I. What is being confessed in this article?⤒🔗

What change did the coming of Christ bring about in regard to the way God wants to be served? That is the subject of this article.

1. The Old Testament worship service with its prescribed customs was a foreshadowing of what was to come. Christ’s coming has put an end to these shadow images and therefore Christians should no longer maintain them.
2. What is still of lasting significance to us is what is depicted in these images. The article calls this “the truth and substance” of the shadow images. By this is meant the work of Christ, for he has made the shadows come true.
3. We still use the Old Testament in order to receive from it a better grasp of the gospel, and also to learn from it how God wants to be served.

II. The purpose of the shadow-like worship←⤒🔗

1. The article speaks of the "ceremonies" of the worship under the old covenant, which refers to the richly varied events of the temple service, involving the smoking altar and the priestly sacrifices. This worship is characterized as shadows of what was to come. In addition, reference is made to the "symbols" prescribed by law. This includes the many rules that had to be observed by every Israelite in everyday life. This included circumcision, cleansing, fasting, feasts, and so on.
   All these prescribed ways of serving God in the temple and outside of it are characterized here as shadows.
2. These images represent something else: the reality that would come about. It is the Bible itself that uses this imagery. In Colossians 2:17 we read that “these [that is, the precepts about eating, drinking, and feast days] are a shadow of the things to come.” What was to come is called "the substance," which belongs to Christ.  
   The same thought is found in Hebrews 8:5 and Hebrews 10:1. What is pictured here is how the high priest, on the Day of Atonement, drew near to God in the most holy part of the temple (Hebrews 9:1-10). That was a faint shadow of what Christ was coming to do, for he offered a one-time sacrifice, and drew near to God in heaven, and was allowed to abide there forever, thus obtaining eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:11-12.
   The shadow images of the ancient worship together formed, as it were, a picture that illustrated Israel’s reconciliation with God.
3. All of this shadow-like worship points to Christ. He is the actual temple in which God dwells (John 2:19-22). He is the true priest and the only sacrifice (Hebrews 10:11-14). The Year of Jubilee really had its true beginning with him (Luke 4:21). He is the true Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).
   The shadows of the ancient worship service served to prepare Israel as well as to make them eager for the coming of Christ. However, they no less served the purpose of assuring the Jews that there was atonement for them also on the basis of the future work of Christ  (Psalm 32:1).​

III. The ministry of shadows has been abolished←⤒🔗

1. The article expresses itself resolutely when it concerns the question as to whether this shadow-like worship should be maintained. This is denied in three ways: that the shadows have "ceased," they are "fulfilled," and so Christians ought to "abolish" their use.
   The Bible itself marks the official termination of the temple service by its declaration of the miraculous tearing (from top to bottom) of the temple curtain at the death of Christ (Matthew 27:51).
   The fact that God himself had abolished the old regulations is also proved by his command to Peter to eat unclean animals (Acts. 10:9-16).
2. The shadow images have not simply been abolished, but have made way for him who was depicted: for Christ. So they are not cancelled as if they left an empty place afterwards, but have become superfluous after Christ himself appeared in Person to effect the atonement.
   A girl likes to look at a photo of her boyfriend who is far away. But once he is in front of her, she looks at him and no longer at the photo. And so also Christ himself came to make the atonement as had been pictured by the shadow-like worship. Someone who holds on to the old style of worship and continues to look at the images ignores Christ himself and insults him. Hence Paul’s vehement rebuke to the Galatian Christians who would uphold the precepts of Moses, especially circumcision (Galatians 2:3; Galatians 5:11; Galatians 6:13). Paul accuses them of allowing themselves to be led away to “a different gospel – not that there is another one” (Galatians 1:6). Therefore the article declares three times that the shadows have ended.
   It is all about the honour of Christ.

IV. The shadow-like ceremonies and the Roman Catholic conception of it←⤒🔗

1. The determination with which this article considers shadow-like worship to be ended becomes even more understandable against the background of the Roman Catholic view. For the Roman Catholic liturgy is teeming with ceremonies borrowed from those of the Old Testament. Just as it was there, so a central place is given to the altar, the priest and sacrifices with a multitude of incantations, ordinations, washings, pilgrimages, special days for the saints, the burning of candles and incense, and so on. This is a failure to recognize that Christ has fulfilled all things. In particular the altar, on which Christ is sacrificed daily, is a sad proof of this.
   Even more than Luther, Calvin opposed this practice. In it he saw the glory of Christ being tarnished, for “God did rend the veil of the temple, yet the Roman Catholics stretch out a hundred of these veils.”
2. A lavish style of worship involves the danger that outward pomp and ceremony easily serve as a wall behind which the heart hides itself. People are diligent in performing or experiencing all kinds of liturgical acts, but they no longer meet God himself. Even if unintentionally, heartfelt faith and conversion are easily replaced and buried under a stage-like liturgy – just as people can easily hide their indifference to the other behind a grand display of politeness.
   The Bible warns against this danger, (Isaiah 1:10-17; Amos 5:21-22; Matthew 15:8-9). The more elaborate the liturgy, the more opportunity is given for dramatics and hypocrisy or pretence.
3. Of course, this does not mean that we should be against any form of ceremony out of reaction. Calvin pointed to 1 Corinthians 14:40, where Paul writes that everything should be done decently (correctly) and in order. It is therefore, according to Calvin, not an indifferent matter of what attitude we adopt in prayer, how the sacraments are administered, or how we deal with a funeral. But that should never open the way to a stage-like liturgical performance that draws more attention to itself than to Christ. In every liturgy the clear preaching of the Gospel is to have the central place.

V. The shadow-like style of worship and the liturgical movement←⤒🔗

1. In most of the Protestant denominations a plea has been made to create more opportunity for all kinds of symbolic ceremonies in the church service. The holy supper in particular received a lot of attention and ought to be celebrated in every church service. It may be clear that this renewal shifted the preaching from its central position. This was done with confidence, because it was considered that the preaching only announced the coming of Christ, while his actual coming was celebrated in the Lord’s Supper.                 
2. The liturgical movement has been hailed as a means of bringing Roman Catholics and Protestants closer together. Insofar as this is correct, the liturgical movement encourages the Roman Catholic style of worship. Several of those who promoted this liturgical "renewal" have therefore transferred to the Roman Catholic Church. The same criticism that applied to Roman Catholic liturgy applies to this movement as well. The chief objection is that the preaching is being displaced from its legitimate place. This is contrary to Matthew 28:19; Romans 10:14, 17; and 1 Corinthians 1:21.

VI. The truth and substance of shadow-like worship←⤒🔗

1. After the article insists that Christians should no longer maintain all these shadows, it continues, "Yet their truth and substance remain for us in Christ Jesus, in whom they have been fulfilled.” What is meant by “the truth and substance” of the shadows? In a shadow image of a tree we recognize the tree itself. This is, as it were, "the truth (meaning “the reality”) and substance" of such a shadow image. And so Christ is the actual truth or content of the ancient worship with its shadow images.
2. For that reason we need to beware of two extremes. While we are not to maintain the shadows, neither are we to ignore them, for they have an enduring "truth and substance." Therefore, they can help us to better understand the gospel. The image of the priest who was allowed to approach God once a year, not without an offering, sheds a clarifying light on Christ’s atoning work. The Old Testament sheds light on the New and also the other way around. They clarify each other and this is because they both have the same "truth and substance," namely Christ (John 5:39).

VII. With what purpose do we continue to use the Old Testament?←⤒🔗

Unlike the Anabaptists who despise the Old Testament, “we still make use of the testimonies taken from the law and the prophets.” Christ and the apostles appealed to these time and again. We would not even understand most of the letter to the Hebrews without a knowledge of the Old Testament. And also the last book of the Bible that speaks of distant future times is teeming with quotes from the Old Testament, whether hidden or not. See also 1 Peter 1:10-12. Our article mentions a twofold purpose for using the Old Testament:

1. to confirm us in the doctrine of the gospel; and
2. to order our life in all honesty, according to God’s will and to his glory.

The fuller explanation of each of these is as follows:

1. This refers to giving us even more assurance that the gospel is reliable. Those who delve into the Old Testament also gain an increasingly deeper insight into the New Testament. They will be more and more impressed by the powerful unity of the Bible and thus also by its reliability, so that they experience the gospel more and more as solid ground under their feet.
2. This implies that God already announces in that Old Testament how he wants us to live today. That may seem remarkable, because he does not literally demand the same from us as from the Jews of that time. Has his will then not changed since then, and therefore has the Old Testament become obsolete on that point? This is not the case. When a father no longer sends his adult son to bed, it does not mean that he has changed his opinion about the necessity of his nightly rest. It would be an annoyance however, if he had to say to an adult son, "Off to bed!" Similarly, God treated ancient Israel as an immature child. Like a wealthy Greek would appoint an educator or mentor for his son who was to keep the immature child in line by strict rules, so God gave his law with its many rules and regulations to guide his immature people Israel, (Galatians 3:24). The Old Testament is God’s parenting book for children and the New Testament is for adults with greater self-responsibility (Hebrews 12:25:  “how much less...”)). Yet in both books the same Father is speaking, and his will did not change. For example, under the old covenant God required tithes from his people; we are no longer bound by that requirement, but God expects us to give what we can, for he loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

Points to discuss←↰⤒🔗

1. a. It has been argued that the Ten Commandments, as part of the shadow-like legislation, have lost their binding force as well as, for example, circumcision and the sacrificial laws. Therefore, the Decalogue would no longer have a place in the liturgy. Explain how these ten commandments already held a separate place within the whole of Old Testament law, for who wrote these, on what, and where were they kept? For the enduring significance of the law in the New Testament (see Romans 7:7, 13:8-10, Ephesians 6:2-3, James 2:11).
   b. People sometimes invoke Romans 10:4, which speaks of Christ as "the end of the law." Christ would have already fulfilled this law and thereby abandoned it as a law that was still in effect. But what does "the end of the law" mean here? Galatians 3:13a will help to find the right answer.
   c. Is the maintaining of the Sabbath (the fourth commandment) left to our Christian liberty?
2. Acts 15:20 forbids the consumption of blood. Does this mean that we may not eat black pudding? What was the motive for imposing this commandment from Deuteronomy 12:23? Does this motivation still apply today?
3. Show by means of a particular liturgy how it regulates what is most essential in a church service, namely the meeting of God and his people. When would it be appropriate to make liturgical changes? Is there a perfect liturgy?
4. Why are the Old Testament psalms still well-suited for the church services today? As examples we can mention Psalm 2; Psalm 32; and Psalm 122.
   Are the so-called imprecatory (revenge) psalms still fitting for today? See Revelation 19:1-5, where we read of a shout of joy on account of Babylon’s terrible downfall.