L03–I:3, 4. New Testament vs. Reformed on the Law (Why Reformed don't use Luther's Catechism)

      This continues from Part L02a (Table of Contents in Part L01) in a series on the instruction of the Law by C. F. W. Walther and Martin Luther. — In the following statements # 3 and #4, Walther introduces us to "the New Testament way" of presenting the Ten Commandments. This is an eye-opener on where the power of the Ten Commandments lies and it sheds light on the Old Testament (OT) ceremonial and ecclesiastical laws. This answered my own questions on why Luther changed the OT wording on some of the Ten Commandments! Now I have a renewed desire to learn from Luther's Small Catechism! — Why do the Reformed not use Luther's Small Catechism? Find out in this segment. — From Lehre und Wehre, vol. 7 (Nov. 1861), p. 321 ff.:

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I. What part of the Law now binds everyone in the New Testament?

      3. Not only everything else [apart from the natural law] in the Old Testament, but also everything in the holy Ten Commandments that relates solely to the Old Testament covenant people and to their particular constitution and household, namely to their particular ceremonial or ecclesiastical [i.e. Sabbath keeping, circumcision, etc.] laws, as well as to their police or civil laws, has lost its power to bind the consciences in the New Testament and has been abolished by Christ; therefore we do not find the Ten Commandments quoted anywhere in the New Testament in the Old Testament form, but in a New Testament form. … The only reason why the Reformed insist that the holy Ten Commandments should also be included in the Christian catechism entirely in the form in which Moses received them from God and gave them to the Jews [in Exodus 20], is therefore lack of a proper understanding of the Law; while the New Testament way in which the Lutheran Catechism presents the holy Ten Commandments is a glorious testimony to the pure knowledge and deep understanding of Luther and the Lutheran Church regarding this matter.

      4. Neither the holy Ten Commandments nor any Old Testament law binds Christians because they were revealed by God through Moses, for as a written law they were imposed only on the separated people of the old covenant, the Jews.

What Luther says about Moses's Ten Commandments, and the Old Testament:

• “…but we will not have him [Moses] for our lawgiver. For we have law enough in the New Testament. Therefore we will not have him in our conscience, but will keep it pure in Christ alone.”
• “…the Ten Commandments are given to the Jews alone, and not to the Gentiles.”
• “With this passage [Acts 15:10] (as Paul with his) St. Peter also lifts the whole of Moses with all its laws from the Christians.” 
• “For Moses is a teacher of the Jewish people; therefore his words are all directed to the Jews alone.”
• “Dear Christians, you have heard that when they [i.e. Reformed] come in with their Moses and want to bind your consciences with his laws, say to them: Dear Lord, put your glasses on your noses and look at the text correctly.”

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Franz Pieper, although not mentioning Walther's 1861 essay, taught what Walther and Luther taught, Christian Dogmatics I, 532 [EN]:

“Not even the Ten Commandments in the form in which they were given to the Jews (Exodus 20) are binding on all men, but only the Ten Commandments as set down in the New Testament, as we have them, e. g., in Luther’s Catechism.”

Pieper's footnote references the same writing of Luther, “Against the Heavenly Prophets in the Matter of Images and Sacraments”, that Walther had on pages 331-334 ([StL 20, 146-153; Am. Ed. 40, p. 92-98]). — In the next Part L04…