August 24 – The Meaning of "Abolish"
Matthew 5:17 – "Do not think that I [Jesus] have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them." (NIV)
Ephesians 2:14, 15 – "For he himself [Jesus] is our peace...by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations." (NIV)
There seems to be a surface contradiction when reading the above verses side-by-side. Did Jesus abolish the Old Testament law or did he not? The answer is more simple than is thought. However, a couple of ideas need to be established. While one CAN completely find God's truth in his written word, one cannot put one's faith necessarily in particular words in any given translation of God's word. According to the Quora website, there are approximately 900 English translation of the original Greek canon of God's word, in whole or in part, originating, at least, since 1526. The above verses are a good example of what happens when words, concepts, and definitions are not completely understood or clearly explained within a given translation. Sometimes, one has to dig deeper into the original languages to get a more complete picture.
The King James Version does also not give a clear translation of Matthew 5:17, using the vague word of "destruction", instead of using "abolish". (The explanation of the word "destruction" is for a completely different discussion.) However, the meaning of "destruction" is much closer to the Greek idea, than is the word "abolish". Let me explain.
In Matthew 5:17, the Greek word used in translating "abolish" is "katalusai", from the root (καταλύω) . It means literally to "loosen down", whose practical usage means "to disintegrate"; hence the KJV's rendering as "destruction". Jesus did not come to pulverize into dust the Law, but to fulfill (to fill completely or to end the task) the Law. And don't forget the Prophets, which are also mentioned in this verse. Jesus was fulfilling everything written about himself within the Law of Moses, as well as the succeeding prophetic writings. I would add that Jesus also showed us the proper way of interpreting the details of the law, especially when it came to following the letter (the external) of the moral laws, versus the internal motivations of the heart in doing so. (See Matthew chapters 5 and 6 for examples.)
In Ephesians 2:15, the Greek word used in translation of "abolish" is "katargesas", (καταργήσας), which means to annul, nullify, or make void (as in a contract). Paul states that the Mosaic law has been nullified, been made obsolete, or no longer in its surface usage. He also describes the hidden purpose of the law in Galatians chapters 2 and 3, as being a slave master over all humans, showing us how wicked we are, and revealing that we are not able to obey God's commands within our sinful nature. Paul was writing this to an amalgamation of Jewish and Greek persons who were confused about how to live within their current/former culture's milieu. Don't forget that the rest of the world, which included millions of people not even remotely familiar with the Jewish law, still had God's moral unwritten laws to keep, understanding that those laws existed before and apart from the Mosaic law, and internally recognized by our consciences. See Romans 1:18-20 and 2:12-15 for further explanation.
Perhaps we should use words like "disintegrate" and "nullify" to distinguish very important differences in concepts. No one is helped when the waters are muddied. A clear stream means clarity in understanding.
