God’s instructions for living, or Torah, were given to his people Israel at Mt. Sinai a few weeks after the Exodus from Egypt, as well as in the following days. It is often assumed that this Torah, often translated “law”, was only intended for the Jews, and it has no relevance for non-Jews, either then or now. It is further assumed that Jesus and/or his early followers declared the Torah to be obsolete and no longer representative of God’s will for people following him. Let’s examine some of these assumptions and see whether they hold water.
When Israel came out of Egypt, they were accompanied by non-Jews who attached themselves to Israel. (Exodus 12:38) Many times it is stated in describing some instruction that “the same law applies to the native-born and the alien living among you”. (Exodus 12:49 cf. Ex. 12:19; Lev. 16:29; 17:12, 15; 18:26; 24:16, 22; Num. 9:14; 15:15, 29; 19:10) The people standing at Mt. Sinai included these non-Jews as well as the descendants of Jacob. At least one of the ten commandments specifically includes these non-Jews in the instruction. (Ex. 20:10)
When Moses addresses the people again at the end of his life in order to renew the covenant, he specifically includes the aliens among them as included in the covenant. “All of you are standing today in the presence of the LORD your God — your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Israel, together with your children and your wives, and the aliens living in your camps who chop your wood and carry your water. You are standing here in order to enter into a covenant with the LORD your God, a covenant the LORD is making with you this day and sealing with an oath, to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I am making this covenant, with its oath, not only with you who are standing here with us today in the presence of the LORD our God but also with those who are not here today.” (Deut. 29:10-15)
The prophet Isaiah explains God’s attitude toward non-Jews who embrace the God of Israel and keep his commands. “Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.’… For this is what the LORD says:… And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant– these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.’ The Sovereign LORD declares– he who gathers the exiles of Israel: ‘I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered’.” (Isaiah 56:3-8) It’s clear that during this time period God’s blessings and his covenant were primarily for Jews, but they also included non-Jews as well if they embraced the people and God of Israel and followed God’s commands.
But what about Jesus? Didn’t he cancel all these commands for believers following him? He addresses that exact question in Matthew 5. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:17-19)
What about Paul then? Doesn’t he explain that the law is done away? On the contrary. “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” (Romans 3:31) Paul has just finished explaining in chapter two that whoever does good, whether Jew or Gentile, is pleasing to God. “All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)” (Romans 2:12-15) Paul sums up the argument later in the chapter. “If those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.” (Rom. 2:26-29) Paul points out that following God’s commands is more important than whether you are Jewish or Gentile.
Paul’s mention of the law written on the heart of Gentiles reminds us of the introduction of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This covenant, which includes writing God’s law on the heart, is to be made only with Israel and Judah, the twelve tribes. Are Gentiles then left out of it? Paul explains in several passages, most notably Romans 11, that Gentile believers in Jesus are metaphorically grafted into the olive tree which is Israel and become part of the covenant people of God. (cf. Eph. 2:11-22) We Gentiles experience the blessings of the New Covenant because of our identification with Israel. We are the guest that Israel brings to the party.
Some interpreters think that the decision of the council of apostles in Acts 15 was that Gentiles didn’t need to obey God’s law. These people misunderstand the question that was at issue in that discussion. The question was whether Gentiles needed to officially convert to Judaism in order to be saved. (The same question is at issue in the epistle to the Galatians.) It helps to realize that there were three requirements for conversion to Judaism: circumcision (if male), immersion in water, and a vow to follow God’s law given by Moses. Circumcision is sometimes used as a shorthand for the whole conversion process. What confuses people is that though only circumcision is mentioned in verse 1, making it clear that it’s a conversion issue, the requirement to obey the law is brought up in verse 5. It’s still an issue of whether conversion to Judaism is required. The apostles conclude that it is not. but realizing that entering a new lifestyle is hard if you haven’t been brought up that way, the apostles recommend learning to obey the law little by little, beginning with a few observances that will make them welcome in the Jewish community. James draws the final conclusion that they can learn the rest of the law by regular attendance in the synagogue, where Moses is read weekly.
If there is still any doubt of what Paul thinks about Gentiles following the law, he makes it crystal-clear in I Corinthians 7. He has been teaching that after faith in Jesus, Jews shouldn’t become Gentiles and Gentiles shouldn’t become Jews. He states his conclusion in verse 19. “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.” In other words, “It doesn’t matter whether you’re Jewish or Gentile, keep Torah.” That ought to end any argument once and for all. To please God, follow his commandments.
