1.    State the Lord’s purpose concerning the law.

“The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He [Christ] will magnify the law, and make it honorable,” Isaiah 42:21. Magnify _To increase the power or glory of; to exalt; to extol; to sound the praises of._Webster.

2.    Why was it necessary to magnify the law?

“It is time for Thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void Thy law,” Psalm 119:126.

3.    How was the law “made void” when Christ was on the earth?

“And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition,” Mark 7:9. See also Matthew 15:1-9.

4.    What was Christ’s attitude toward the law?

“Think not that I am coming to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17. Fulfil._To render full, to fulfil, i.e., to perform perfectly._Greenfield’s Greek Lexicon. See also Webster. Christ, then, came to perform the law perfectly in all its parts, but not as the Jews interpreted it.

5.    How did He then proceed to magnify the law before His hearers?

“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment,” Matthew 5:21, 22. See also I John 3:15.

6.    What did He say of the seventh commandment?

“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart,” verses 27, 28.

7.    Can the carnal mind be subject to God and His law?

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be,” Romans 8:7.

8.    What is it to be carnally minded?

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace,” Romans 8:6.

9.    Did Christ Himself keep the commandments?

“I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love,” John 15:10, last part of the verse.

10.    How long did He say the law would last?

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled,” Matthew 5:18.

11.    Why did Christ come to earth?

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” Romans 8:3, 4. That is, “perform perfectly” the law of God, _ a work which no one can do of himself.

12.    In order to accomplish this, what was it necessary for Christ to do?

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly,” Romans 5:6.

13.    But if the law could have been abolished, would not that have released men from condemnation?

“Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression,” Romans 4:15.

The Son of God, the Prince of Peace,

His righteous reign shall never cease,

Wise men of the East beheld His star

And followed its bright beams afar,

To where the infant Savior slept

And unseen angels vigil kept.

To honor Him so long foretold,

They offered frankincense and gold.

_ L. O. Van Nostrand