In Scripture, 'law' is a contextual term that may mean the whole Mosaic system—moral, civil, and ceremonial—or the Ten Commandments specifically.
Les Feldick shows that in Romans, Paul can use 'the law' to mean the Ten Commandments and 'them who are under the law' to mean the whole system. The reader must let the surrounding text decide which meaning is in view. The law's purpose, however, is constant: it gives the knowledge of sin and cannot justify the flesh.
Romans 3:19-20 — This is the central passage where Paul distinguishes the law itself from those under it, demonstrating that 'law' must be read in context.
Exodus 19:1-20:1 — The law is introduced at Mount Sinai immediately after Israel's exodus, establishing its historical setting.
In Romans 3:19, Paul writes, "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." In the next verse he declares, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." In Romans 8:3, Paul also describes the law's limitation: "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." The scriptural record places the giving of the law at Sinai, where God spoke to Israel after bringing them out of Egypt (Exodus 19-20).
Les Feldick teaches that 'law' in Scripture is not a single idea. He breaks the Mosaic law into the moral law (the Ten Commandments), the civil law (how neighbor deals with neighbor, restitution for damaged property), and the ceremonial law (ritual, worship, sacrifices, priesthood). He stresses that in Romans, especially, the reader must ask whether Paul is referring to the Ten Commandments alone or to the whole system of law. In Romans 3:19-20, Les shows that Paul is referring to the moral law, the Ten Commandments; in other passages Paul may mean the whole sphere of Judaism. Les also teaches that the law was given to the nation of Israel—the Jew—since Israel alone was placed under the law. Yet he notes that Paul says all the world may be brought under its guilt, so the law has control over the whole human race. The law's one purpose in Scripture is to give the knowledge of sin; it cannot justify anyone, because the flesh is weak. God gave the whole system of law because even Israel would soon break the Ten Commandments.
Les Feldick breaks the whole system of law into the moral law, which is the Ten Commandments; the civil law, which governed how people dealt with one another (such as making compensation if a bull damaged a neighbor's property or if one person wronged another); and the ceremonial law, which covered the rituals, worship, sacrifices, and priesthood. He says the Ten Commandments are at the heart of the law, while the civil and ceremonial laws surround that core.
No. Les says that when we see the word 'law,' especially in Romans, we have to ask whether Paul means the Ten Commandments alone or the whole system of law. In Romans 3:19, he says 'the law' refers to the Ten Commandments, but the phrase 'them who are under the law' refers to the whole system. The surrounding text makes the distinction clear.
According to Les, the nation of Israel—the Jew—was the one placed under the law. God gave Israel the tables of stone and the whole system of ritual, priesthood, sacrifices, and civil law. Yet, as Paul writes, the law speaks 'that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God' (Romans 3:19), so the law's guilt extends beyond Israel to the whole human race.
Les teaches that the law has only one purpose in Scripture: to give the knowledge of sin. He points to Romans 3:20—'for by the law is the knowledge of sin.' The Ten Commandments show the old Adam that he is naturally bent to take God's name in vain, to worship idols, to envy, to steal, and to do the things the law prohibits. The law is not intended to justify anyone; by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified.
Les notes that even Israel shortly broke the law after it was given. So God not only gave the Ten Commandments, but also the whole system of law, including the civil law that provided compensation and restitution in disputes between neighbors, such as a bull trampling another man's grain.
Setting at Mount Sinai
Les sets the scene by noting Israel has just come out of Egypt and is gathered around Mount Sinai as the law is about to be given.
Contextual Reading of Romans 3:19
Les explains that when Paul says 'the law saith to them who are under the law,' 'the law' refers to the Ten Commandments, but 'them who are under the law' refers to the whole system of law, including civil and ceremonial law.
Who Was Under the Law
Les states that only the Jew, the nation of Israel, was placed under the law, and that the law included the Ten Commandments at its heart plus the whole system of ritual, priesthood, sacrifices, and civil law.
Law as the Ten Commandments in Romans 3:20
Les says that when Paul writes 'by the deeds of the law,' he is talking about the moral law, the keeping of the Ten Commandments, by which no flesh is justified.
Civil Law and the Whole System
Les explains that because Israel would break the Ten, God gave the whole system of law, including civil law for neighbor-to-neighbor matters such as compensation for damage done by a bull.
The Purpose of the Law
Les teaches the law's only purpose is the knowledge of sin: the Ten Commandments show the old Adam is bent to idolatry, blasphemy, envy, thievery, and every forbidden thing.
The Law's Weakness Through the Flesh
Les reads Romans 8:3 as speaking of the Mosaic Law, the Ten Commandments, and points out that the law was weak through the flesh.
The Law's Scope: Israel and the World
Les shows the law was given specifically to Israel, yet Paul says all the world might be brought under its guilt, so the law has control over the whole human race.
Romans 3:19: Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
This verse shows that 'the law' and 'them who are under the law' are two distinct ideas, which is central to understanding the term in context.
Romans 3:20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Paul states the law's function is to reveal sin, not to justify anyone.
Romans 8:3: 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:
Paul draws attention to the law's weakness through the flesh, which Les ties to the Mosaic Law and the Ten Commandments.
Exodus 20:1-2: And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
The law begins with God identifying Himself to Israel as the LORD who brought them out of Egypt, placing the law in its historical setting.
No. Les Feldick explains that 'law' must be read in context. Sometimes it refers to the Ten Commandments alone, and at other times it refers to the whole system of law, which includes the moral, civil, and ceremonial law.
Les says the nation of Israel was placed under the law. God gave Israel the tables of stone and the whole system of ritual, priesthood, sacrifices, and civil law. Even so, Paul says the law speaks so that all the world may become guilty before God.
According to Les, the law's one purpose in Scripture is to give the knowledge of sin. It was never given to justify anyone; by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified.
The law, as Les breaks it down, consists of the moral law (the Ten Commandments), the civil law (neighbor-to-neighbor matters and compensation), and the ceremonial law (rituals, worship, sacrifices, and priesthood).
Watch the Teaching: The 3 Parts of the Law & Why They Don't Save You