The Ethical Reorientation of Paul: From the Law of Moses to the Law of Christ

Abstract

When Paul writes about his life prior to his call as an apostle, he says that he was blameless in following the law of Moses (Phil 3:6), a model of life under the law.  But he realized that the law of Moses (dealing not only with moral, but also with ceremonial and dietary matters) cannot possibly be imposed upon Gentiles.  Paul exhorts his readers to be guided by “the law of Christ†(Gal 6:2), an enigmatic phrase summing up moral and communal values, reviewed here, that cohere with the life in Christ.