Christian Theologians Argue: The Written Torah Law is "Done Away"

The Law of Moses - According to New Unger's Bible Dictionary

The law of Moses was a divinely instituted rule of life mediated through Moses to govern God's covenant people, Israel, in Canaan. It regulated their common, everyday conduct and was a covenant of works (Exodus 19:5-6). They were never able to keep this covenant, and it has been superseded by a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-13). The Mosaic code of laws included the commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), the ordinances stipulating the Israelites' social life (21-23), and those directing Israel's worship (25-31). This Mosaic system, including the Ten Commandments as a way of life, came to an end with the death of Christ (John 1:17; Romans 10:4). The Mosaic age was preceded (Exodus 19:4) and followed (John 1:17) by grace. In the gracious dispensation inaugurated as the result of the atonement of Christ, all the Ten Commandments appear in the epistles except that one regarding the seventh day, and are operative not as stern "you shall nots" but as gracious duties and privileges of a redeemed people possessing the dynamic of the Holy Spirit, willingly and effectively carrying out the commandments' injunctions. The Mosaic law was thus a temporary divine administration in effect only until Christ should come. It had the definite ministry of imparting to sin the character of transgression (Romans 5:13; Galatians 3:19).

(From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.)

LAW - According to Fausset's Bible Dictionary

... In most Jews, because of the nonconformity between their inward state and the law's requirements as a rule from without, its tendency was "to gender to bondage" (Galatians 2:4; 4:3,9,24-25; 5:1). Inclination rebelled against it. They either burst its bond for open paganism; or, as in post captivity times, scrupulously held the letter, but had none of its spirit, "love, the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:8-10; Leviticus 19:18; 1 Timothy 1:5; Galatians 5:14; Matthew 7:12,22:37-40; James 2:8). Hence, the prophets looked on to gospel times when God would write the law by His Spirit in the heart (Jeremiah 31:31-33,39; Ezekiel 36:26-27; 11:19-20).

In one respect the law continues, in another it is superseded (Matt 5:17-18). In its antitypical realization in Jesus, it is all being fulfilled or has been so. In its spirit, "holy, just, and good," it is of everlasting obligation as it reflects the mind of God. In its Old Testament form it gives place to its fully developed perfection in the New Testament The temporary and successional Aaronic priesthood gives place to the abiding and intransmissible Melchizedek priesthood of Jesus, the sacrificial types, to the one antitypical sacrifice, never to be repeated (Heb 5; 7; 8; 9; 10). So believers, insofar as they are under the gospel law of Christ (Gal 6:2), which is the law of love in the heart, are no longer under the law, as an outward letter ordinance...

(from Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1998 by Biblesoft)

Galatians - According to Expositor's Bible Commentary

...Some time later, however, Paul received word that the Galatian believers were on the point of departing from the faith they had previously received so openly. Conservative Jewish teachers who were legalizers had arrived from Jerusalem claiming to be from James, the Lord's brother, and had begun to teach that Paul was wrong in his doctrine. They contended that Gentiles had to come under the law of Moses to be saved. It was not enough for them to have Christ; they must have Moses too. To grace must be added circumcision...

Galatians - According to Barnes' Notes

This whole discourse is succeeded by an affectionate exhortation to the Galatians, to avoid the evils which had been engendered; reproving them for the strifes existing in consequence of the attempt to introduce the Mosaic rites, and earnestly entreating them to stand firm in the liberty which Christ had vouchsafed to them from the servitude of the Mosaic institutions, Galatians 5; 6.

The design of the whole Epistle, therefore, is to state and defend the true doctrine of justification, and to show that it did not depend on the observance of the laws of Moses. In the general purpose, therefore, it accords with the design of the Epistle to the Romans. In one respect, however, it differs from the design of that Epistle. That was written, to show that man could not be justified by any works of the Law, or by conformity to any law, moral or ceremonial; the object of this is, to show that justification cannot be obtained by conformity to the ritual or ceremonial law; or that the observance of the ceremonial law is not necessary to salvation.

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In Acts a small and predictable change to one "Old Testament" law about the circumcision of gentile proselytes caused massive turmoil in the predominantly Jewish first century church. Why then, isn't any comparable fuss recorded in the New Testament if most of the other Old Testament laws were "done away"? Why also do many christian theologians believe even after the crucifixion, that Paul kept Nazirite vows and offered sacrifices at the temple?