THE Law that God gave to the Israelites was perfect. Regarding that Law the Scriptures tell us: “The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Rom. 7:12)

Nevertheless, it was holy, righteous, good, yes, faultless, as regards God’s purpose respecting it. What purpose did it serve?

Answering this question, the apostle Paul wrote: “It was added to make transgressions manifest, until the seed should arrive. . . the Law has become our tutor leading to Christ.” (Gal. 3:19, 24) “The Law has a shadow of the good things to come, but not the very substance of the things.”​—Heb. 10:1.

The Law fulfilled perfectly its purpose to make transgressions manifest. It set bounds, pointing out clearly what Jehovah God required as to the conduct of his people. Being imperfect, the Israelites were unable to keep that Law perfectly. Hence, it made their transgressions manifest. The Law showed undeniably that the Israelites needed to be forgiven of their transgressions, also that a sacrifice was required that really could atone for their sins.

As a tutor, the Law served to prepare the Israelites to receive the Messiah or Christ. In ancient times, the tutor or pedagogue was not the teacher, as a teacher in a school is. His responsibility was to keep the child from physical and moral harm. He could discipline the child and instruct it in matters of conduct. But he did not provide all the instruction needed. The tutor accompanied the child to school, turning it over to the instructor there.

Now, the Law did function like an ancient tutor. Its regulations were designed to safeguard the Israelites against damaging their relationship with Jehovah God and injuring themselves thereby. They were told: “In all the way that Jehovah your God has commanded you, you should walk, in order that you may live and it may be well with you and you may indeed lengthen your days in the land of which you will take possession.”​—Deut. 5:33.

The Law was also a strict disciplinarian. Wrongdoers did not go unpunished. Regarding serious violations of the Law, such as adultery, murder and kidnapping, we read: “Any man that has disregarded the law of Moses dies without compassion, upon the testimony of two or three.” (Heb. 10:28) Speedy execution of deliberate transgressors served to fill observers with a healthy fear and acted as a restraining force on lawless action.

When the Messiah arrived, a repentant Jewish remnant willingly received him as their instructor. In their case, the Law fulfilled its purpose as a flawless tutor.

Various aspects of the Law, including festivals, the tabernacle and sacrifices, had a shadow that represented greater things to come. A shadow gives some idea of the general shape or design of the reality that casts it. Likewise the shadows of the Law aided right-hearted Israelites to identify the Messiah, as they could see how he fulfilled these shadows. Writing to Christians at Colossae, the apostle Paul pointed this out: “The reality belongs to the Christ.”​—Col. 2:17.