Following the Law of Moses in a Christlike Way: A Pronomian Reading of “Law of Christ” in Galatians 6:2 and 1 Corinthians 9:21

Author: David Wilber

Volume: A Disciple Named Timothy: Essays in Honor of Tim Hegg on his 75th Birthday

Abstract: The expression “law of Christ” appears only twice in the New Testament, yet its interpretation has significant implications for Christian ethics. In Galatians 6:2, Paul urges his readers to fulfill “the law of Christ” (τὸν νόµον τοῦ Χ()στοῦ), and in 1 Corinthians 9:21, he describes himself as “under/in the law of Christ” (ἔννοµο, Χ()στοῦ). Traditionally, interpreters have frequently understood this expression to denote a new “law” or ethic that supersedes the law of Moses. However, a growing body of scholarship suggests that “law of Christ” refers, in some sense, to the law of Moses itself rather than to something entirely distinct from it. Building on this emerging perspective, this article contends that the phrase “law of Christ” in Galatians 6:2 and 1 Corinthians 9:21 is best understood as the law of Moses as interpreted and exemplified by Christ.

To Cite Article: David Wilber, “Following the Law of Moses in a Christlike Way: A Pronomian Reading of “Law of Christ” in Galatians 6:2 and 1 Corinthians 9:21,” in A Disciple Named Timothy: Essays in Honor of Tim Hegg on his 75th Birthday (Tacoma, WA: TorahResource, 2025), 201–212.