when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace,
Jesus did not destroy "the middle wall of partition, the hostility," through wishing it away, by mere command, or by preaching.
Paul is delving into a core aspect of the cross's effect in the spiritual scheme of things.
The middle wall of partition is not just a fanciful phrase; it was an uncrossable wall.
The Jews were locked in specific limits on their relationship with God
tied to observances
tied to a physical temple
the repeated shedding of blood
the observance of innumerable religious rites
and the bringing of animals as sacrifices for individual sins
The list goes on and on.
And the Gentiles are in what I call a spiritually barren land in which nothing is growing, and it does not matter how long they trek, they will not “find the city.”
The toil of a stupid fool wears him out,
because he does not even know the way to the city.
While God said that He planted Israel as a vine and they are bringing forth thorns and thistles (Isaiah 5:1–7),
The Gentiles are a dry, barren land, and God was going to cause water to flow in the desert (Isaiah 35:1-2, 6–7, 41:17–20, 43:19-23).
Regarding the Jews, God said He raised up children, and they rebelled against him (Isaiah 1:2);
But He said, I will call those who are not my people, children of the Living God (Isaiah 1:2).
For Israel, God said, they are hearing but not understanding because of a dull mind (Isaiah 6:9–10);
The Gentiles are hearing nothing, so the issue of understanding did not come up. So He said, regarding the Gentile, the deaf will hear (Isaiah 29:18). And those who have not been told, will perceive (Isaiah 52:15).
While God promised that the root of Jesse would bring forth fruit (Isaiah 11:1)
The Gentiles had to be planted anew, since nothing was there (Isaiah 60:21).
So Paul, in this focus verse, identifies "the law of commandments in decrees." There is the law, there are the commandments, and there are the decrees.
The decrees are the damnation that is attached to not following the law of commandments.
It is the law because it is unchanging,
And it is commandments because there are so many of them.
By fulfilling the law (Matthew 5:17), Christ became the law. There is no law again, apart from Christ. He puts an end to the law as a means of getting right with God (Romans 10:4). He is the new order.
He nullified it in His flesh because He became the law, the decree, and the commandment. You cannot have God in the flesh, and we still have law, decree, and commandment. That is why John insist that it is a false spirit that says Jesus did not come from in flesh (1John 4:2-3).
See the ode to the law, commandment, and decree in Psalm 119? Jesus’ words mirror much of it.
Command | Jesus' Words | Psalm 119 Mirror |
|---|---|---|
Follow me | Matthew 4:19 "Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!" | Psalm 119:35 - "Guide me in the path of your commands, for I delight to walk in it" |
Believe me | John 14:11 - "Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me." | Psalm 119:66 - "Teach me proper discernment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments" |
Come to me | Matthew 11:28 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" | Psalm 119:10 - "With all my heart I seek you. Do not allow me to stray from your commands" |
Learn from me | Matthew 11:29 - "Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart" | Psalm 119:27 - "Help me to understand what your precepts mean" |
Love me | John 14:15 - "If you love me, you will obey my commandments" | Psalm 119:165 - "Those who love your law are completely secure" |
Obey me | John 14:15 - "If you love me, you will obey my commandments" | Psalm 119:4 - "You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently" |
Remember me | Luke 22:19 - "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me" | Psalm 119:49 - "Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope" |
To cap it up, God spoke from heaven, this is my dear son, listen to Him! (Matthew 17:5)
To nullify means to make irrelevant, declaring there is a new order now.
Have you heard about the annulment of an election?
It means starting on a clean slate. It is difficult for people to understand that because of how much God invested in setting up the structure of the Old Testament.
But Jesus has annulled in His flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He is now the law, the commandment, and the decree.
Instead of the law (which the Jews cannot attain and the Gentiles cannot embrace), we have Christ as the Way.
Instead of the commandments, we have Jesus as the Truth.
Instead of the decrees, we have Jesus as the Life
He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
“…nullifying in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees,” means Jesus is the way. It is a spiritual thing that happened. And there is no going back. That was why Paul was livid when people were moving the Galatians from Christ to the law (Galatians 1:6-7). Like leaving the flourishing city to the wilderness.
And He is sad for the Jews still depending on the law for righteousness (Romans 9:1-4, 10:1-4). Continuing with a “broken cistern” that cannot give water (Jeremiah 2:13).