What was the condition of Israel's religion under the law at the time of Christ?
At Christ’s first coming, Israel was under the law, but its religious system had become totally degenerated. Temple worship in Jerusalem operated full speed with priests and animal sacrifices, yet it was governed not by the basic Ten Commandments alone but by 613 rules and regulations comprising the law.
Les explains that everything concerning Christ’s first coming occurred while the law was in place. As Paul wrote the book of Galatians, the temple was operating full speed ahead in Jerusalem: the priests were performing their rites and bringing the animal sacrifices. The nation of Israel was under the law, but it was a degenerated religious system, totally degenerated. Instead of operating under the basic Ten Commandments, temple worship at the time of Christ was now under 613 rules and regulations, which comprised the law. That made it all the harder, because instead of Ten Commandments to keep, they now had 613.