Insights by Steve Wohlberg

The Law of Sacrifices was Abolished, Not the Big Ten

by Steve Wohlberg

There was a “law” that was separate from the Ten Commandments. It was written by Moses and involved “sacrifices… and burnt offerings … offered by the law” (Hebrews 10:1,8). Called “a shadow of good things to come” (vs. 1), its “sacrifices” pointed forward to the great Sacrifice, Jesus Christ.

When Jesus Christ died, this “shadow” ceased.

Jesus Christ “abolished … the law of commandments contained in ordinances” (Ephesians 2:15). We know this is talking about “the law of sacrifices,” and not the Ten Commandments, because in the same book (Ephesians), Paul quoted the 5th commandment, “Honor thy father and mother,” as being in full force for Christians today (see Ephesians 6:1-3).

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us … nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:14). Some apply this verse to the Ten Commandments, but this is a mistake. Notice carefully that the “ordinances” mentioned here that were nailed to the cross were “the handwriting of ordinances.” The “handwriting” refers to the law that Moses wrote with his hand in a book (Deut. 31:24-26), and not what God wrote with His finger on “two tables of stone” (Exodus 31:18).

The following verses show the clear distinction between “the law of sacrifices” written by Moses (which were abolished) and the Ten Commandments (which endure forever):

The Ten Commandments——–The Law of Moses

Written by God. Exod. 24:12—–Written by Moses. Deut. 31:9

The finger of God. Exod. 31:18—–The hand of Moses. Deut. 31:24

Written on stone. Exod. 31:18—–Written in a book. Deut. 31:24

Placed in the ark. Deut. 10:1-5—–In the side of the ark. Deut. 31:26

Royal law of liberty. James 2:8-12—–Law in ordinances. Eph. 2:15

Moral precepts. Exod. 20—–Ritual matters. Deut. 31:24

We should keep. James 2:12—–We should not keep. Acts 15:24

Judges all men. James 2:12—–Judges no man. Col. 2:16

Spiritual. Romans 7:12-14—–Carnal. Heb. 7:16; 9:10

Christ magnified. Isa. 42:21—–Christ abolished. Col. 2:14; Eph. 2:15

Established by faith. Romans 3:31—–Blotted out by Christ. Col. 2:14

When Jesus Christ died, He caused “the sacrifice … to cease” (Dan. 9:27). But the Ten Commandments can never “cease.” They’re on “two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18) and still exist in the original “ark” in heavenly temple (read Revelation 11:19).