What law were the Jews actually following in the days of Paul and Christ?
In the days of Paul and Christ, the Jews were actually following a watered-down, man-made system: a whole set of six hundred and some rules and regulations. That was the law they really attained to, assembled by the rabbis from their study of various aspects of the Old Testament.
Les explains that this law had been so watered down with man-made ideas that in Paul's and Christ's day it was a whole set of six hundred and some rules and regulations. That was the law the Jews really attained to - the law the rabbis had put together by studying various aspects of the Old Testament. Paul still never forsook the morality of God's law and did not claim moral freedom to do as he pleased. He became as under the law to those under the law, as without law to those without law, and as weak to the weak, so that he might gain some and save some. Les also illustrates this with missionaries, who must live like the people among whom they work rather than importing Western culture, habits, and food, or they would never touch anybody.