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That’s new covenant freedom in action!

9

A few years ago I was speaking at a men’s retreat in the mountains of West Virginia. The first thing I presented was the importance of the dividing line of the cross—the event that ushered in God’s new way. The concept is simple: it’s the death of Christ and not his birth that initiated the New Testament era (Heb. 9:16–18). Therefore, Jesus was born under the law. And he ministered to an audience still under the law (Gal. 4:4–5). This means the New Testament (or new covenant) era didn’t begin with “baby Jesus.”

“Everyone please turn to Matthew chapter 1,” I said.

After they had reached the chapter, I said, “Now flip back just one page and tell me what you see.”

“The New Testament,” everyone shouted.

“That’s right. In most Bibles, there’s a divider page that says ‘The New Testament’ in big block letters. So is that correct? Does the New Testament really begin in Matthew 1? Does the New Testament era start with Jesus as a baby in the manger?”

“No, I guess not,” one guy muttered.

I waited a few seconds to let the concept really sink in. Suddenly, I heard a loud ripping noise at the back of the room. The senior pastor of the Baptist church hosting the retreat was holding up a page he’d torn from his Bible. It was the New Testament divider page.

“Guess I won’t be needing this anymore!” he announced.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

The Great Divide

Baby Jesus, lying in the manger in Bethlehem, was born under law. And all those around him were still under law:

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Gal. 4:4–5 NASB)

There it is in black and white—a neglected truth. Yes, we are quite familiar with the idea that Jesus was “born of a woman.” But many of us may have lost sight of the fact that Jesus was “born under the Law.” This means that in Matthew 1 and throughout the four Gospels, God’s new way had not come on the scene yet. It was thirty-three years later, at Jesus’s death, that the new covenant went into effect:

For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. (Heb. 9:16–17 NASB)

Although the divider page in our Bibles tells us that Matthew 1 introduces the New Testament, it’s nothing more than a literary convention. It doesn’t communicate the truth of the cross as the great divide. Jesus’s death, not his birth, is what really initiated the New Testament era.

The First Ministry of Christ

The truth concerning this great divide of the cross carries some sweeping implications for how we understand the Bible—the teachings of Jesus in particular—and how we relate to God and live life. So in light of the great divide of the cross, how do we understand the teachings of Jesus?

Throughout his ministry, Jesus focused on two very specific things. His second ministry involved prophecy about a new way to come—a way free of rules, regulations, and religion. He spoke of a grace-based system in which we could call God “Daddy.” That’s usually what comes to our minds when we first think about Jesus’s teaching. This second ministry included concepts such as light, love, and new life. But we can’t ignore the first, and equally important, focus of his teaching: to enlighten everyone around him concerning the true spirit of the law.

Here are some excerpts from a killer sermon (Matt. 5:21–48) Jesus delivered as everyone’s jaws dropped:

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. (Matt. 5:21–22)

You have heard that it was said, “Do not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.