Yes — God put Israel under the law as a temporary tutor to prepare them for Christ and for their role as a light to the Gentiles, while also making the whole world conscious of sin.
Les Feldick draws on Galatians 3:23-24 to show that the law functioned like a schoolmaster who prepares a child for active life. Scripture also shows that the law was Israel's unique covenant responsibility, but its effect of stopping every mouth extended to the whole human race (Romans 3:19), and that it was a ministration of death (2 Corinthians 3:7).
Galatians 3:24 — This verse directly states that the law was Israel's schoolmaster to bring them to Christ, answering the question of why the law was given.
Romans 3:19 — Paul explains the law was spoken to Israel, yet it stopped every mouth and made the whole world guilty before God.
2 Corinthians 3:7 — This verse describes the law as a ministration of death, which Les identifies as the law's effect on Israel.
The Bible shows that the law was given specifically to Israel in connection with God's covenant after Egypt. In Exodus 20:2, God identifies Himself as "the LORD thy God" who brought Israel out of the land of Egypt. Paul then explains the corrective purpose of that law in Romans 3:19-20: the law speaks to those under it — Israel — but with the result that every mouth is stopped and the whole world is guilty before God. No one is justified by works of the law; rather, through the law comes the knowledge of sin. Galatians 3:23-24 states that before faith came, Israel was kept under the law, shut up to the faith that was later revealed, and that the law was their schoolmaster to bring them unto Christ so they could be justified by faith. The law was also a "ministration of death," written and engraved in stones, as seen in 2 Corinthians 3:7.
Les Feldick explains that God's purpose in giving Israel the law was educational and preparatory. Just as parents educate a child to prepare him for adult life, the law was Israel's schoolmaster, tutoring them until "the faith way" came and they could be prepared for a larger role (Clip 0; Galatians 3:23-24). God gave Israel the law, priesthood, and sacrificial system to make them aware of His holiness and sovereignty, and to prepare them for a future role in the midst of world idolatry (Clip 4). The law was only given to Israel; the Gentiles were not expected to keep it as a rule of life, yet the law's verdict reached the whole human race so every mouth would be stopped (Clips 2, 3, 6). God intended to send a prepared Israel into the Gentile world to bring them to the knowledge of their God, but Israel instead became so convinced of their specialness that they failed to see anyone else as valuable (Clip 1). Most Israelites were not true believers even though they had the Word of God and everything going for them (Clip 7).
Les notes that of all peoples, only the Jew was literally under the law; God did not expect the Gentiles to keep the law or to have temple worship (Clip 2). He also emphasizes that when Paul asks who was under the law, the answer is the Jew and the nation of Israel (Clip 5). Yet in the same breath, Paul says the law was addressed to those under it so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God (Clips 3, 6).
Les compares the law to a schoolmaster who teaches a child in preparation for adult life. Galatians 3:23-24 says Israel was kept under the law until the faith way was revealed, and the law was their schoolmaster to bring them unto Christ. God also gave Israel the law, priesthood, and sacrificial worship to make them aware of His holiness, sovereignty, and their future role amid pagan idolatry (Clips 0, 4).
After 2,000 years of being told they were special, Israel could not accept that anyone else was worth anything, so they did not go to the Gentiles as God intended (Clip 1). Although Israel had the Word of God and everything going for them, most were not true believers (Clip 7).
The Law as Schoolmaster
Les shows that in Galatians 3:23-24 the law was Israel's schoolmaster, much like parents educating children for adult life, to prepare Israel for the faith way that would later be revealed.
Israel's Exclusive Attitude
Les says God intended to send a prepared, obedient Israel to the Gentiles, but 2,000 years of being told they were special made Israel unable to see anyone else as valuable.
Only Israel Was Under the Law
Les emphasizes that of all peoples, only the Jew was literally under the law; God did not expect the Gentiles to keep it, yet the law stopped every mouth and made the whole world guilty.
The Law's Verdict for All Mankind
Les explains that the law spoke to Israel but the power reached every human mouth, and by the law no flesh is justified; it was a ministration of death.
The Law's Preparatory Purpose
Les says God gave Israel the law, priesthood, and sacrificial worship to make them aware of His holiness and sovereignty and prepare them for a future role amid pagan idolatry.
Who Was Under the Law?
Les answers that Israel was under the law, and clarifies that the law included ritual, sacrificial, and civil law with the Ten Commandments at its heart.
Law Given to Israel, Reaching the World
Les points from Exodus 20:1-2 that the law was specifically given to Israel but still brought the whole world under its guilt, as Romans says.
Israel's Unbelief Despite Privileges
Les notes that most Israelites were not true believers even though they had the Word of God and every advantage, showing the law could not automatically make them faithful.
Exodus 20:2: I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
God spoke these words to Israel as He gave the Ten Commandments, showing the law was tied to God's covenant deliverance of Israel.
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.
Paul confirms the law was given to Israel, but its conviction extends to the whole world.
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.
The law's purpose was not to justify but to give the knowledge of sin.
Galatians 3:23: But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Israel was confined under the law until the way of faith was revealed in Christ.
Galatians 3:24: Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
This is the key verse showing the law's educational purpose to lead Israel to Christ.
Galatians 3:25: But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Once faith in Christ came, Israel was no longer under the law as a schoolmaster.
2 Corinthians 3:7: But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
Paul describes the law given through Moses as a ministration of death, fulfilling Les's description of the law's effect.
Les Feldick teaches that only Israel was literally under the law; God did not expect the Gentiles to keep it or to have temple worship (Clip 2). However, the law still spoke to those under it and made every mouth stop, so the whole world became guilty before God (Clips 3, 6).
Les compares the law to a schoolmaster who prepares a child for adult life (Clip 0). Galatians 3:24 says the law was Israel's schoolmaster to bring them unto Christ, so they could be justified by faith.
Yes, according to Les, Israel was meant to become a prepared, spiritual, obedient people and then go to the Gentile world. Instead, after 2,000 years of being told they were special, they couldn't see anyone else as valuable (Clip 1), and most were not true believers despite their privileges (Clip 7).
Watch the Teaching: The True Meaning of Israel as a "Peculiar People"