Bible Readings — Bible Questions Answered

What Really Ended at the Cross?

What did Christ abolish at the cross? BR-ASI9 274.12

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” Colossians 2:14. “Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.” Ephesians 2:15, 16. BR-ASI9 274.13

Note.—“By the handwriting of ordinances the apostle most evidently means the ceremonial law.”—Dr. Adam Clarke, Commentary. BR-ASI9 274.14

“Jesus did not give a new code, but He also did not say that the moral teachings of the Old Testament were suspended. The ceremonial and ritualistic laws of the Old Testament are abrogated for the Christian, but not the Ten Commandments.”—J. Philip Hyatt, “God’s Decrees for Moral Living,” The Teacher (Baptist), October, 1943, vol. 57, no. 10, p. 5. BR-ASI9 274.15

What aspects of the ceremonial system are particularly mentioned as foreshadowing Christ, and thus ending at the cross? BR-ASI9 275.1

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” Colossians 2:16, 17. BR-ASI9 275.2

Note.—The things concerning which no man is to judge us “are a shadow of things to come.” The weekly Sabbath was given to man in Eden, not as a shadow of something to come, but as God’s memorial of His creative work. BR-ASI9 275.3

What was the purpose of the sacrifices of the ceremonial system? BR-ASI9 275.4

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Hebrews 10:1. BR-ASI9 275.5

What occurred at the time of the crucifixion which indicated that the typical system had been taken away by Christ? BR-ASI9 275.6

“The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake.” Matthew 27:51. BR-ASI9 275.7

In what language is this clearly stated? BR-ASI9 275.8

“He said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second.” Hebrews 10:8, 9. BR-ASI9 275.9

Note.—The first here refers to the typical offerings. These were taken away that the second, the all-sufficient offering, the blood of Christ, might stand forth as the true, the only sacrifice that could take away sin. To have continued the offering of animals after the cross would have been a denial that the Lamb of God, whom the offerings prefigured, had come. BR-ASI9 275.10