There is a tendency among Christians to view Old Testament Biblical law as restrictive rather than restorative. The law is too often seen as a limitation from which we deeply await to be set free rather than the gracious self-communication of the source of freedom Himself. To love the Old Testament with greater passion and to appreciate the law deeper, we have to see the law as a gracious gift.
Last semester, I took a class at Moody on the theology of John Calvin, and it was probably the best class I’ve taken so far, both for how much I learned through it and for how many times I left that class near tears, deeply moved and affected by the beauty and depth of theology. The class reading was Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. As we studied Calvin’s thought across many areas of theology, an area of his writing that I found especially beautiful is his thought on Old Testament law. Calvin calls his reader to affirm Jesus Christ as the substance of both the Old and New Testament, and to never view the law as separate from grace. His writing in this area grows our love for the Old Testament.
A lifetime can be spent studying the Old Testament and only manage to scratch the surface of its depths of Christology and richness of truth. And a lifetime of such a pursuit is one of immense joy. For from the first law given, to nail-pierced hands on a cross, God has always been graciously drawing His people into union with Himself.
The Gracious Nature of the Law
At the mention of law is often an association with meritocracy and legalism. Calvin would reject such claims. Calvin’s thought in this area is grounded deeply in Christology. Where the law is seen only as standards to maintain, meritocracy is the natural outflow. Even though it would never be outright asserted today, the way many talk about the Old Testament reflects a view that the Old Testament evidences justification by works, and the New Testament portrays justification by grace through faith in Christ. Calvin refutes this strongly and rejects any idea that the patriarchs who were under the law were justified by the works of keeping the law but instead reminds that grace and faith in Christ was always central to their redemption. Although Christ is manifested and revealed differently in both testaments (clearer in the New), He has always remained the substance of both, and faith in Christ has always been the ground of justification. In one of his letters, Calvin articulates the importance of affirming justification by faith in Christ as the following:
“Wherever the knowledge of it is taken away, the glory of Christ is extinguished, religion abolished, the Church destroyed, and the hope of salvation utterly overthrown..”
It’s only when Old Testament law is viewed in light of Christ as its substance that it can be understood to be deeply gracious and redemptive. Throughout his writing, Calvin consistently calls the reader to study the law Christologically.
God’s Heart in the Giving of the Law
The willingness of God, to whom one can give nothing, to enter into a covenant relationship with Israel is an ultimate expression of humility. In Calvin’s sermons on the Ten Commandments, he emphasizes the grace and humility of God in the giving of the law. Particularly in his sermon on Deuteronomy 4:44-5:3, Calvin ventures to creatively and fictionally describe the giving of the law from the perspective of the Lord (to paint a picture of the heart of the Lord) as the following:
“Furthermore, do not think that the covenant which I made with your fathers was intended to take anything from you. For I have no need, nor am I indigent in anything. And what could you do for me anyway? But I procure your well-being and your salvation. Therefore on my part, I am prepared to enter into covenant, article by article, and to pledge myself to you…the living God humbles himself to that extent.”
As Calvin creatively articulates here, there is absolutely nothing that God can gain from entering such a covenant except bringing His people in union with Himself. Such an act of God must be borne out of deep love for His people. The gracious nature of the law is seen in its relational intent: God’s desire to unite His people with Himself. Calvin even explains the Christological nature of the Old Testament by diving deeper into typology throughout the Old Testament sacrificial system. He wants his reader to read all of the Bible, seeing Jesus Christ as the substance. Every act of God is to be recognized as gracious. Leading Israel to union with Himself is the driving force behind the giving of the law, which is why it is deeply restorative rather than restrictive.
Rooted in Scripture
I remember looking at the two big volume books, The Institutes of Christian Religion, for the first time, thinking this has to be the majority of Calvin’s life’s work, only to sit in class and hear my professor say that the Institutes only make up less than 7% of Calvin’s entire writing. Most of his works are actually Biblical commentaries (65% of his writing). Calvin maintains a high regard for Scripture throughout his life’s work. This is even seen through his thought in this area, where the pages of his writing are flooded with references to Scripture, rooting all that he affirms in Scripture.
Calvin’s 3 Purposes of the Law
In explaining this redemptive, gracious nature of the law, Calvin states and defines what he believes to be the three main purposes of the law, as outlined in his Institutes of Christian Religion. Each of the following purposes he outlines shows an aspect of the gracious nature of the law.
Purpose 1: Exposing Depravity
One will never seek remediation without a recognition of sickness. First and foremost, Calvin views the law as a means of bringing to light one’s own inadequacy and depravity. People will spend a lifetime attempting to justify themselves through their own works if never realizing that they are inherently and completely inadequate of any means of self-justification or self-redemption. The law then lifts the burden of pursuing self-justification and reminds that no one will ever be good enough to save themselves. The law then becomes a gift of grace that breaks down self-righteousness, humbles and convicts, leading one to desire redemption outside of self.
Purpose 2: Maintaining Social Order
Calvin defines the law’s second purpose as to restrain and maintain social order, even in those whose hearts haven’t been affected by love for God (unbelievers). With this view, the law is a gift that helps maintain social order in society by providing guidelines for social order even for those who aren’t yet moved to obey by love.
Purpose 3: Obedience Motivated by Love
Calvin defines the third purpose of the law as the most important, “principal” purpose of the entire law. According to him, this purpose is to move the hearts of believers to obedience, driven by love for God. As eyes are opened to know God, hearts are affected deeply by love for God, resulting in a desire to obey His commands. This desire deepens out of love rather than obligation.
Law and Gospel
To be clear, in emphasizing the Christological substance of the law, Calvin is not saying there is no distinction between the law and the gospel but is rather advocating for viewing Christ as the substance of both while recognizing the clear differences in manifestation and dispensation.
For Calvin says, “only we must note a difference in the nature or quality of the promises: the gospel points out with the finger what the law foreshadowed under types.”
He explains the Christological substance of the law in its foreshadowing of the cross but also expounds on the extent to which Christ is revealed clearer and manifested differently in the New Testament. The law is never to be regarded antithetically to the gospel; rather, both are to be appreciated as a gracious gift, and the law is to be viewed Christologically. In elevating the significance of the law, he does not in any way undermine the gospel. He beautifully compels the reader to recognize the Christological substance of the law without diminishing the gift of the gospel as Christ is revealed in it clearer. He does this by continually reiterating that the way in which the patriarchs were justified under the law differs from us in manifestation, yet the substance remains the same: faith in Jesus Christ.
As Israel lay down each lamb to the slaughter, their minds were to be lifted up in hope of a greater lamb to come. As a rock was stricken by Moses in Meribah, which provided physical sustenance for the people, one day, years later, Jesus was to be stricken on a cross, with not only blood and water flowing from His side but the spiritual sustenance of salvation provided. Israel’s celebration of the Passover foreshadows the partaking of the Eucharist to come years later. The giving of the law is a gracious gift igniting hearts with hope for the advent of Christ to come. Typology is evidenced throughout the Old Testament and is no less evidenced in the law. Every act of God is deeply gracious.
The foreshadowing of hope in what was to come is now fulfilled and clearly revealed in Jesus Christ on the cross. This is beautifully articulated in Calvin’s thought as he says…
“The law serves to hold the godly in expectation of Christ’s coming, at his advent they should hope for far more light…they had but a slight taste of it; we can more richly enjoy it.”
Centuries after his lifetime, the words John Calvin penned flood the libraries, homes, and schools of many devoted to the study of theology, continuing to penetrate the hearts of many with encouragement, conviction, and instruction. Calvin’s view of the Old Testament law is deeply Christological and his thought on this area is a reminder of God’s gracious heart. For from Genesis to Revelation, every act of God reflects His deep love and grace, which is just as much evidenced through the substance of Old Testament law as seen on the cross.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” -Ephesians 2:8-9
