Paul and the Law (Nomos)

By Richard Sison | 2014

Among the Christian circle, Paul is believed to have preached against the Law. His famous verse is often quoted that we are not under the law but under grace. The question is that what is exactly the law (or Nomos in Greek) that Paul is referring to? Does it refer to the Torah and G-D´s commandments given to Moses? Most of Paul´s writings, if not all, are addressed to Greek speaking believers both Jews and Non-Jews. 

Nomos came from a Greek root word which means "to allot" and thus has the sense of "what is proper", "what is assigned to someone". In ancient times it has a comprehensive range of meaning which embraces any kind of existing or accepted norm, order, custom, usage or tradition. Nomos is what is valid in use and Nomos also was referred to the "word of the gods". From Paul´s point of view, having been raised in the Greek culture though he was a full Jew, Nomos is a tradition. During that time, the Greeks started to add their customs in a formal law, making them part of the law. It became an obligation for free men to obey (but for the slaves, the law does not apply to them). Notice please that when the Torah was translated into Nomos in the XLL or Septuagint, the Jewish translators were referring to the oral commandments that were given by G-D before Moses´ time which had passed from generation to generation, and not customs or traditions of man.

The Scripture recorded that Paul followed the commandments of G-D as written in the Torah. The book of Acts says that it was his custom to go to the synagogues and preach there on the Sabbath day, and to celebrate the Appointed Times of the L-RD like the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Shavuot (Pentecost, Acts 9:20, 12:3, 13:5,44, 14:1, 16:3, 17:2). He also circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3) and took a Nazarite vow and brought offerings to the Temple (Acts 21:26). 

If you read the Scriptures carefully, the commandments are said to be permanent and eternal and Paul knew that. He never said that the Torah is done away with but he refers to the traditions and customs of the fathers.

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