The Law as a Shadow

Why do so many Christian traditions seem to downplay or diminish the Old Testament law in their teaching? This question has been on my mind as my church began a sermon series through Hebrews - and since I woke up at 2 am, I figured I might as well channel my restlessness into writing.

Hebrews is a sermon manuscript found in the New Testament, saturated with references to the Old Testament. The book provides a picture of covenant life in Jesus and highlights the beauty of God’s grace throughout history. 

Some interpretations of the book, particularly around the imagery of the law as a “shadow”, have often been taught in ways that, in my view, are unhelpful and inconsistent with a high view of Scripture.

Hebrews 10:1 says:

“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.”

Many hear this passage and conclude that shadows are empty, and if the law is a shadow, then the law has limited or no value in our lives with Christ.

I disagree wholeheartedly with this interpretation.

If Scripture is truly God’s Word, then no part of it can be “less than” or have no value. God does not reveal something meaningless or build His covenant people on emptiness.

So what does it mean that the law is a “shadow”?

At a very practical level, shadows are outlines that are produced when light shines behind an object. Shadows do not provide every detail, but they confirm the presence of an object and point toward it.

Let’s say that you are out walking through your neighborhood, and as you walk along the sidewalk, you notice a shadow ahead of you. As you inspect the outline of the shadow, you know that it looks like the limbs of a tree, and you can deduce that the object casting the shadow is, in fact, a tree. 

However, you wouldn't look at the shadow's outline (which looks like a tree), and assume it was a dog.

That is because the shadow has trained you to recognize what is there. You do not have to guess. The shadow provides the outline for you so you can identify the object. 

Similarly, the law trains our eyes to understand God’s holiness and covenant faithfulness. Without the law, Israel and Gentiles alike would not have a framework to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah (Gal 3:24). The law prepares and trains God’s people to understand His character and our need for a Savior.

I have no doubt that we can all agree with this teaching of the law as a shadow.

Let’s return to the example of our walk and consider a more controversial claim. 

When you stop to identify the tree casting a shadow on the sidewalk, the shadow of the tree is still there. Shadows do not disappear because you saw the tree. 

This is where many traditional interpretations fall short for me; they assume that because of Christ, the law goes away. But that is not how shadows work. 

The shadow remains alongside the form. In the context of our tree, that doesn’t seem very controversial. But when we apply the same logic to Scripture, people start to get uncomfortable.

In the early days of the Church, as the Gospel spread to people outside the category of ethnic Israel, the Church began to distance itself from Judaism (side note: I’ve been doing a lot of research on this and have a lot to say about it in a future post). The law, which was intended to be a critical identifying factor of God’s covenant people, became associated with an empty religion that Christians were urged to leave behind.

Later leaders during the Reformation emphasized the teaching of salvation by faith alone in response to works-based righteousness that had spread through the Catholic Church. For example, in Calvin's commentary on Hebrews he said the law was not useless but also referred to the law as "rude and imperfect lines" and says that "our condition" (followers of Jesus) is more favorable to those who had the law (which assumes those who had the law did not have faith in the promised Messiah).

While both had the intention of encouraging grace-centered faith, they are instances of overcorrections that have fostered an assumption that the teachings of the law are not relevant to a follower of Jesus. 

Just as shadows remain alongside the form, the law does not disappear because Christ has come (Matt 5:17-18). The law remains a valid, meaningful, powerful aspect of our faith in Christ. Law is God’s wisdom for the people He has redeemed (2 Tim 3:16).

Now, not only does the shadow remain, but I would take that even further to say the shadow should also make sense because you have seen the reality behind it.

When you look at the tree on your walk, you are not confused by the shadow of the branches on the sidewalk.

But for many of us, when we look at Christ, the law doesn’t make sense. Instead we see harsh commands and rituals that appear misleading or contradictory to our faith in Jesus. The shadow confuses us.

In large part, I believe this confusion stems from the overcorrections of various periods in Church history resulting in reading the law in isolation from the story of Scripture instead of seeing it in continuity with the saving grace of Jesus.

This artificial division has led many to misinterpret the law as a system of works-based salvation for those who lived before Christ. Yet, the law was not and is not a means to earn salvation. Small wonder that we find it confusing, contradictory, and frustrating when we demand that it fulfill a purpose it was never meant to serve!

We must understand that the law can be a means of grace without being a mechanism for salvation. 

Scripture repeatedly teaches the law is part of God’s plan of redemption, instructing His people in holiness and cultivating the wisdom needed to live faithfully in a world hostile to Jesus.

While this post only scratches the surface of the issue, I hope that you are inspired and encouraged to see more continuity between the teachings of the law and the reality of life that we have in Jesus. For now, I think my coffee is wearing off and I fear I will become less and less coherent if I continue to write. I'll leave you with some reflection questions below.

Reflection Questions

• When you read that the law is a “shadow,” what assumptions come to mind about its relevance in your life as a follower of Jesus?

• Have you ever felt confused by the law? How might viewing the law as a means of grace help you see the continuity of Scripture from the Old Testament to Christ?

• In what ways can the law guide your heart and choices today, even though it doesn’t save you?