they are all still under the administration of the law and the prophets. The people listening to Jesus are being told that they could not behave any way they wanted, they needed to strive for righteousness. Under that administration, the way to righteous was to keep the law, but under the new administration the way to righteousness is by faith.
Paul points out that someone’s circumcision only benefits him in righteousness if he fulfills the whole law. But an uncircumcised person is now just as righteous as the circumcised person who doesn’t fulfill the whole law. Paul explains that the righteousness of God is manifested or made known without the law or apart from the law. Righteousness is now by faith in Jesus Christ.
Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
All have sinned. The Pharisees and the Sadducees could agree on that, but Paul is teaching them something else. In his letter to the Romans, Paul is teaching them that it is by the grace of God due to people’s faith that they are now righteous, not by works of the Mosaic or oral laws.
Paul goes on to explain the next dynamic which is the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. If we walk after the Holy Spirit, which came on the day of Pentecost, to any and all who want the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are fulfilling and completing the law.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
This is what Paul went to school to learn. He had to learn that the law is weak because of our flesh. Yet righteousness of the law is completed in those who walk after the Holy Spirit. If Paul just added Jesus to the religion of the day, the people would be bound to keep all the laws, yet even at this time they could not keep all the laws because the Romans were in charge of Israel. In 70 AD when the Jews were banned from Jerusalem and the temple was destroyed, then everyone would be considered a sinner without redemption. The Pharisees didn’t think of this, of course they didn’t look ahead either and they had no prophets among them. The Pharisees were seeing their own doom without a full knowledge of the completion of the law that Jesus Christ obtained.
Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Again Jesus Christ completed the law. When did he complete the law? When he was murdered on a cross, just before sundown of Passover, on the fifteenth of Nisan, and then rose up on the third day, as Josephus attests to.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love fulfills the law. Jesus loved us and completed the law. We love Him and our neighbors, and we fulfill the law. Now that Paul can explain that to the Roman Jews and Christians, he has to explain it to the Galatian Jews and Christians.
Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
And there we have it, righteousness no longer comes by the law but by faith in Jesus the Messiah. Josephus told us Jesus was Christ. Paul told us Jesus was Christ.
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The law is not of faith. The just or righteous live by faith.
Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Paul says that we have been called to freedom. We are free. Yet we shouldn’t use the excuse of our freedom to do anything lustful that we want, but instead we should use it to love others.
John writes something that we should consider. Jesus is the word in the flesh, he is the living logos of the Elohim. John the apostle says that John the Baptist gave witness of Jesus as the Messiah. John the Baptist attests to Jesus as Messiah just as Jesus finished Essene schooling and gets baptized. The disciples attest to Jesus as Messiah as they ministered with him. Paul attests to Jesus as Messiah a few years after Jesus was crucified. Josephus attests to Jesus as Messiah several years after Jesus is crucified, around the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Joh 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John tells us that the law was given by Moses but that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, Jesus our Messiah. Of course John is writing his gospel after Jesus died so he can look back and make sense of what took place. We have to remember, before Moses gave the written law there was no written law. Everyone from the first adam up to Moses lived without a book of laws. Abraham, Issac, and Jacob lived without written or oral laws. They lived in relationship with Yahweh instead; a one on one relationship, where the Holy Spirit could dwell on them, because they were holy men. There was no law to follow. Now however we are back to living in a one on one relationship with the Elohim and the Holy Spirit dwells within us.
Jesus completes the law. Not only did he compete the prophecies, he completed the written law. The Pharisees would never have anyone of their order celebrate the passover on the fourteenth. After captivity in Babylon there was a faction of people who followed the lunar calendar, which only added to the divisions between religions during the Maccabean era. The only person who could have completed the law was someone who observed the passover on the fourteenth, and then became the sacrificial lamb, sinless, and spotless, on the Pharisaical passover. Jesus completed the law. He did that for all the people enslaved to the law. Now we live by faith, or belief in Jesus as Lord, and that he rose up on the third day. We are no longer slaves to the written law, but like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we live freely in relationship with the Elohim. For Paul, the most educated man of his day, to explain the change in administrations was necessary for everyone. Why? Because once the temple was destroyed, everyone is left to die in their sin if they follow the law. There is no sacrifice for sin. Jesus is our once for all sacrifice and the completion of the law.
