James Tissot (†1902)
There are a total of 613 commandments in the Torah that are called the Mitzvot in Hebrew. The Mitzvot are commonly referred to as the Mosaic Covenant, Mosaic Law or simply the Old Law. "If Catholics follow the Bible why do they shave their beards?" is a question I am constantly asked. It is, of course, an erroneous one. Catholics do follow the laws in the Old Testament, but only those concerning morals. The ritual and judicial parts of that law were only ever binding on those to whom the law was delivered - the Jewish people.
When Christ became man He established the New Covenant as was foretold by the prophets. "Behold the days shall come, saith the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda" (Jeremiah 31:31). However, the New Covenant did not abolish the Old Covenant, it fulfilled it. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says "Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." What is the fulfillment of the Law? Jesus explains this to the Pharisees in Matthew 22:34-40: "34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together: 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him: 36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets." The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2053) explains this in other words: "The Law has not been abolished, but rather man is invited to rediscover it in the person of his Master who is its perfect fulfillment".
When Christ became man He established the New Covenant as was foretold by the prophets. "Behold the days shall come, saith the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda" (Jeremiah 31:31). However, the New Covenant did not abolish the Old Covenant, it fulfilled it. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says "Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." What is the fulfillment of the Law? Jesus explains this to the Pharisees in Matthew 22:34-40: "34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together: 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him: 36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets." The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2053) explains this in other words: "The Law has not been abolished, but rather man is invited to rediscover it in the person of his Master who is its perfect fulfillment".