timberlandko wrote: . . . The notion that God's Revealed Word To Man requires an interpreter is ridiculous; either God speaking through the Biblical authors both inspired the Bible and meant what he said, or the whole deal is off.
Quite right, timber. This is exactly why the clergy bears so much guilt.
Now, with regard to the law, Paul said in Galatians 3:24,25: "Consequently the Law has become our tutor leading to Christ, that we might be declared righteous due to faith. 25 But now that the faith has arrived, we are no longer under a tutor."
Now what did Jesus mean about not one particle of a letter of the law not passing away? This was just after he said he came to fulfill the law, was it not? But, that had not yet taken place.
Even so, once the law was fulfilled, did that make it useless? Hardly, or Paul would not have counseled as he did in 2Timothy 3: 16: "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness."
The law, even after having been fulfilled, was still useful for learning about and meditating on God's standards.
