"THE LAW HAS BECOME OUR TUTOR"

The Law as  a Tutor

Why did the apostle Paul compare the Mosaic Law to a tutor?  What makes this illustration particularly appropriate? 

The first aspect is the protective nature of the Law. Paul explained that the Jews were "guarded under law." It was as though they were in the protective custody of a tutor.  (Galatians 3:23) The Law influenced every aspect of their life. It bridled their lustful passions and their fleshly desires. It supervised their conduct and continually rebuked them for their shortcomings, making each Israelite aware of his own imperfections.

The Law was also a protection from corrupting influences, such as the degraded moral and religious practices of the nations that surrounded Israel. God's prohibition on intermarriage with pagans, for example, was essential to the spiritual well-being  of the nation as a whole. (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4) Such statutes  preserved the spiritual purity of God's people and prepared them to be able to recognize the Messiah. These were loving provisions indeed.  Moses reminded his fellow Israelites: "Just as a man corrects his son, Jehovah your God was correcting you." -Deuteronomy  8:5.

Next time: "THE LAW HAS BECOME OUR TUTOR" -Conclusion of The Law as a Tutor

From the Watchtower magazine